The Ekoles boost education, sportsmanship & dev’t

The Ekole Fountain of Hope has extended its philanthropic outreach in the educational, sportsmanship, and development sectors in Cameroon.

At the close of the second edition of the St. Joseph’s College, SJC, Sasse Sports Excellence Tournament sponsored by the Fountain, the Ekole couple (both Drs) expressed satisfaction with the organisation of the sports event and said it was a great success.

The four-day competition, which was held at the SJC Sasse and Bishop Rogan College campuses, brought together some 21 public, private, and denominational schools in the Southwest Region.

Speaking at the final of the four-day sports jamboree, the Ekole couple commended the importance of sports to youth and females. According to Dr. Mrs. Ekole, it has been proven that children who engage in competitive sports end up doing well in education, women who are engaged in sports mostly end up as influential leaders in the society and youths involved in competitive sports have self-confidence in life. These and more motivated them to put up the competition.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Mrs. Ekole, holder of two Doctorates (Pharm.D and Ph.D), asserted that she celebrated her recent Ph.D. by promoting sportsmanship.

Together with her husband, they promised to immortalise the competition and make it an annual event.

“… we think that we will do this again, and we will continue to do this because that is where our pleasure lies," they promised.

Dr. Alphonse Ekole thanked the Principal of SJC Sasse, Rev Fr. Peter Nouck and teachers for according them the opportunity to carry out the sports tourney on their campus.

She also thanked the media for the full publicity given to the competition. According to her, the commentator of the final of the competition reminded her of the days of her late father, Hon. Dr. Peter Akum Fomum, a journalist who presented the programme “Things Here and There” on CRTV Buea.

Rev Fr. Peter Nouck applauded the Ekole family for their desire to promote excellence. Dr. Mrs. Claudine Atabong (SOBANESE), a philanthropist, also applauded the efforts of the Ekole family.

Barrister Gilbert Tangunyi applauded the efforts of the Ekole family in sharing with the underprivileged in the community and also the importance of men supporting their wives in education just like Dr. Ekole is doing.

At the end of the competition, Saint Paul's College Bojongo, lifted the male football trophy with a cash prize of FCFA one million while in the female category, Our Lady of Mount Camel College emerged champions with a cash prize of FCFA 325,000.

In male basketball, Bishop Rogan College clinched the trophy, while in the female category; Bilingual Grammar School Molyko emerged champions.

The junior tournament this year was sponsored by Abby and Hanna Ekole.

According to reports, the entire tournament gulped millions of FCFA.

The closing ceremony was presided over by the Divisional Delegate for Secondary Education for Fako, Helen Ikundi Njomo. Cameroon's Makossa icon, Emile Kangue, administrative, traditional and religious leaders were all present at the closing ceremony.

More Philanthropic Gestures

Besides football, the Ekole family also visited an orphanage in Buea in which they communion with the kids. Hanna, Abigail and Ndialle Ekole donated gifts and also to provide scholarships, feeding and lodging for three children who were also named after the Ekole family. The Fountain also provided funds for the construction of three classrooms in Nguti in Ndian Division.

The philanthropic works that started in 2011 have been felt in Northwest and Centre Regions of the country, has been extended to the Southwest Region.

They donated a playground to an orphanage in Yaounde, renovated community halls, church halls, starting up maternity and laboratory in a village in the Northwest Region. They also brought a team of medical practitioners from the US that helped to provide free consultation, medication, dental hygiene to villagers. The Ekole Fountain of Hope Mission, USA, has carried out several philanthropic gestures in Cameroon in a bid to spur development.

They also do charity work in the US, like provision of free clinic, donation of backpacks to children among others.

The Ekole family through their gestures has put smiles on the faces of many kids and communities. Their giving to the society is something that many wish that other Cameroonians home and abroad, will copy in order to make our society a better place.