Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, known globally asVinícius Jr., has uncovered his roots in Cameroon.
On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, a DNA test conducted by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in collaboration with AfricanAncestry.com confirmed that the Real Madrid star has ancestry from the Tikar tribe in Cameroon.
The results were presented to Vinícius before Brazil’s match against Uruguay in the South American World Cup qualifiers at Fonte Nova.
The CBF’s “Roots of Gold” initiative celebrates the rich heritage of the Afro-Brazilian community, particularly within the world of football.
So Brazil & Real Madrid Star Vinicius Jnr did a DNA test and the results show that his ancestors were from Cameroon 🇨🇲.
Vinícius’ father expressed his joy at learning about their Cameroonian connection, sharing his excitement on behalf of his son.
“It’s important for us to know where we came from. Many Brazilians actually don’t know their ancestry or our heritage. But I’m happy; we are from Cameroon too,” he said.
In honour of his ancestry, Vinicius Jr wore a special jersey with the flags of Brazil and Cameroon for the match against Uruguay.
Cameroonian governmenthas prohibited public discourse concerning the health of President Paul Biya, labelling it a matter of national security.
This announcement follows ongoing efforts by authorities to counter rumours suggesting that the 91-year-old leader has passed away while abroad.
In a statement released on Thursday, Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji emphasised that the president represents the country’s highest institution and that any discussions regarding his health fall under national security concerns.
“All debate in the media about the health of the President of the Republic is consequently formally prohibited,” Atanga Nji said, warning that “offenders will have to face the rigour of the law.”
The minister directed regional governors to create monitoring units to record programmes and debates in the private and social media and identify authors of “tendentious comments.”
Social media has been flooded with discussions regarding the declining health of Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who has not been seen in public since his televised departure from Beijing on September 8, after attending the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac).
On Tuesday, the government reassured the public that the president is in excellent health and is expected to return to the country “in the next few days.”
Rene Emmanuel Sadi, the Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, stated, “The government of the republic firmly declares that these rumours are entirely unfounded and are a product of the imagination of those spreading them.”
He added that President Biya had taken a brief private trip to Europe following his participation in the Focac summit.
“However, he remains, as usual, and wherever he may be, attentive to the development of national life,” the minister added.
In another statement, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, director of the President’s Cabinet, emphasised that “the Head of State is still fulfilling his duties in Geneva and has not left the city since returning from Beijing.”
Cameroonians are accustomed to the President’s “brief private stays in Europe,” as frequently claimed by his Cabinet, although the actual length of these absences often contradicts the official announcements.
However, the current absence, which has lasted nearly 40 days, has sparked heightened curiosity among the public.
Former African football president Issa Hayatou passed away on Thursday following a prolonged illness, just one day shy of his 78th birthday, according to reports from Cameroon television.
Hayatou, a Cameroonian national, served as the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for nearly three decades, holding the position from 1988 until his unexpected defeat in 2017.
He also briefly took on the role of acting FIFA president from 2015 to 2016 after Sepp Blatter was suspended by the global football governing body.
A lifelong sports administrator, Hayatou’s contributions extended beyond football. He was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 2001 until 2016, after which he was honored as an honorary member.
However, Hayatou’s career was not without controversy. In 2011, the IOC disciplined him for his involvement in an alleged bribery scandal linked to FIFA.
BBC Panorama reported that he received around $20,000 from the now-defunct sports marketing firm ISL in 1995. Hayatou, who was issued a reprimand, denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the money was a gift intended for his confederation.
During his tenure leading African football, the sport on the continent made significant advancements, though Hayatou often faced criticism for being authoritarian and slow to implement innovative changes.
In 2002, Hayatou challenged Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency but was soundly defeated as many African nations turned against him in favor of the Swiss candidate.
Vincent Aboubakar scored twice and Andre Onana saved a last-minute penalty as Cameroon secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Cape Verde in Marc Brys’ debut match as head coach of the Indomitable Lions.
Brys’ appointment in April had sparked controversy between the Cameroonian football federation (Fecafoot) and the Ministry of Sport. However, the Belgian coach’s first foray into international management was smooth and successful.
Cape Verde, which had reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year—one round further than Cameroon—struggled in this match, particularly with defending set-pieces.
The result was sealed in Yaoundé when Onana saved Kevin Pina’s penalty in the 94th minute. The Manchester United goalkeeper then was fouled by Gilson Benchimol as he attempted to secure the loose ball.
This victory propelled Cameroon to the top of Group D in the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, tied with Libya on seven points but ahead on goal difference after three games. Africa will have nine representatives at the expanded 2026 World Cup, with each group winner securing a spot in the tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Cameroon had a shaky start but took the lead in the 13th minute when an unmarked Michael Ngadeu headed in Moumi Ngamaleu’s corner. Aboubakar doubled the advantage 12 minutes later, hooking in Ngamaleu’s cross following a short corner on the right side.
Cape Verde reduced the deficit eight minutes before halftime when Jamiro Monteiro slotted Bebe’s through ball past the advancing Onana. However, Cameroon restored their two-goal cushion just before halftime. Ngamaleu, once again instrumental, was brought down by Deroy Duarte, allowing captain Aboubakar to convert the penalty with precision.
Cameroon extended their lead to 4-1 nine minutes into the second half when Nouhou Tolo outmuscled center-back Roberto Lopes to head home from another short corner.
In other qualifying action on Saturday, The Gambia registered their first Group F victory with a 5-1 thrashing of Seychelles in Morocco. Northern Irish coach Johnny McKinstry oversaw his first match in charge of the Scorpions, with the game level at halftime after Ryan Henriette equalized Mohamed Badamosi’s opener. Musa Barrow’s penalty restored the lead, and Badamosi scored again, followed by goals from Yankuba Minteh and St Johnstone forward Adama Sidibeh to secure a comfortable win for The Gambia.
The fourth round of qualifying matches is set to take place between Sunday and Tuesday.
Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) has taken action against 62 players ahead of its upcoming domestic season playoffs, banning them due to allegations of age cheating.
Among those barred from participation is Wilfred Nathan Douala, who gained attention as the youngest participant in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Doubts surrounding his age, listed as 17 years old, led to suspicions of age falsification, prompting scrutiny from social media users who noted that he appeared older than his documented age.
🚨 OFFICIAL: The Cameroonian Federation has suspended 62 players for age fraud, including Wilfried Nathan Douala, Victoria United midfielder who was selected at the last AFCON and claims to be 17-years old! 😱
Reports from BSN Sport confirm that Douala, the youngest participant at the AFCON, has been excluded from Cameroon’s top-tier league this season, joining 62 other players. They were barred due to concerns about “irregularities in identification and ages.”
This incident mirrors previous events in Cameroon.
In January 2023, FECAFOOT suspended 21 players out of 30 selected for the U17 AFCON due to suspected age falsification.
This decision came after MRI tests were conducted to accurately assess bone development and verify players’ ages.
FECAFOOT attributed these measures to President Samuel Eto’o’s directives, expressing worries about the reputational damage caused by age fraud in football.
This was reported by SoFoot.
“This action stems from strict instructions provided by the president of FECAFOOT, acting under the mandate from COMEX, to eradicate the manipulation of civil status that has previously tarnished the reputation of the umbrella body of Cameroonian football.”
Although Douala was chosen for the Cameroon squad at the recent AFCON, he did not play in any matches during the tournament.
Earlier this month, a journalist accused Mr. Bopda and his friends of committing many crimes against about 200 people.
Many people on social media have posted new claims of being hurt in sexual and physical ways. They are using the hashtag #stopbopda.
Mr Bopda, who travels a lot, says he did nothing wrong.
On Wednesday, Mr Bopda’s lawyer said the accusations against him were “shocking” after he was arrested.
In an interview with the media, Mr. Ojong Ashu admitted that his client was arrested because of abuse accusations, but he said it was for Mr. Bopda’s own protection.
These were claims of rape, kidnapping, bullying, and violence.
The claims from people on social media, mostly women, led to demands for Mr Bopda to be looked into by the police.
By Monday, the hashtag #stopbopda was the most popular topic among people from Cameroon on X, which used to be called Twitter.
Famous people have also said they are worried. Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoa, who is in charge of helping women in Cameroon, said the accusations are very serious in a statement she made last Friday.
Ms Ondoa wants all victims to speak up and not stay quiet. Speaking up can help stop the violence and give the authorities the information they need to punish the people who did the crimes.
She also praised a group of lawyers from Cameroon who had filed a complaint against Mr. Bopda with the police.
Cameroon has started giving a regular vaccine for malaria to children. This is the first time this has been done in the world. It is expected to save many children’s lives in Africa.
A baby girl named Daniella got her first vaccine at a health center near Yaoundé on Monday. This is an important step to help keep her healthy.
Every year, 600,000 people in Africa die from malaria, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
At least 80% of the people who die are children under five years old.
Cameroon is giving the RTS,S vaccine for free to all babies up to six months old.
Patients need to take four doses in total.
According to US researchers, the jab works in at least 36% of cases and could save more than one in three lives.
The rollout is a relief and helps save lives, but it doesn’t work great, according to Willis Akhwale at End Malaria Council Kenya.
But doctors say it is an important tool to help fight malaria. Shalom Ndoula, a doctor from Cameroon, helped introduce this tool in his country.
“We can greatly reduce the number of malaria cases and deaths and speed up getting rid of the disease,” he said in an interview with the BBC.
It took 30 years for the British drug-maker GSK to research and develop the RTS,S vaccine.
The World Health Organization said the vaccine is good and they are happy that it is being used in Cameroon to fight against a disease spread by mosquitoes. They think this is a very important moment in the world’s fight against the disease.
It happens after test campaigns in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi were successful.
Twenty more countries plan to start the programme this year, according to the global vaccine alliance, Gavi. Some of the countries are Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone.
The WHO says that in Cameroon, there are about six million cases of malaria every year. About 4,000 people die from malaria in hospitals, and most of them are children under five years old.
Babies who are six months old and live in 42 areas with the highest rates of sickness and death will get four doses of medicine before they turn two years old.
In 2021, most of the malaria cases and deaths in the world happened in Africa.
Rigobert Song, the Head Coach of Cameroon, has assumed full responsibility for the team’s 3-1 defeat against Senegal in the second game of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Indomitable Lions coach stated at press conference held after the match, that “When there is a defeat, we must bear responsibility, and therefore we must admit that Senegal was better than us in the match,” he said.
Song mentioned that his young players would require more experience to perform well in such significant occasions.
“Senegal was stronger than us. Their players were in their places on the field. They deserved their victory. For our part, we have young players in the national team, and they are at the beginning of their experience.”
Commenting on the match, he said, “I think that the players did everything they could during the match, and small details made the difference in the match.
“We admit that the competitor was better than us,” he explained.
Despite drawing the first game against Guinea and losing to Senegal in the second match, Rigobert Song remains optimistic about Cameroon’s chances in the Africa Cup of Nations.
With just one point heading into the third game, Song expresses confidence that he will lead the Indomitable Lions to the second round of the competition.
“I am always optimistic. As long as there is a final match, there are no calculations to make. The next match will be a final for us, and I know that we would qualify for the second round,” he stated.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana, aged 27, is poised to return to Cameroon’s starting lineup for their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations group game against defending champions Senegal on Friday.
Onana missed Cameroon’s first match of the tournament in the Ivory Coast on Monday as he was permitted to stay at Manchester United and participate in their 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
After the match at Old Trafford, he flew to the Ivory Coast by charter plane overnight but arrived just hours before kick-off against Guinea, resulting in a 1-1 draw for Cameroon.
The decision to allow him to miss the opening match sparked controversy among Cameroon supporters.
In a post-arrival interview in the Ivory Coast, Onana spoke about the challenging balance of loyalty between club and country, particularly for African internationals compelled to leave their European clubs mid-season to compete in the Cup of Nations.
“It’s like choosing between my father and my mother, but my country comes first; that’s why I’m here,” he said
“Let people continue to criticise me. I’m used to it. I do what is good for my country,” Onana added.
Onana has a chequered history with Cameroon after breaking through into the team while still a teenager at Ajax Amsterdam.
He did, however, participate in the most recent Cup of Nations two years ago, just months after returning from a protracted doping ban.
He declined a call-up to the 2017 Cup of Nations finals, which Cameroon went on to win, and was sent home after one match at the last World Cup in Qatar due to a disagreement with coach Rigobert Song, which has since been resolved.
Guinea took a surprise lead through Mohamed Bayo, but their captain Francois Kamano was sent off in the first half.
Cameroon’s Frank Magri equalized early in the second half, but they couldn’t find a winner against Guinea’s well-organized defense.
The match ended with Guinea holding out despite being a player down. In an earlier match, defending champions Senegal defeated Gambia 3-0 to top Group C.
Finally, Andre Onana, the keeper for Manchester United, has arrived in Cameroon for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The 27-year-old goalkeeper delayed his participation in the Ivory Coast tournament due to his club commitments.
Discussions were conducted between his English club and the national team to ensure his availability for the draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, which concluded with a 2-2 score.
While fans left Old Trafford after the game, Onana embarked on a 4,800-mile journey from Manchester to the Ivory Coast on a private jet.
Onana had retired from international duty last year following disagreements with Cameroon coach Rigobert Song, leading to his exclusion from the 2022 World Cup squad.
However, he later reversed his decision, expressing his willingness to represent his country in the future.
Onana’s belated arrival means he won’t start in Cameroon’s first AFCON group game, leaving uncertainty about his participation in their second match.
Abdoullahi Aliou, a person who is in charge of the area, said that a group of armed men attacked the school in Esu on Tuesday. They hurt the students and then took them away.
Two rooms where classes are held and the main office of the principal were set on fire during the attack. Some people who work at the school, like the assistant principal, were also taken by force.
“MrAliou said that the defense and security forces rescued the eight kidnapped students. He didn’t say where the deputy principal and other school officials are. ”
For more than six years, separatists have stopped and made sure that children in English-speaking areas of Cameroon don’t go to school. The separatists believe that schools are controlled by the French-speaking majority.
The separatists have attacked the students and teachers who do not follow their rules.
No one has said they did the attack on Tuesday.
The UN says that over 700,000 kids can’t go to school because many schools had to close due to the conflict that started in 2017.
Around 6,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have been forced to leave their homes because of the fighting, according to the International Crisis Group.
Cameroon’s Health Minister, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, wants people to believe in the government’s health plan, even though some people are unsure about the new malaria vaccines that came to the country nine days ago.
On Wednesday, he talked about the RTS,S vaccine and how it helps fight malaria. He said the testing in Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi was good.
“Because the vaccine worked well in the tests, it will be introduced for use. ” We can help all kids and save 2,000 lives each year by making sure all children receive these services throughout their childhood.
Cameroon was the first African country to get the RTS,S vaccines after the pilot phase ended.
However, in a country where many people are unsure about vaccines, the government has not been able to convince a lot of Cameroonians to accept the arrival of over 330,000 vaccine doses.
“We lived in a warm place, so we’re used to getting malaria. ” “I don’t understand why they have to give the vaccines to kids,” a person in the area told the media.
She said, “I won’t give my kids vaccines. I won’t let them get vaccinated at school either. ”
Every year, 6 million people in Cameroon get malaria and 4,000 of them die in hospitals, according to the WHO. Most of the people who are impacted are kids younger than five years old.
Manchester United faces another setback as goalkeeper Andre Onana adds to their injury concerns.
Onana was forced off with less than 10 minutes remaining in Cameroon’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory on Friday due to discomfort. Fabrice Ondoa replaced him after he limped off the field.
This injury is a significant worry for United manager Erik ten Hag, given the team’s existing fitness issues.
Strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen had to withdraw from international duty due to injuries, and defenders Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez, and Tyrell Malacia are currently sidelined.
Midfielder Casemiro is also expected to be out until January.
The injury to Onana compounds United’s challenges, and the situation worsened on Friday as Marcus Rashford was forced off during England’s win against Malta after colliding with teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold at Wembley.
It remains uncertain whether Onana will be available for Cameroon when they face Libya on Tuesday.
Manchester Unitedis scheduled to return to Premier League action with an away game against Everton on Sunday, November 26.
Officials in the south-western region of Cameroon have reported a deadly attack on a village by suspected separatist rebels.
The assault resulted in the tragic loss of at least 20 lives, leaving several others severely injured, and homes set ablaze in the Manyu area.
Since 2017, when separatists initiated clashes with government troops, the two Anglophone regions of Cameroon have been marred by persistent violence.
Throughout the conflict, both sides have faced accusations of committing widespread atrocities, leading to a death toll of at least 6,000 people and the displacement of nearly a million others.
A man, whose child was among the 30 or more individuals tragically killed in landslides in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, found himself spending a cold night outdoors.
He and his family were unable to secure alternative shelter after their home was lost.
Ymele Guy resides in the impoverished Mbankolo neighborhood, where numerous houses perched precariously on a hillside were obliterated due to heavy rains on Sunday.
He, along with his wife and three surviving children, received a mattress from visiting officials who conveyed the news that all remaining houses in the area would be demolished.
Housing Minister Célestine Ketcha Courtès, during her visit on Monday, had pledged to provide temporary accommodation in community halls and other public spaces for those who had nowhere else to stay.
“We have lots of problems, we are sleeping outside because they [the authorities] said they must demolish everything… I didn’t have anyone in whose place I could sleep,” Mr Guy said.
The community is home to many people who move to the capital from rural areas to find work.
A local administrator “clearly told me that if it were up to him, I should return to my village”, Mr Guy said
“He told me if it’s possible to return home, I can go to his office and get transport fare to go to the village.”
A man’s child was one of many people who died in landslides in Cameroon‘s capital, Yaoundé. The man and his family could not find a place to stay after their house was destroyed, so they had to sleep outside in the cold.
Ymele Guy lives in a poor area called Mbankolo. Due to heavy rains on Sunday, many houses, which were poorly constructed on a hill, got destroyed.
He, his wife, and their three children who are still alive were given a mattress by people who came to visit. These visitors also told them that all the other houses in the area will be destroyed.
Housing Minister Célestine Ketcha Courtès announced on Monday that people without a place to stay would be given temporary accommodations in halls and other public places.
“We have many problems. The authorities said they need to destroy everything, so we are forced to sleep outside. I didn’t have anywhere to stay. ” Guy expressed
Many people from rural areas move to the capital to find jobs and live there.
Mr Guy said that a person in charge in the area told him very clearly that if it was their decision, he should go back to his village.
“He said that if I can go back home, I can go to his office and get money for transportation to the village. ”
The death toll from the landslide that occurred on Sunday in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, has climbed to 30, and 17 others have been injured.
The country’s interior minister, who visited the site to evaluate the extent of the damage, provided this update.
In the impoverished neighborhood of Mbankolo, heavy rains caused numerous homes to collapse into rubble. Concerns persist that several individuals may still be trapped beneath the debris.
“We just put a team that will work all day long to continue finding people,” Housing Minister Celestine Ketcha Courtès told the BBC.
One of the individuals rescued was a three-month-old baby. In light of the ongoing risk, authorities have requested that residents evacuate the neighborhood, which is classified as a hazardous area, to prevent another landslide.
According to local residents who spoke to the BBC, the incident happened due to heavy rains causing an overflow from a nearby reservoir. Some individuals who lost all their belongings in the event expressed that they have no alternative housing options.
A lot of people may have died and some people are missing in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, after big amounts of dirt and rocks destroyed many houses in Mbankolo area.
It happened after a lot of rain fell in the city on Sunday evening.
The news outlets say that at least 13 people have died from the disaster, and more deaths are expected.
People are still being rescued at the site, but it’s not clear how many people are still missing after the disaster.
Last year in November, a big mass of earth and rocks slid down in the city and caused the death of at least 14 people who were at a funeral.
In Nigeria’s neighboring country, Nigeria, on Sunday, warnings were given about floods in many areas. This happened because water was let out quickly from a dam in River Benue, which starts in Cameroon.
His suspension by the Cameroon Football Federation resulted in his exclusion from the World Cup in Qatar last November.
Onana has not been part of the national team since his disagreement with manager Rigobert Song. However, he was recently included in the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi, as revealed last Tuesday.
Cameroon is set to host Burundi on September 12, and they require at least a draw in this match to secure their place at the Nations Cup in Ivory Coast, scheduled for January.
“I answer the call of my nation with an unshakeable certainty, aware that my return is not only to honour my dream, but also to meet the expectation and support of Cameroonians, who deserve a national team determined to shine,” the keeper said in the statement posted on the social media site X.
Manchester United’s new signing from Inter Milan, who has made 34 appearances for Cameroon, also referenced unspecified problems before confirming his return.
“In the world of football, as in life, decisive moments arise that require crucial choices to be made,” he added.
“In recent months, I have been confronted with trials marked by injustice and manipulation. Yet my unshakable love and attachment to my homeland, Cameroon, remain intact.”
Qualification could see Onana miss a number of United’s fixtures if he is included in Cameroon’s squad for the finals.
Amid the increasing occurrence of coups across Africa, certain leaders are being proactive in response by restructuring defense portfolios.
Just recently, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya implemented significant alterations within the country’s Ministry of Defense.
The reshuffle affected positions such as the delegate to the presidency overseeing defense, air force personnel, navy officials, and the police.
Biya originally seized power through a coup d’état in 1982. His initial years in office were characterized by allegations of repression and human rights abuses.
Despite later permitting multiparty elections in the nation, the 90-year-old leader has maintained his presidency since his rise to power.
Following the Gabon coup, Rwanda’s defense force (RDF) made an announcement on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, stating that President Paul Kagame sanctioned the retirement of 83 senior officers.
The RDF also reported that Kagame endorsed the advancement and selection of certain officers to assume the roles previously held by others.
Discussions took place involving the Chief of Defence Staff of Rwanda, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Rwanda, and the Defence Attaché of Cameroon. The purpose of these meetings was to explore avenues for strengthening defense collaboration between their individual nations.
In 2015, amendments were made to Rwanda’s constitution, permitting Kagame to continue as president until 2034. Having held power since 2000, the 65-year-old stands among Africa’s longest-serving leaders.
The decisions by Kagame and Biya to reorganize their military forces occurred shortly after soldiers took control in Gabon, ending a 53-year dominance by President Ali Bongo’s family. Bongo had recently secured a third term in office in the Central African nation, an electoral process criticized by the opposition as “fraudulent.”
President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has voiced grave concern regarding the spreading “contagious autocracy” across the continent. He revealed ongoing collaboration with leaders from the African Union (AU) and other global regions to address this worrisome trend. As the chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Tinubu remains steadfast in his efforts to restore constitutional order to Niger Republic, which has faced its fifth coup.
Analysts posit that the dissatisfaction with prolonged leadership in various African countries serves as a catalyst for the recurrent coups witnessed on the continent.
Today, the CDS RDF Lt Gen M Muganga held meetings with HE Hazza AlQahtani, Ambassador of UAE to Rwanda and Colonel JE ACHU, Defence Attaché of Cameroon. They discussed ways to enhance defence cooperation between their respective countries. pic.twitter.com/K0FU1EyA2L
A former separatist fighter who recently turned himself up to police claimed that the five government employees had been killed and buried after being abducted in the unrest-ridden South-West region of Cameroon in 2021. This information prompted the exhumation of the bodies in a far-off village.
They were then exhumed from their grave after he led security personnel there.
The officials’ burial was discovered after security personnel spent several hours searching a forest in the Ndian administrative area. Their carcasses had already begun to rot, making it difficult to distinguish each one of them.
In June 2021, after being abducted by separatists while performing their official duties, the local delegates who oversaw the administration of government in the Ndian division were killed. Their whereabouts remained a mystery for two years.
Six delegates were abducted in total, but according to rumours, one corpse was transported to a nearby city in 2021. The bodies of the remaining five were brought to the town for a time of grief.
Since 2017, when English-speaking separatist fighters took up guns and demanded a breakaway nation, Cameroon‘s two Anglophone regions have been embroiled in a war.
They have been charged with egregious human rights breaches like kidnapping, torturing, and murder. Additionally, government forces have been charged with significant crimes and atrocities.
The death toll from the building collapse in Cameroon has tragically increased to 16, with several others injured.
The incident occurred when a four-storey building collapsed onto another residential block during the early hours of Sunday morning.
Distressed neighbors recounted hearing screams as the tragedy unfolded. As of now, the cause of the collapse remains unknown.
Rescue teams from Cameroon’s fire brigade, the Red Cross, and other services continue to work tirelessly at the scene, searching for survivors.
Regional governor Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua has reassured the public that the situation is under control, and rescue teams are making every effort to ensure that no one is left trapped beneath the wreckage.
Three children and ten adults are receiving urgent medical attention at the nearby Laquintinie Hospital, where it was unfortunately reported that a three-year-old girl brought in has succumbed to her injuries.
The specific reason for the building collapse in Douala’s Ange Raphael neighborhood is yet to be determined, but residents have told journalists that the building appeared dilapidated.
It’s worth noting that while city authorities have been demolishing homes considered at risk from flooding or landslides, this particular block was not designated for demolition.
Building collapses are regrettably not uncommon in Cameroon, and in 2016, another dilapidated building in Douala, which violated construction rules, collapsed, resulting in the loss of five lives.
At least 12 people have lost their lives, and five others were injured after a building collapsed in Douala, the largest city in Cameroon.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning, and the number of people inside the four-storey building at the time of the collapse remains unknown. The building fell onto another residential block, triggering a frantic search for survivors in the rubble.
Distressed neighbors reported hearing screams and rushed to help dig out trapped individuals.
Various rescue teams, including the fire brigade and the Red Cross, are currently on-site and actively involved in rescue operations.
The regional governor, Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua, has assured the public that the situation is under control, and rescue teams are working diligently to ensure no one is trapped under the debris.
At Laquintinie Hospital, three children and ten adults are receiving emergency medical care. Unfortunately, a three-year-old girl brought to the hospital has succumbed to her injuries.
The cause of the building collapse in the Ange Raphael neighborhood of Douala is yet to be determined, but residents have informed journalists that the building appeared to be in a dilapidated state.
While city authorities have been demolishing homes at risk of flooding or landslides, this specific building was not earmarked for demolition.
Cameroon has experienced building collapses in the past, with one incident in 2016 involving a dilapidated building in Douala that did not adhere to construction regulations, resulting in the death of five people.
The regional governor confirmed on Monday that gunmen had carried out an attack at a bustling intersection in the city of Bamenda, located in the troubled northwest region of Cameroon. The assailants killed 10 individuals and left two others injured.
According to a witness, the attackers arrived in vehicles late on Sunday and demanded that people lie on the ground, accusing them of failing to support local separatist causes. Some individuals complied with the orders, while others attempted to flee. The attackers then opened fire.
The Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF), the primary separatist group in the English-speaking region, which has been engaged in a conflict since 2017 to protest perceived marginalization by the predominantly French-speaking government, denied any involvement in the attack.
North West region governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique told Reuters a manhunt had been launched for the “terrorists” behind the massacre. “Investigations are on, and we will issue a statement on this later today,” he added.
The witness said men in military uniforms arrived in two vehicles to storm Nacho Junction, where restaurants, bars and shops are located, at around 7:30 p.m. (1830 GMT).
They shot at people indiscriminately, the witness said, before taking off.
“There is possibility that it could be revenge killing,” ADF spokesperson Lucas Asu said, suggesting the attackers could have been disguised as separatist fighters.
More than 6,000 people have been killed in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions since conflict erupted in 2017 after protests were violently suppressed.
Earlier this month, human rights group Amnesty International slammed government troops, militias and separatists for killings, rapes, torture, burning of houses and other atrocities in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.
It said those who speak out were being threatened and detained.
Reporting by Amindeh Blaise Atabong; Editing by Anait Miridzhanian, Elisha Bala-Gbogbo and Andrew Cawthorne.
A group of unidentified gunmen carried out a brutal attack that resulted in the deaths of at least nine individuals, including a newly married couple in Bamenda, Cameroon.
The assailants, said to be separatist rebels, arrived at a busy junction in Bamenda in two unmarked vehicles and immediately ordered residents to lie down.
However, as some panicked individuals attempted to flee, the gunmen opened fire, causing further chaos and casualties.
Eyewitnesses report that the attackers accused the victims of being “black legs,” implying that they were either collaborating with the government or disregarding the orders of the separatists involved in the conflict.
The rebels, who seek to establish a separate nation known as Ambazonia in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, have been engaged in a violent struggle with the government since 2017, and Bamenda is one of the focal points of the conflict.
Just a day before this incident, government troops carried out an attack in the Nacho neighborhood, located in the same area, resulting in the deaths of five young men.
The situation in the region is rapidly deteriorating, marked by severe human rights abuses and atrocities committed by both sides.
Amnesty International recently released a report documenting alleged cases of murder and rape by the conflicting parties, urging the government to conduct investigations.
While no specific group has claimed responsibility for these killings, certain separatist leaders of Ambazonia in the diaspora have been encouraging their fighters to target those they label as “black legs” without showing any mercy.
A Cameroonian comedian, popularly known as 237 Towncryer, has undertaken a unique world record attempt for the longest continuous crying.
As of Monday, July 10, 2023, he embarked on a crying marathon, which he has dubbed a cry-a-thon, with the goal of setting a new record of non-stop crying for 100 hours.
“I am going in to break the Guinness World Records for the longest time crying,” he wrote on Instagram.
Videos shared on his official Facebook page shows him seated on a chair, visibly distraught, while a laptop placed on another chair displays a timer to track the duration of his crying session. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Guinness World Records has entreated individuals to limit their desires to break or set world records.
On July 6, Kylian Mbappe, the striker forParis Saint-Germain (PSG), arrived in Cameroon, the native country of his father.
This visit comes amidst ongoing speculation about his future, with persistent links to Real Madrid.
Real Madrid has long expressed interest in signing the French prodigy, dating back to his time at Monaco before he joined PSG.
Mbappe himself has confessed to being a fan of Real Madrid and has spoken about adorning his bedroom walls with pictures of their former star, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The situation regarding Mbappe’s future at PSG remains uncertain.
He has rejected a contract extension, and the club is eager to secure a transfer fee rather than losing him for free at the end of the season.
Reports have emerged suggesting that an agreement has been reached between Mbappe and Real Madrid for a summer move.
However, no official statement has been issued regarding this matter.
Mbappe featuring for Cameroon team
According to a report Get Football News France,Mbappe’s holiday in Cameroon will involve many activities, including visits to local sites and a special match with the Vent d’Etoudi Football Club, a second-division team owned by former tennis star, Yannick Noah.
It was also reported the former ace would host the footballer for two nights in the country, per Goal.
Mbappe’s holiday ‘tour’ also saw him visit the United States, where he was spotted with celebs and billionaires.
Mbappe arrives in Cameroon
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on French superstar, Mbappe arriving in Yaounde, Cameroon, for a three-day visit of the Central African nation.
The Paris Saint-Germain star arrived in the capital on Thursday along with his father, Wilfrid, to a raucous welcome from fans and officials.
Mbappe will spend the next few days touring the country, with his itinerary including building a recreational facility and new social centre.
To raise funds for the displaced individuals seeking refuge in his small kingdom, the Fon of Akum, George Ndikum II, a Cameroonian king, is currently visiting the United Kingdom.
Having held the throne for 65 years, the Fon of Akum presides over an area in the North-West region of Cameroon. This region, along with another English-speaking region, has experienced a separatist conflict for the past six years. The conflict emerged from the grievances of those in the Anglophone regions who have long felt marginalized by the predominantly French-speaking majority in the country.
Akum, a picturesque village situated in the highlands, relies heavily on agriculture as its main source of livelihood. However, it is now facing significant challenges due to the influx of people who have been displaced by the war. Amnesty International recently released a report highlighting rampant human rights abuses and other crimes, including executions, torture, and rape, taking place in the conflict.
To assist those who have lost their homes in this ongoing crisis, the Fon of Akum seeks to secure financial support during his visit to the UK.
The Fon of Akum has been feted since his arrival last Wednesday by London’s Cameroonian community.
Events during the monarch’s visit are focussed on raising funds for displaced children to give them access to education and to provide food.
“Every contribution, no matter how small, holds immense power.
Like the drops of rain that come together to form a river, our collective efforts can create a powerful current of change,” said Charles Mambo, UK president of the Akum Welfare Association, during a gala event that brought hundreds of people from around the world for the first Akum General Convention.
“As the Akum people say, ‘A tree is only as strong as its roots.’ Let us strengthen the roots of these children, allowing them to grow tall and strong, capable of weathering any storm that comes their way,” he said.
The Fon’s visit continues in London, where he is attending various events, until this weekend.
Amnesty International has accused Cameroon’s security forces, separatists, and ethnic militias of perpetrating “rampant atrocities” in the country’s English-speaking core.
Amnesty International documents extensive human rights violations and other crimes in the North-West region, including executions, torture, and rape.
It says people have been caught in the crossfire as multiple fighters clash in the region, with individuals who speak out on the atrocities being threatened and arbitrarily detained.
The rights group has also expressed “deep concerns” over the failure by the authorities to co-operate effectively with international and regional human rights institutions.
It said repeated requests for fact-finding missions had remained unanswered.
“We call on Cameroonian authorities to investigate allegations of human rights violations and other crimes under domestic law committed in the context of the armed violence in the Anglophone regions, and to prosecute and punish those responsible for such violations in fair trials and before independent, impartial, and competent tribunals” said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
Cameroon has been plagued by fighting since English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion in 2017.
The conflict has claimed more than 6,000 lives and forced more than a million people to flee their homes, according to the conflict research body the International Crisis Group.
France’s ambassador for LGBTQ rights, Jean-Marc Berthon, revealed the abandonment of a scheduled visit to Cameroon due to the host country’s objections.
The Cameroon government formally objected to the visit stressing in a Foreign Ministry statement that homosexuality was criminalized under existing laws.
Jean-Marc Berthon was due to visit the Central African country from 27 June until 1 July to discuss gender rights, multiple media channels reported earlier this week.
But Cameroon’s foreign minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella in a French language circular sighted by GhanaWeb noted that the government disapproves of the planned visit.
Homosexuality the statement said “qualified as a crime of common law” in Cameroon.
Recently Cameroon’s National Communication Council warned the media against promoting homosexual content, the BBC Africa LIVE report added.
Cameroon has officially declined the visit of France’s ambassador for LGBTQ rights, emphasizing that homosexuality remains illegal under the country’s current laws.
Ambassador Jean-Marc Berthon was due to visit the Central African country from 27 June until 1 July to discuss gender rights, the BBC reports.
But foreign minister Lejeune Mbella Mbella in a French language circular sighted by GhanaWeb noted that the government disapproves of the planned visit.
Homosexuality the statement said “qualified as a crime of common law” in Cameroon.
Recently Cameroon’s National Communication Council warned the media against promoting homosexual content, the BBC Africa LIVE report added.
Cameroonians are reacting to the passing of John Fru Ndi, a legendary rival of President Paul Biya, with sadness and grief. After a protracted illness, the founder and head of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the major opposition party in parliament, passed away on Monday at the age of 81. In the presidential contests of 1992, 2004 and 2011, Fru Ndi ran against Biya and finished second each time.
“Ni John Fru Ndi for the SDF (Social Democratic Front, editor’s note) was the guide, that is to say, the man who traced the furrow along which we walk, the man who against all odds imposed the return to a multi-party system in Cameroon on 26 May 1990 and with it a set of individual and collective freedoms granted to the entire Cameroonian people” Marcel Tadjeu , Chairman of the Douala 5 SDF electoral constituency told our correspondent.
Fru Ndi began his political career in the 1980s as a member of Biya’s RDPC. He founded the SDF in 1990 when Cameroon officially ended one-party rule. Today his SDF has only five seats in the current parliament. It held 18 in the previous legislature but lost influence to the all-powerful Cameroonian People’s Democratic Movement (RDPC) led by 90-year-old Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982.
Fru Ndi was born in 1941 in Baba Il, near Bamenda in the northwest, then under British mandate. The primarily English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions became part of Cameroon in 1961, a year after the French-speaking regions gained independence from Paris. They have been plagued by conflict between the army and separatists since the latter declared independence in 2017, after decades of grievances over perceived discrimination by the country’s French-speaking majority.
Biya has resisted calls for wider autonomy and responded with a brutal crackdown while Fru Ndi advocated a federal solution, rather than out-and-out independence for the Anglophone regions. This earned Fru Ndi the wrath of most radical separatists and perhaps brought to more scrutiny the positions he has held as an opposition leader over the decades.
“A lot of Cameroonians died when I was still very young. But today, we understand that he was corrupt. He was persuaded perhaps by the powers that be, because in reality, you really have to be strong” says Mathieu Epoune, a computer scientist in Yaounde. “Yet he really should be a great role model. But what I remember about him, it’s true, we don’t talk much about the dead, but what I remember about him is that he did aspire to change, but in the end he was still corrupted.” Epoune added.
Nicknamed “the Chairman”, Fru Ndi’s SDF is periodically plagued by internal crises and in recent years had his position contested by a faction of senior party officials.
His house was torched and he was kidnapped briefly in 2019 by an armed group, which demanded he pull his MPs out of parliament. Both the army and armed groups are regularly accused by the United Nations and international NGOs of crimes against civilians in the Anglophone regions.
“We lost our father, our grandfather” says one member of the SDF, before adding that he was the person who taught Cameroonians “what is democracy”.
John Fru Ndi, a towering figure in Cameroonian politics over several decades, has died aged 82.
He founded the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) in 1990 and was at the frontline of multi-party democracy in Cameroon, defending English-speaking minority rights in the country.
According to a press release from his SDF colleagues, Fru Ndi died in the capital, Yaoundé, on Monday evening after a long period of illness.
His career included several presidential bids and he claimed to have been the true winner of the 1992 election, that saw President Paul Biya re-elected.
Fru Ndi surprised everybody in 2018 when he decided not to run for top office.
He was preparing to retire as a leader of his political party later this year.
Separatists have kidnapped over 30 women and injured an indeterminate number of others in Cameroon’s restive northwestern area, according to officials.
The women were abducted in Big Babanki, a village near the border with Nigeria, for allegedly protesting against a curfew and taxes imposed on them by the separatists.
“Around 30 women were kidnapped by separatists [on Saturday morning] – we have not found them yet,” an army colonel told the AFP news agency.
Some local media report that the number of those missing was even higher – up to 50 women.
Officials said some women were “severely tortured” by the heavily armed rebels, who frequently kidnap civilians, mostly for ransom.
Separatist leader Capo Daniel told the Associated Press that the women were being punished for allowing themselves to be “manipulated” by Cameroon’s government.
The military says it has deployed troops to free the women.
Cameroon has been plagued by fighting since English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion in 2017.
The conflict has claimed more than 6,000 lives and forced more than a million people to flee their homes, according to the Crisis Group.
Late on Sunday May 7 2023, a journalist was shot and killed in Cameroon’s volatile northwest
According to a statement released by the local journalists union, the victim was the west and northwest region bureau chief for weekly newspaper “The Advocate”.
Anye Nde Nsoh was in a pub in Bamenda’s Ntarikon neighbourhood when unidentified assailants opened fire on him.
Earlier this year, a radio presenter and a journalist were killed in two separate attacks in or near the capital Yaoundé, prompting the United Nations to express concern about the media environment in Cameroon.
The journalists’ death comes amid a conflict between Cameroonian authorities and some separatist factions in English-speaking regions that turned violent in 2017.
Thousands of people have been killed in the fighting between armed separatists and government troops, with atrocities committed on both sides.
A fisherman named André Nkoudi resides in the village of Mangamba on the coast of Cameroon.
At least once per week, he patrols the rivers near his hamlet.
Nkoudi looks for frogs’ nests, tadpoles, frogs caught in the traps of fishermen’s nets or footprints that indicate the presence of poachers hunting the Goliath frog, known officially as Conraua goliath.
Nkoudi wasn’t always so concerned for the welfare of the amphibian, having previously been a hunter.
Now he monitors the species for scientists hoping to protect them.
Today, he notices a small frog caught in a net planted in a river. He takes a photo which he sends to the researchers. Then, crucially, he releases the frog.
The Goliath frogs are the world’s largest. They’re only found only in the tropical rainforest of central Africa, within the southwestern part of Cameroon and north of Equatorial Guinea.
Some of the adult frogs weigh several kilograms and measure more than 33 centimetres in length, when fully grown.
Nkoudi has noticed they’ve diminished over the years.
“In 2003, when I walked in here, as soon as I got there, I was going to catch at least 20 frogs. There were many. We didn’t have to go far to hunt frogs. We just had to walk from there to there to catch even 15, and I went home. Now I walk miles and I don’t even see one. Because a lot of people hunt now too.”
Now Nkoudi is involved in trying to inform other villagers about the importance of protecting the endangered frog.
“We have been informed that this frog is important to the government. So, I decided not to go into the water anymore to hunt frogs, because the government took control. So, I’m no longer involved in the frog hunt. And I explain to people to be careful, to stop hunting frogs because there is now a law that protects frogs. The government, the projects, take care of the frogs. I stopped hunting them. That’s how I educate the people in the village,” says Nkoudi.
The Conservation Leadership Programme, an NGO, is now trying to improve data collection so the scientific community has more evidence-based information about the frogs’ welfare and environment.
The group’s Ecological Monitor, Robillard Kouekam, joins Nkoudi to measure and weigh the frogs and detail where they were found.
“These data will, at the end of the investigation help to map the presence of frogs in the study environment. The measurements will allow us to model the growth parameters, to find the condition factor and the coefficient of allometry (organ measurements), in short to determine whether the location is favourable for them or not. These data will, at the end of the investigation help to map the presence of frogs in the study environment. The measurements will allow us to model the growth parameters, to find the condition factor and the coefficient of allometry (organ measurements), in short to determine whether the location is favourable for them or not,” he says.
According to Kouekam, local communities will be offered alternative ways of making an income.
But the money which can be earned from hunting the goliath frog means it will be difficult to persuade villagers they should be protected, not hunted.
Nkoudi explains: “It depends on the size. The big ones are at 6,000 CFA francs ($10), the small ones at 5,000 CFA francs ($8.40). Other smaller ones are at 2,000 CFA francs ($3.40). That’s how we sold these frogs here. It helped us manage our lives. I, for example, have two kids in college. It was the money from those frogs that allowed me to send them to school.”
Kouekam says new forms of farming can be introduced.
“We have a snail breeding project. These people who hunted frogs will be introduced to the breeding of snails, which will generate income,” he says.
Environmentalist Ghislain Fomou says stricter measures are needed.
“The middle ground will, first, be better regulated access to this type of living species, sampling must be controlled, I think the problem is when going to a high level of sampling that is not in coordination with the degree and the level of reproduction, this is what constitutes a threat in the first place.”
The goliath frog has been classified as an ‘endangered species’ by IUCN and as a protected species of class ‘A’ according to the Cameroonian wildlife law.
The total population of goliath frogs has dropped by at least 50 percent over the last 15 years, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
According to local fishermen, these frogs are caught for local consumption, but they’re also believed to be trafficked to neighbouring countries like Nigeria.
Several people of the economic center of Cameroon get up early every day and stand in line outside a brewery to fill their water bottles.
The municipal water company As Camwater is unreliable, drilling for water is a lucrative industry. For many residents, it is their only choice and a fantastic deal for private contractors.
“Drinking water sources are extremely rare, it is so rare and not very visible and few neighborhoods have them,” Cédric a computer scientist deplores.
“So, when there is a point like this, everyone rushes. You could already see how difficult it is for people to get it from here. It’s a struggle, the struggle is real. it’s not easy at all. Accessing drinking water in the city of Douala is like a treasure.”
If the government says that Camwater supplies most of housewolds, it is clear that many the demand actually exceeds the supply. In addition to a lack of infrastructure, teh city of Douala continues to spread, worsening the problem of the access to drinking water.
Lack of infrastructure and growing population
“We live in peripheral neighbourhoods and the water is not safe for drinking there, Jodelle, a housewife says. “
So we’d rather travel to get drinking water here. Access to drinking water is still a problem in our country.”
Private contractors have launched many project for those who can pay. Indeed, drilling cost over 25 times the minimum wage. In the PK12 district near Douala, technicians are busy drilling in search of groundwater.
“Geophysical studies direct the way we select the sites,” Tindo Kaze says.
“We did geophysical studies here, and we were shown a source, we were told a point where we had to drill, that’s where we positioned the machin. They told us we could find groundwater about 50 to 70 meters deep, so that’s what we’re going for.”
Authorities have however warned: drilling works that are not made at the required depths or that have possible points of contamination around present health risks.
President Paul Biya might have got the measure of the issue: in his New Year’s address, he “asked the government” to launch urgently, “starting from 2023”, a “mega-project of drinking water supply” in Douala and its surroundings.
According to the transport minister, a huge cloud of dust from the Sahara desert is threatening to cover half of Cameroon.
In a press release, Ernest Ngalle Bibehe issued a warning that if the predicted wind conditions hold, the dust could result in traffic accidents since it would limit visibility.
According to Mr. Bibehe, the dust could also lead to respiratory conditions.
The Far North region of Cameroon is currently being crossed by the dust cloud, and four further regions may be affected in the next days.
The minister has encouraged people to drive cautiously and correctly shield their eyes and noses.
Each year Cameroon experiences dust storms from the Sahara that cross the country from north to south.
Since taking office in 1982, President Biya has served Cameroon for seven terms. According to many, a change is necessary.
When Paul Biya, the newly elected president of Cameroon, visited the United States in 1984, Edith Kah Walla was at the forefront of a group of students eagerly anticipating the stability, democracy, and end to corruption the young leader would bring.
Biya turns 90 on Monday and is now the oldest leader in the world. Kah Walla, one of Biya’s opponents in the 2011 presidential election, will not be present when he cuts a large cake as he usually does on his birthday.
Her support for Biya evaporated over the years as economic progress stalled, dissenting voices were silenced, and the oil-producing country of 27 million people became split by a separatist uprising that has killed thousands, amid growing Boko Haram attacks in the north.
At 90, Biya should spend his days playing with his grandchildren, she said.
“We live in a violent, brutal dictatorship. Over the past 40 years it has gotten more and more violent and brutal,” said Kah Walla, now a civil society activist. “These 40 years are a huge setback for Cameroon.”
A government spokesperson did not respond to calls requesting comment.
Four decades of Biya
Biya has repeatedly defended his record in the past and says the government has made strides to return peace to the minority English-speaking regions where separatists are trying to form their own state.
He touts his Vision 2035 plan as a blueprint to boost development over the next 12 years.
After studying in Paris, he returned to Cameroon in 1962 as a top civil servant and quickly rose to become the prime minister in 1975. He was hand-picked as successor after the country’s first post-independence President Ahmadou Ahidjdo decided to resign suddenly in November 1982.
In Africa, only President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea has ruled longer.
Millions still support Biya, although international observers have raised doubts about the fairness of elections that he routinely wins with ease. He spends long stretches in comfortable European hotels with his wife Chantal, frustrating many at home who believe the country’s crises require closer attention.
In 2020, he was not seen in public for weeks, prompting speculation that he had died of COVID-19.
Biya has ruled with openness and tolerance, said former minister Elvis Ngolle Ngolle. Old age, he said, has its advantages.
“The more you add up the age, the wiser you become – the more experienced, tolerant, logical you become,” Ngolle said.
‘I can’t celebrate’
Popular journalist and whistleblower Paul Chouta disagrees. Chouta, an outspoken critic of Biya, has been repeatedly beaten and tortured in recent years. He lives in fear: just the sound of his floorboards creaking sends him into a panic.
On March 9 last year, unknown assailants bundled him into the back of a car and drove him to an isolated spot near Yaounde airport. They beat him with stones and batons and left him for dead, he said.
Chouta is one of several reporters who have been beaten or killed. Two journalists were killed in the last month, prompting condemnation from the United Nations.
“If he [Biya] loves Cameroonians, let him fix things and go. The woes are deep,” Chouta told Reuters news agency.
It is not only well-known reporters who are wary.
Kouam Yves, a motorcycle taxi driver, last week stood at a newspaper stand discussing the news headlines with colleagues. He struggles to make a living and is critical of Biya and what he describes as rampant corruption. But he paused as he spoke, worried about who might be listening.
Authorities in Cameroon stated that the restrictions on border crossing were put in place because of “the high risk of importation” of the unknown illness.
Following “several unexplained deaths” from an unidentified illness that causes hemorrhagic fever, Cameroon has restricted travel along its border with Equatorial Guinea, according to Minister of Public Health Malachie Manaouda on Friday.
He stated in a statement that the restrictions were put in place due to “the high risk of importing this disease and in order to detect and respond to any cases at an early stage.”
With the assistance of specialists from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO), investigations are currently underway, and epidemiological surveillance has been strengthened.
“At the current stage … there is no reason to be worried,” Malachie said.
Equatorial Guinea said in a statement on Wednesday that it had registered an “unusual epidemiological situation” over the past weeks in its Nsok Nsomo district, Kie-Ntem province, that caused nine deaths in two adjacent communities over a short space of time.
A crisis commission set up by the health ministry reported a tenth death on Thursday.
The symptoms observed were fever, weakness, vomiting blood and diarrhoea. A team was sent to isolate contact cases and take samples that were sent to a regionalWHO lab for testing. A woman and her two children were taken to hospital, where they recovered after receiving mild treatment, the statement added.
A WHO spokesperson said the agency was supporting the testing of samples to identify what has caused the deaths and should get results within the coming days.
Cameroon said approximately 20 deaths had been recorded on Wednesday in villages in Equatorial Guinea’s Kie-Ntem province, which borders Cameroon’s Olamze district.
The symptoms of the “non-identified illness” were nose bleeds, fever, joint pain and other ailments that caused death within a few hours, the head of health for the district, Ngu Fankam Roland, said in a statement.
He told Reuters on Friday that no cases had been detected or suspected in Cameroon so far.
Tuesday saw the group stage of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria come to a shocking conclusion as Cameroon and Mali were eliminated.
Twice-placed finalists Mali needed just a draw against Mauritania to win Group D, but instead fell short 1-0 as Mamadou Sy’s goal in the 53rd minute advanced his nation to the quarterfinals.
Cameroon, which hosted the previous tournament and finished fourth, needed just one point to win Group E, but Niger won 1-0 to take the top spot.
Before the quarterfinals, the competition for footballers who play for clubs in their nation of origin now takes a two-day break.
Friday’s matches pit title favorites Algeria against the Ivory Coast in Algiers and Senegal against Mauritania’s neighbors in Annaba.
On Saturday, Mozambique and Madagascar square off in Constantine, while Niger takes on two-time runner-up Ghana in Oran.
With Morocco and the Democratic Republic of the Congo winning the Chan twice each, Tunisia once, and Libya twice, none of the eight survivors have ever taken home the trophy.
Following the predictable success of Algeria and Senegal in Groups A and B last weekend, minnows have made headlines with Madagascar’s victory in Group C on Monday.
Before facing Mali, Mauritania had lost all six matches in two other appearances, and fought a goalless draw with Angola in Algeria last week.
That automatically made them underdogs against Mali, whose proud Chan record included reaching the 2016 and 2020 finals.
But the Mauritanians never allowed the Malians to settle in the first match of a double-header in the western city of Oran and Sy outjumped Souleymane Coulibaly to nod the match-winner.
Following a dour draw with Congo Brazzaville, Niger were given little chance of stopping Cameroon, who were watched by football federation president and former superstar Samuel Eto’o.
Cameroon had looked likelier to score until the match was turned on its head in the 69th minute as an Ousseini Badamassi free-kick deflected off Thomas Bawak into the net.
Needing an equaliser to survive, Cameroon lay siege to the Nigerien goalmouth, but several poorly-taken free-kicks summed up a night to forget for the central Africans.
A new age fraud scandal has hit Cameroon after 21 members of their Under-17 team were banned due to the problem.
President Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon football federation was eager to get rid of the issue, so the federation called 44 players from eight different clubs for an investigation into possible age or identity fraud back in the summer.
But after the majority of the players chosen for this year’s UNIFACC tournament, which was played by the Under-17 teams of Central African Football Federations’ Union countries, were disqualified after failing MRI tests, Eto’o has been dealt another setback in his attempt to stop their age fraud crisis.
‘They were immediately removed from the group. Steps were immediately taken for their replacement.
‘This action is the result of strict instructions given by the President of FECAFOOT acting under the mandate of the COMEX, in order to put an end to the tampering with civil status records which have, in the past, tarnished the image of the apex body of the Cameroon football. FECAFOOT urges all actors, in particular educators, to ensure that the ages by category are respected.’
This year, an age-group competition was announced by the Cameroon Football Federation.
The exams scan the player’s wrists and measure the growth of their bones to establish their age.
For concealing the list of chosen players for both their Under-20 and Under-17 teams, Cameroon has recently come under fire.
Concerns have also been raised over their roster for the 2019 African Nations Championships, as an official list of players has not to be made available before their first match on January 16.
African football has always struggled with age fraud, with claims of overage players clouding several of their youth level international victories.
Although accusations have been made frequently, it appears that the authorities have not made many efforts to look into them.
At the age of 40, Modeste Mbami, a former Cameroonian football player who played for Le Havre before retiring for Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, passed away.
A heart attack, according to accounts, was the reason of death.
He played in Spain and Colombia in addition to France, where he finished his career after becoming well-known in Ligue 1 in the early 2000s.
When he played with PSG from 2003 to 2006, he unquestionably made a name for himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the league and won two Coupe de Frances (2004 and 2006).
One achievement in particular distinguished him as a hero more than others, and that was the gold medal he won with Cameroon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The Indomitable Lions defeated Spain in the final on penalties, 5-3, but Mbami makes his mark in the match against Brazil.
Mbami was also a member of the Cameroonian national football team, which regrettably missed out on qualifying for the 2006 German World Cup after coming in second place to Côte d’Ivoire in their qualifying group.
He declined a coaching position with the national team of Cameroon in November 2019. Between 2000 and 2009, Modeste Mbami appeared in 37 games for Cameroon and scored three goals.
After winning the final game of Group G, Cameroon became the first African nation to defeat Brazil at a FIFA World Cup.
Last Friday, December 2, the Brazilians and African juggernauts engaged in a thrilling match.
A decisive header from Vincent Aboubakar in stoppage time gave Cameroon a slender 1-0 victory in a game in which the Indomitable Lions were reduced to 10 men by the end.
The win means Cameroon are the first African country to defeat Brazil at a FIFA World Cup tournament.
Speaking after the game, Cameroon head coach Rigobert Song said he has trust in the youth players in his team.
“You need to trust youth. Henri Michel gave me an opportunity. He saw the potential in me. Now I’m the coach and I see potential in my young players.
“I knew (Ngom Mbekeli) was a good, quality player. He just needed an opportunity to show that. Hopefully, his performance can motivate other local players,” the coach said.
Unfortunately, for Cameroon, the side could not advance to the Round 16 stage despite beating Brazil.
Despite being the first African team to defeat Brazil during the tournament, Cameroon was eliminated from Group G, and after their first two World Cup performances, Rigobert Song voiced sadness.
In order to have any chance of joining the pre-tournament favorites in the round of 16, Cameroon needed to defeat them on Friday.
They did it in thrilling fashion thanks to a goal from Vincent Aboubakar in stoppage time, which he celebrated by taking off his shirt.
However, Murat Yakin’s team finished two points ahead of Cameroon thanks to Switzerland’s stunning 3-2 victory against Serbia, sending them home after the World Cup’s group stage for the sixth time in a row.
By breaking Brazil‘s unblemished World Cup record against African teams (previously played seven, won seven), the Indomitable Lions at least left on a good note, but Song believed Cameroon might have done better.
“I didn’t even realise that this was such a historic victory. We are one of the African countries who have played more World Cups than most, and now we’ve beaten Brazil,” Song said.
“My players deserve to be congratulated. They showed tonight they could have done better in the first two games [a 1-0 defeat to Switzerland and a 3-3 draw with Serbia].
“I think we do have a feeling of regret. Now we realise we could have done better. But we need to look on the positive side as well.
“I’m trying to get across a team spirit, that lion’s spirit, which needs to be the key to Cameroon teams.
“We realise now we could have done better in this tournament. We’re a young team and today we’ve seen our young team getting stronger and stronger.”
Cameroon began 2022 by finishing third at the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, and with just over a year to prepare for the next edition of that tournament – which was pushed back to January 2024 due to weather concerns in Ivory Coast, Song is backing them to improve further.
“There’s another tournament in 2024 and we’ve built up some momentum now,” Song added.
“I’m satisfied with tonight’s performance. I took over the national team not too long ago and I think we are progressing and improving, so I’m proud of this team.”
On the same day, they were indicted by a federal grand jury in Missouri ‘charging them for their roles in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a conspiracy to kidnap persons and use weapons of mass destruction in a foreign country‘.
The trio allegedly supported and raised funds – more than $350,000 – for English speaking separatists in Cameroon since January 2018.
These funds were suposedly raised through online chat applications and payment platforms from individuals located in the United States and abroad. Then transferred from various financial and cryptocurrency accounts controlled by the defendants through intermediaries to the separatist fighters to support attacks in Cameroon.
According to the indictment, the defendants drafted a list of expenditures related to improvised explosive devices (IEDs), firearms and ammunition.
Other expenditures included funds related to the kidnapping of late Cardinal Christian Tumi and of a Cameroonian traditional leader named Sehm Mbinglo II on Nov. 5, 2020.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum legal sentence of up to 15 years in prison for the material support charges, up to three years in prison for receiving money from a ransom charge and up to 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy.
The FBI said it was continuing its investigation to dismantle the entire network.
Yaoundé has not yet reacted to the announcement.
The Cameroonian government has always asked countries hosting separatists to extradite them to Cameroon for trial.
At least 15 people died Sunday in a landslide on a hillside where a crowd was attending a funeral in a popular neighborhood of Yaoundé, the Cameroonian capital, the governor of the region told AFP Monday in a new report.
A few hours after the tragedy, Naseri Paul Bea, the governor of the Centre region, announced on the state radio CRTV that 11 people had died but that the search was continuing for possible other victims.
“We are now at 15 dead,” he told AFP on Monday morning, some time after a dozen firefightersbegan digging with shovels on an imposing pile of red earth at the foot of the hill in this neighborhood of Damascus, in the east of Yaoundé, according to an AFP correspondent on the spot. Around them, a hundred residents and onlookers were kept at a distance by police officers.
A little further on, people entered two modest houses one by one to offer their condolences to two families who had lost their loved ones in the tragedy. One of them was a cab driver, his vehicle is still parked in front of the family home.
Late Sunday afternoon, at least one tent, among several others housing dozens of participants in a ceremony to honor five members of an association who died this year, was swept away by a landslide.
Four bodies had been quickly evacuated, covered with a white sheet, on the flatbeds of three police pick-ups and the rescuers then gradually removed 11 new deceased people, before stopping their search around 11 pm.
Four large white tents remained intact at the top of the hill but on the edge of a whole collapsed section, reported AFP reporter Sunday evening.
In the vicinity of the wasteland, there are relatively well-to-do houses in good condition and very precarious dwellings, like those, countless, sometimes made of wood and sheet metal, which cover the sides of the seven hills forming part of the relief of the Cameroonian capital, populated by more than four million inhabitants.
Only France, Brazil, and Portugal have already qualified for the World Cup knockout rounds, with many other teams facing a nerve-wracking penultimate matchday in their quest to advance to Qatar’s round of 16.
Favorites entering the tournament With victories over Serbia and Switzerland, Brazil easily advanced from Group G, while France became the first team to retain its global championship since the Selecao in 2006 to do so.
Portugal’s win over Uruguay on Monday in Group H ensured their place in the round of 16, but other teams like England, Spain, Germany, and Argentina still need results on matchday three to advance.
Another well-known team that hasn’t confirmed their participation in the FIFA World Cup’s latter rounds is the Netherlands, and Belgium must defeat Croatia in Group F to avoid an early elimination.
Here, we examine the potential outcomes depending on the final decision about group-stage action in the Middle East.
The Netherlands are essentially in charge of Group A and only need to avoid losing to Qatar, the group’s eliminated hosts.
If Ecuador defeats Senegal, who also needs to win, Louis van Gaal’s team will also go to the round of 16, but Aliou Cisse’s team will need Qatar to defeat the Netherlands to have any chance of competing.
Ecuador, who has performed admirably in their first two games, must defeat Senegal or draw to advance. However, if Qatar defeats the Netherlands, Gustavo Alfaro’s team may lose and not advance.
Group B
Against ferocious rivals Wales, England needs just to win or draw. However, as long as they avoid a four-goal loss against Wales, whose goal differential is six lower, the Three Lions would still advance.
Iran will automatically advance if they defeat the United States, who are aware that failure to defeat Carlos Queiroz’s team will result in their elimination from the competition.
Quieroz’s team might still finish first in Group B with a draw, but if Wales defeats Gareth Southgate’s England, goal differential would become important.
All four teams still have a chance to advance from the intriguing Group C, with Argentina—one of the pre-tournament favorites—necessitating a victory over Poland to ensure a spot in the round of 16.
The Albiceleste, though, might advance with a draw and would be eliminated in that scenario if Mexico and Saudi Arabia also shared the points.
However, Argentina will lose if Lionel Scaloni’s team is stopped and Herve Renard’s team defeats El Tri. Goal differential will decide the winner if Mexico wins and Argentina draws.
Poland would go through by avoiding defeat, but would be knocked out by a loss coupled with a Saudi Arabia victory over Mexico, who must win to have any chance of remaining in the tournament.
Goal difference will be used to divide the two teams if Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia tie and if Mexico triumphs and Czeslaw Michniewicz’s team loses.
Group D
As long as Australia doesn’t beat Denmark and France doesn’t lose to Tunisia, the French will win Group D; otherwise, the Socceroos would tie France on points with six. France is already in the round of 16 draw.
Even though a win would send Australia through, Graham Arnold’s team would still advance to the knockout round with a tie, barring Tunisia’s victory over France, which would allow Jalel Kadri’s team to advance on goal differential.
Unless Tunisia defeats France, Denmark would qualify with a victory over Australia. In that case, the difference between the Carthage Eagles and Kasper Hjulmand’s team would be determined by goal differential or goals scored.
Onto the next! France’s 2-1 win over Denmark moves them onto the round of 16.
Spain are the favourites to progress from Group E, requiring a win or draw against Japan. Defeat would see Luis Enrique’s side still go through on goal difference, unless Germany lose to Costa Rica.
Germany must pick up three points to stay in contention and would qualify as long as Spain defeat Japan, though a draw in the latter game or a win for Hajime Moriyasu’s men would see goal difference needed.
A win for Japan over Spain would take Moriyasu’s side through, while a draw – coupled with a stalemate for Germany – would also see the Samurai Blue make the knockout stage.
Costa Rica would earn a last-16 spot with victory and a point would also take them through if Spain overcome Japan. A draw in both games or a defeat for Fernando Suarez’s side sees them eliminated.
Group F
Croatia will pass through Group F if they avoid defeat against Belgium, who require victory against the 2018 runners-up to guarantee a place in the round of 16.
Such a win for Belgium would leave Croatia needing already eliminated Canada to overcome Morocco, with goal difference coming into play to separate Zlatko Dalic’s side from the Atlas Lions.
A draw is likely not enough for Belgium. They would need Morocco to lose to Canada and then rely on goal difference, though Walid Regragui’s men (+2) hold the advantage over Roberto Martinez’s side (-1) in the decisive metric.
Morocco would progress with victory over Canada, while a defeat would see Regragui’s side reliant on Belgium beating Croatia for goal difference to be decisive between Dalic’s men and the Atlas Lions for second.
Group G
Brazil have secured knockout football and will finish as Group G winners with anything other than defeat against Cameroon, who need victory against Tite’s side and results to go their way to make the last 16.
Rigobert Song’s men would be eliminated if they do not win, though victory is not guaranteed to secure progression as Switzerland could play out a high-scoring draw with Serbia to go through on goals scored, which is used if sides cannot be separated on goal difference – Cameroon are currently on -1 and Switzerland level in the latter metric.
The somewhat expected scenario of Cameroon losing to Brazil would see Serbia and Switzerland become a winner-takes-all clash.
Dragan Stojkovic’s side need victory to progress in that instance, while a draw would be enough for Switzerland. Goal difference would be required if Serbia (-2) and Cameroon (-1) both win their final encounters.
Portugal are already through and would top Group H by avoiding defeat against South Korea, who could still make a late charge for the round-of-16 stage should the result between Uruguay and Ghana go their way.
The permutations are straightforward for Uruguay and South Korea, who must win to avoid elimination, though qualification is not assured even with victory.
Both teams would be level on four points with victories, again leading to goal difference to separate. Yet, if Ghana beat Uruguay then South Korea’s result against Portugal will prove irrelevant for Paulo Bento’s side.
A draw for Ghana and a win for South Korea would also see goal difference required to split the two sides, with Bento’s men trailing the Black Stars by one in that metric, which could mean goals scored comes into it.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana was excluded from the Cameroon squad for Monday’s 3-3 draw against Serbia due to disciplinary issues, according to Rigobert Song, who emphasized that the decision “had to happen.”
Despite allegations that the 26-year-playing old’s style in the first World Cup loss to Switzerland was the cause for Onana’s exclusion, Song declined to expound on the situation but was confident in his choice for the team as a whole.
Onana made the most touches outside of the penalty area by a goalie in a World Cup match (26) since records were kept in 1966 against the Swiss.
Song said: “The goalkeeper position is very important but we are in a tournament and I know what I have to do and that is to ensure the team takes precedence over any individuals.
“In a squad, you need discipline and if you can’t fit in with that, then you need to accept responsibility for that. Perhaps sometimes you need to take strong action to help people come to the realisation that certain things need to be done.
“All the 26 players are in a position to play. I took a risk but I accept the responsibility. I am interested in the players that I have at my disposal. Andre has been left out, you need to respect the rules that apply to everyone. It was something that had to happen.”
Devis Epassy, who should have done better with Serbia’s second goal but otherwise displayed good leadership, was brought in to replace Onana.
Song added: “Everyone that did play was capable and those that didn’t want to be a part of that, well they can be judged. Epassy showed he is also a very competent goalkeeper.
“I will talk about this in due course, I want to focus now on the Brazil game. We want to deal with players that want to be in the squad and that are proud to represent Cameroon.
“We are talking about one of the best goalkeepers in Europe [in Onana]. We don’t question his ability but you do need to ensure the team takes precedence over individuals.
“For the time being I have asked him to wait and see if he is willing to stay with us. It’s up to him to a certain extent, he will have to agree to accept the rules.”
“Every contribution, no matter how small, holds immense power. 
“As the Akum people say, ‘A tree is only as strong as its roots.’ Let us strengthen the roots of these children, allowing them to grow tall and strong, capable of weathering any storm that comes their way,” he said.
