Bafoussam stadium: Choice of name still under debate

Ahead of the inaugural ceremony for the newly-constructed Bafoussam stadium scheduled for this Saturday April 30, there is already a raging debate over what name should be given the 20,000 seater football arena.

In the meantime, a delegation from the Confederation of African Football, CAF, is scheduled to visit the new football facility Thursday April 28, for its own appraisal. A traditional ceremony to call on the ancestors of Kouekong to bless the stadium before Saturday’s inaugural also took place on Tuesday.

About the naming, we recall that the same controversy surrounded the naming of the Limbe stadium, which was finally given the monotonous “Omnisport,” appellation by Yaounde authorities in defiance of proposals from other quarters, notably from traditional rulers of Fako, the division that is host to the football facility.

Just like in the case of Limbe where names such as that of football promoter and club owner, the late general manager of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, Henry Njalla Quan, were proposed, the name of a former traditional ruler of Bafoussam and an ardent football lover, Ngompé Elie, is also being put forth for consideration.

It is reported that Elie had exceeding love for the beautiful game and was a devout supporter of local club, Racing FC of Bafoussam. The traditional ruler, we gathered, was so much in love with football that he named one of his sons, who happens to be his royal successor, after the legendary Brazilian footballer, Pélé. The name of the late chief’s successor son is Njitack Ngompé Pélé.

But local French language daily, la nouvelle expression, in its Monday April 25th edition, reported that they have information some regime individuals have suggested the Kouekong stadium be christened after Paul Biya.

Critics, however, have been quick to dismiss such speculations about naming the stadium after Biya on the argument that the 60,000 seater football facility that is to be built at Olembe in the outskirts of Yaounde, has already been earmarked to be named “Paul Biya stadium.”

Whatever the case, it remains to be known what official name will be given the stadium, as sports ministry officials as well as other relevant stakeholders are expected to take a final decision on the subject matter before the launching ceremony.

Going by sources at the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, the Bafoussam stadium, which is the same in shape and design as that of Limbe, will be inaugurated this weekend, but Minister Bidoung Mkpatt is expected to be in Bafoussam earlier for the technical handing over of the project before the grand ceremony to officially open it.

Bafoussam based Racing football club and the U-17 men’s national team are the two sides scheduled to play at the inaugural event. After the official opening of the stadium, peripheral works would still go on, we are told. Construction of a fence around the stadium, parking lots and access roads, are still ongoing too.

The stadium being constructed by a Chinese company is partly funded by a loan granted Cameroon by China. It has been earmarked by government as one of the stadiums to be used for the 2019 Africa cup of nations.