Jobless graduates, drop outs, retirees seek solace in gambling

As Cameroon continues to wallow in falling living standards, dismal economic growth and the lack of employment opportunities for the thousands of graduates that are churned out from higher institutions of learning yearly, gambling has been elevated to a prime position.

Electronic and analogue betting has thus become the comfort zone for graduates, school drop outs and retirees who lack a vibrant source of livelihood.

The bookmaking industry has thus become the mainstay and one of Government’s methods of fighting delinquent behavior; given its approval of the state-of-the-art gambling; and is now growing beyond expected limits.

In Cameroon, the art of gambling drifts along certain self-regulated demographic lines.

We have games for the old especially retired military men and the recent gambling games that appeal mostly to youths.

Even school drop outs now see gambling as a source of getting their daily bread. In Kumba, jobless graduates hang around gambling booths on a daily basis to check if the game of chance has favoured them.

While the youths believe in getting money for their daily survival through games of luck, those on retirement nurse interest and hope to win millions that could turn their lives around ; may be enable them build a house and accomplish other life projects.

Mathias Njukwe, a graduate of Accountancy told this reporter that, he has been feeding himself and some of his brothers and sister through Premier Games popularly known as Pari Foot.

Njokwe sustained that, his life has changed over one year now compared to 2 years back when he just left school. Njukwe admits being able to rent a room and own a motor Bike worth FCFA 500.000 thanks to electronic gambling.

According to him, there is nothing wrong with gambling because, he just keeps track of the performances of football clubs, guess the scores of games and then spends at least FCFA 300 francs to play the game.

When the results are out, he gets back to the game booth and the agent at the antenna checks the scores and pays him what is due.

George Mesodi, analogue gambling player stated that it is all about the pleasure of the game and not the money.

“Well I enjoy gambling and it has become a part of my life. The monetary aspect is important but how often do we win? So you see, I just play for the sake of having something that takes me into town and back to my house. But I hope to win the millions one day”. He averred.

Another lover of gambling Sylvanus Nkengfack explained that, if not of the small amount of money he makes from gambling; maybe he would have ended up holding a gun.

Nkengfack continued that, if the gambling is able to give food to him and hundreds of many others like him, then there is no reason to complain.

Rather, he says, they are waiting for a day things could change for the better. One of the agents of the premier foot gambling disclosed to The Post that, at times he shares millions to youths with some winning over FCFA 400.000 in a session.