The president of Limbe- based Victoria United club, Valentin Nkwain, is accused of kidnapping and torturing his team’s goalkeeper, Eric Parfait Djomeni Fokam , just 19 years old, for three days.

The goalkeeper is also a player for the Cameroon U-20 national team and, according to the media; everything happened after the president accused him of placing bets and selling his team’s matches.

After the news that has already “broken through”, the club itself has denied anything about such an incident.

Dynamics: police station, then seizure

Nkwain initially accompanied the doorman to the local police station to confess to the crime, but Erik denied everything and was immediately released. At this point, according to Cameroonian media reports, the president allegedly hired two people and sent them to Djomeni’s house to kidnap him and take him to his villa, where he was tortured for three long days in order to extract a confession.

The goalkeeper’s mother is said to have reported the incident; after going to the club’s offices to seek information, she was rudely expelled by the president. The National Union of Cameroonian Footballers (Synafoc) stood by the goalkeeper.

“Justice for Eric Parfait Djomeni! The young goalkeeper of Victoria United was kidnapped, held captive and tortured by the infamous president of his club, Valentin Nkwain. Eric Parfait Djomeni, you have my full support,” wrote Jacques Marcel Itiga, head of communications for Cameroon’s trade unions.

The president is a friend of Eto’o

President Nkwain was already at the center of a scandal 18 months ago for promoting his team to the first league thanks to the help of Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Federation and his friend, who were wiretapped in a telephone conversation.

“You have to stay calm. Our club has to be promoted to the first category, that’s our goal. But you have to give me a hand, you can’t make too much noise, you have to stay calm,” the club president said.

Denial of the club and the goalkeeper

The club wanted to deny the incident in a statement.

” False rumors are circulating that are throwing mud at our team. There is no truth to it .”

Shortly afterwards, a video of the goalkeeper himself denies everything.

“As you can see, I was not kidnapped. We are training normally, there is no problem. What came out on the internet is not true. I saw my mother yesterday,” says the goalkeeper.

The doubt remains that this is a mandatory denial.

Source: Voxnews

The 2024 Cameroon Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on February 28 in Yaoundé, with the list of eight nominees revealed over the weekend. John Bosco Nchindo is widely seen as the favorite. The prolific striker was named best player of last season’s playoffs with Yong Sports Academy (YOSA) of Bamenda, which came close to winning the Cameroon championship. Nchindo is also one of the few players in the MTN Elite One league to have already received a call-up to the national team. However, his slow start with his new club, Coton Sport de Garoua, could play against him.

Like Nchindo, Wilfried Nathan Doualla of Victoria United has also made a strong impression. The winger caught the eye of former Indomitable Lions coach Rigobert Song, earning a spot in the squad for the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire. Since then, Doualla has cemented his status as one of the biggest stars of Cameroon’s domestic league. His teammate at Victoria United, René Donald Bitjick, is also in the running. The full-back is widely regarded as one of the best in his position and is committed to a professional career, having even put his studies on hold despite his parents’ wishes for him to attend university.

Colombe Sportive du Dja-et-Lobo, last season’s Cameroon Cup winners, has two representatives on the list. Team captain Randy Ntuwe Kwalar, a defensive midfielder known for his leadership and ability to recover and distribute the ball, is among the nominees. Off the pitch, he enjoys immense popularity among fans. Striker Yvan Mvondo Olama, also in contention, gained national recognition during the Cameroon Cup final, where he was named man of the match. His playing style has earned him the nickname “La Pulga,” a nod to Argentine football legend Lionel Messi.

Adrien Boris Mfoumou, AS Fortuna de Mfou’s forward, has a strong case as well. Last season’s top scorer, he has already earned a call-up to Cameroon’s A’ national team. Known for his elegance on the ball, he can also operate as a wide midfielder. Jules Armand Kooh, another prolific Elite One striker, is also a nominee. He previously played for Les Astres de Douala before moving to Europe at the end of last season.

Rounding out the list is Junior Trésor Bembong, hailed as the key figure in Aigle Royal de la Menoua’s survival in Elite One. However, his playing time has diminished since joining Fauve Azur.

The 2023 Ballon d’Or was won by Emmanuel Mahop, the former Canon Yaoundé and Coton Sport de Garoua striker. The year before, the award went to Marou Souaïbou, also a former Coton Sport forward.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Usheni Hassan, 29, from Kumbo in the Northwest Region, won the 30th edition of Mount Cameroon Race of Hope on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

Hassan completed the over 4,000-meter altitude challenge in 4 hours and 40 minutes. He first competed in the race in 2019, describing his initial performance as “positive,” and reached the top podium spot six years later.

Ali Mohamadou finished second in 4 hours and 42 minutes, and Abdou Amadou took third place in 4 hours and 45 minutes. The winners received prizes of 10 million, 7 million, and 5 million CFA francs, respectively.

In the women’s category, Lisette Ngalim, also from Kumbo, won the gold medal, completing the course in 5 hours and 24 minutes. Ngalim returns to the top podium spot after victories in 2017 and 2024. Njeyang Sydony Bonwi finished second, and Tumi Macrina Yinyuy took third place.

Source: Business in Cameroon

A football match in Cameroon’s first division had to be abandoned on Sunday after gunmen opened fire near the stadium in Bamenda, the chief city in the North West region, according to local police and eyewitnesses.

Players ran off the pitch and fans dived for cover when shots rang out near the end of the first half of the game between PWD Bamenda and Fauve Azur forcing officials to suspend the game, local police told reporters.

“The match was going on when we suddenly heard several gunshots. It was so terrifying. There was total confusion at the stadium and people were running in all directions,” James Nfor who was at the stadium said.

Police said that no one was harmed after the timely intervention of security forces forced the gunmen to flee.

It was not immediately clear who fired the gun, but local authorities said separatist fighters who have been operating in the region were responsible.

An armed separatist conflict has been going in Cameroon’s two Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest since 2017. Separatists say they want to create an independent nation in the regions.

Source: Xinhuanet

Former TKC Yaoundé player who captain the Indomitable Lions to their first appearance at an African Cup of Nations in 1970 in Khartoum, Sudan has died aged 84.

Pascal Owona passed away on 5 February 2025 in Paris, France following an undisclosed illness. He was one of the most loved players in the history of Cameroonian football.

During his career he led the Indomitable Lions to an unexpected victory over Côte d’Ivoire. After trailing 2-0, Cameroon eventually won 3-2.

Pascal Owona was a hero to millions not just in TKC or the Indomitable Lions, but also deep within the ruling CPDM party.

He was admired for his sportsmanship but disliked for his role in keeping President Biya in power.  

He was kicked out of the Cameroon Football Federation by a controversial Sports Minister who was extremely lacking in managerial finesse but he returned to the limelight as an agent of the ruling party and helped organized counterfeit presidential elections that guaranteed President Biya’s continued stay in power.

By Rita Akana

Cameroon head coach Marc Brys has delivered a defiant message following the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 draw, declaring that his team fears no opponent, including defending champions Côte d’Ivoire.

The two footballing powerhouses will meet in Group F, setting up one of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament.

“We must be careful, stay true to our playing philosophy, add passion and the enthusiasm common to the Cameroonian people. We will be ready,” Brys said at the draw event in Rabat on Monday night.

“We are not afraid of any team.”

The upcoming group-stage encounter between Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire rekindles a fierce rivalry that saw the Indomitable Lions secure a narrow 1-0 victory in their last meeting during the 2021 AFCON qualifiers.

Group F also includes Gabon and Mozambique, making it one of the tournament’s most competitive groups.

Brys, who stood alongside former Ivorian captain Serge Aurier during the draw, acknowledged the historical weight of the matchup but remained confident.

“I am aware of the historical rivalry between the two countries. The only thing is to stay focused and be ourselves. Of course, they won the last AFCON, but we will be ready for the match,” the Belgian tactician emphasized.

Brys expressed satisfaction with the make-up of his squad, describing it as a “good mix” of experienced players and emerging talent.

“I have a team that combines a lot of experience and youth. It is a good mix. We must remain united and motivated,” he added.

Cameroon versus Côte d’Ivoire promises to be one of the defining moments of the group stage, with Brys confident in his team’s ability to rise to the occasion.

“The biggest opponent will be ourselves. We must remain disciplined, motivated, and fearless,” he concluded.

The Indomitable Lions, five-time AFCON champions, will rely on this balance to navigate a group that includes Côte d’Ivoire, fresh from their title-winning campaign on home soil, as well as an ambitious Gabonese side and an improving Mozambique.

The 2025 AFCON, scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, will feature 24 teams competing in six Moroccan cities.

With six groups, the tournament format will see the top two teams in each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, advance to the knockout stages.

Host nation Morocco headlines Group A, which includes Mali, Zambia, and Comoros, while other groups promise equally exciting matchups:

• Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
• Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
• Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
• Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
• Group F: Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique

Morocco, returning as AFCON hosts for the first time since 1988, is among the favorites following their historic semi-final finish at the 2022 World Cup.

The tournament will be a showcase of African football’s finest talent, with Morocco set to play their group matches in Rabat.

Source: CAF

The State of Cameroon has just paid 560 million to the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT). The money will be used to pay the salaries of players playing for clubs in the Elite One and Elite Two leagues.

In a press release issued on Tuesday 21 January, the Cameroon Football Federation announced that the Cameroon government had made available the sum of 560 million CFA francs. According to the statement issued by Cameroon’s football governing body, these funds represent State support for the payment of the salaries of players from clubs involved in Elite One and Elite Two.

To ensure the transparent management of these funds, FECAFOOT has asked the Cameroon National Football Association (ANFC) to take the necessary steps to allocate the quotas. Proof of payment of players’ salaries is required for this purpose.

By Rita Akana

Samuel Eto’o, the four-time African Player of the Year, this week visited Cairo where he met Egypt’s Sports Minister Ashraf Sobhi and congratulated the new board of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA).

Eto’o, currently the president of the Cameroonian Football Association, congratulated the new board members, headed by FIFA and CAF executive board member Hani Abu Rida, after they won elections last month by acclamation. They will lead the EFA for the next four years.

“Thank you for coming to congratulate Abu Rida, the ‘godfather of Egyptian football’. Glad to meet you again in Egypt,” Sobhi told Eto’o, who had made a surprise visit to the EFA headquarters.

Eto’o was also in Egypt to support Cameroon’s Under-18 women’s football team who are to meet their Egyptian counterparts in the African qualifications for the FIFA U-18 world Cup. The home game is to take place on Sunday 12 January at the 30 June Stadium. The return game is scheduled for 18 January in Cameroon.

Eto’o, 43, joined Barcelona in 2004 where he scored 130 goals in five seasons, winning La Liga three times and the UEFA Champions League once.

As a member of the Cameroon national team, he was part of the squad that won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. He also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. He is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations with 18 goals.

Eto’o also participated in four World Cups.

He announced his retirement from international football in August 2014.

Source: ahramonline