LFPC 2015 Awards: Why must it always be Bamenda?

The 2015 professional football league awards, held last Saturday September 26, 2015 in the conference hall of one of Cameroon's popular hotels was another event that had to put on the public market place the anglophone problem in Cameroon.

Away from the stage managed bilingual presentation whose produce remains unclear was the maltreatment of the lone anglophone division one team in Cameroon as at now: Yong Sports Academy YOSA after the relegation of Njalla Quan Sport Academy of late Henry Njala Quan.

Ahead of the award a list of nominees was made public signed by the General Secretary of the professional league T.P Manguele YOSA was nominated as one of the three fair play teams in the professional league awards alongside Tonnerre Football Club and Dragon FC of Yaounde.

This might have just been one of the reasons why the President General of YOSA Yong Jack braved all the transportation cost even when the league had no transport to provide to get to Yaounde.

Not withstanding Hilltopvoices decided to take a trip for the event with all the hopes that at least Bamenda will be on the lamp light as announced. When we entered the event ground and finally a sitting place was provided, here lies the press kit.

Since no one signed the press kit in my mind I still thought it could be a mistake since the document earlier circulated was signed by the General Secretary of the league.

But then the fair play nominees on the press kit in circulation now read Tonnerre Kallara Club, Union Sportive of Douala and Cotonsport of Garoua. YOSA and Dragon were no where to be found.

As I waited to see if it was a mistake, Martin Camius started the presentation. Unlike other categories, no presentation of nominees was done for the fair play category. As if it was a technical error the producers of the project fugited with a few things only for Camius to be the one to announce that relegated Tonnerre Kallara Club of Yaounde had won the fair play award.

However to be fair enough Tonnerre had the right to win the fair play award noting that they recorded a total number of 34yellow cards this season and that was the lowest number.

Dragon had one more and YOSA had two yellows more than TKC. By that they were the right teams to appear on every official document relating to fair play in Cameroon for the first Division championship and not Union that ended with 41 yellow cards and Cotton with 47.

When it came to the nominees for best goal keepers where National Polytechnic's Alana Da Silva was contesting, the announcers read University of Ngoundere. In fact for the over two hours that i sat in Hilton noting was mentioned of clubs from the Northwest.

Permit me to indicate here that away from Cotonsport and her means to fly around the country, no team in Cameroon spends more money in travelling expenses like teams from the Northwest Region.

Out of the 18 football teams in Cameron that took part in the 2015 league One season at least 12 play not less than 300km away from the Northwest Region. While these teams will travel just ones to the Northwest region a season, YOSA had to practically do 300km averagely four times every month on very bad roads.

Away from the long distance travel, the president of the club has to cough out huge sums every week for players lodging and feeding. It is the same for Ngoketunjia FC just relegated and National Polytechnic that just survive relegation from the National division two. Naturally these teams needed some recognition for crying out loud.

It was however very fulfilling to watch young Yanki Joseph Agbor who hails from the Southwest region and plays for Cotonsport of Garoua receive the golden ball as Cameroon's best player of the season.

Though he missed out recruiting the player for his club, Yong Jack joined Agbor in celebrating his fortune. Not just did he receive the best player award, he was also awarded most promising player of the season.

For President General Piere Semengue of professional football league to have thought of rewarding excellence he deserves some appreciation. Everyone was beaming with smiles as sign of satisfaction. Hope it continuous.

Winners

League 1 Cotonsport Champions received a cheaque of CFA 20 million

1 VC Union sportive = 15 million

2 VC New Stars = 10 million

3 VC Botafogo FC = 6 million

4 VC Apeges of Mfou = 4 million

Highest goal scorer: Ebah Tobie New stars

Best goalkeeper : Hugo Patrick Nyame Botafogo

Best Coach: Siewe Joseph Union of Douala