Cheering groups spice up this year's varsity games

University games are not only about sports competition. It is also a forum for students to showcase culture and creativity via gymnastics as portrayed by cheering groups and clubs at this year's edition of university games.

Hence, besides the quest for medals by athletes and sportsmen, there was also a heated competition for the best fan club trophy.

At first, the fan clubs performed casually on campus but since the last three editions of the games, their performances have been well organized.

In addition to dancing at the various game sites, they are given time to perform on a podium under the watchful eyes of the members of the commission for the award of the fair play and best fans club trophies for the club that gets the greater number of points.

They were equally given themes to work with and the theme for this year’s edition was on ‘the patriotic drive towards growth and development’.

The fan clubs that featured in this year's games presented unique choreographed performances that have become an indispensable part of the university games.

They actually set the tone for the games right from the opening ceremony as fan clubs from the different university institutions marched past to the rhythm and pace of traditional dances from their area of origin. Their mascots were either precious objects to the people from their traditional area or symbolic of emblematic figures.

As such, this year, the University of Dschang marched with traditional pig mascot since pig rearing is the main economic activity of people from Dschang.

The University of Buea matched with a thatched house reminiscent of constructions in the South West Region while the University of Bamenda marched past with a Fon and juju depicting the culture of the North West Region.

The Saint Jerome university institution marched with a pope to depict the religious nature of the institution. The fan clubs were also clad in traditional adornments from the different parts of the country.

Various dances were also on display notably the bendskin dance from the West region, Fulfulde dance from the North Region, the Bafia dance from the Centre region and many other dances from different parts of Cameroon.

However, given the theme of this year’s games and context of the war against Boko Haram, there were many displays to this effect.

INJS fan club marched with messages against Boko Haram singing patriotic songs and making a display in which Boko Haram elements were killed.

The university of Douala fan club was in military outfit while the Advanced School of Public Works paraded captured Boko Haram elements.

All day long, the fan clubs grasped the attention of the audience, through their well organized singing, dancing and performances.