By Sally Oneke, iCameroon.com
Beau, Cameroon — The mountain race peaked! Dust is yet to settle. Cameroonians are still getting over the heat of the 17th edition of Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. It was another reason to see “Mongo ma Ndemi,” as the natives calls it, at its treacherous glory. Forget the difficulty runners face up and down the mountain. Mount Cameroon race helps to celebrate and showcase Cameroonian culture to participants from around the world.
Cameroon and international participants waiting to start the race
Over 700 athletes from Cameroon and other countries took part in this edition of the race on February 18, 2012. Speaking to the press, Mr Ekiti Andrew Njoh, Vice President of the Regional league for the 17th edition of mount Cameroon race said “The Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Adoun Garoua, made a budgetary allocation of one hundred and thirty one million, two hundred and eighty thousands francs (131,280,000 CFA), for the organization of this year’s race. And we hail the minister for his innovations.” Unlike the previous years, there was more money for the organization of this race, and more sponsors like Brasseries du Cameroon, ‘Fondation’ Roger Milla, Camlait, Martinal, NFC and others companies and organizations showed their presence.
The crowd gathered at the Omnisports Stadium in Buea to cheer the athletes who consisted of main runners, the veterans, the juniors, the relay team, and for the first time in the history of Mount Cameroon race, some visually impaired Cameroonians participated. NKUSA PETER and SAKWE GODLOVE were some of the blinds who took part in the race.
Choral groups and various traditional dances like the Moninkim dance group from Manyu Division and others animated the stadium in their action to promote the culture. Some Companies marketed and exhibited new products, local vendors exhibited their products at the stadium, and some put up competitive stage performances to increase sales of their products — making the 17th edition of the Mt Cameroon race a “Come and See” event.
Cameroon cultural dancers -- This is Moninkim dance group from Manyu Division
As the commercial frenzy went on, a sound of a whistle pierced the air at 7.00am, and all athletes were on their feet at the Onminis Sport Stadium — the starting point of the race. The main runners had a target to get to the summit and back, while the veterans and the visually impaired had to get to upper farms at the foot of the mountain and back. The grueling run took them from the stadium to the mountain, through Bonduma, Soppo, Bongo square and Buea town neighborhoods. Large crowds gathered on opposite sides of the road, clapping, cheering and encouraging the athletes.
Runners pace up the hill as onlookers cheer
The hour came for meritorious award. For the males GABSIBUIN GODLOVE who hails from the North West Region made it to the summit of the mountain and back in 4 hour 2 minutes and 23 seconds; moving from the 2nd position of last year’s race to the first. GABSIBUIN was awarded a winning cash price of 3 million francs. He was followed by SIMPLICE NDONGUEL from the South West Region who won a cash price of 2 million francs CFA and then came the 3rd place winner, TIKU DIVINE ENYUNG from the North West Region who was awarded cash price of 1 million francs CFA.
For the females, NGAWAYA YVONE who hails from the North West made it in 5 hours 20 minutes and won a cash price of 3 million francs CFA, followed by BOYO CONFIDENCE who won the 2 million francs CFA cash price. NGALMU LISETTE came in third place. All female winners were from North West Region of Cameroon.
It was one enlighten moment when former Cameroon Lions, Roger Miller, handed over the prices to the visually impaired athletes. The cash prices for the visually blind Athletes were 100 thousands francs CFA for 1st price, 70 thousand francs for 2nd and 50 thousands francs for 3rd positions. The juniors whose target of the race was to get to hot 1 of the mountain and be back, got the winning cash prices of 500, 400 and 300 thousands francs CFA for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places respectively. All these accompanied with medals and other awards.
Roger Milla presents trophies to visually impaired winners of the race
What a race! It boosted the economy of the region. Tourists came from some parts of the world to participate and witness the event. Youths got temporal employment. Some were employed to market products and services of some companies and business. Local vendors sell food, drinks and snacks and sales were their peak during the event.
In any case the race came with its own difficulties. Due to the rain on that faithful day, the journey up the mountain was not only difficult it was slippery. Some athletes fell and were badly wounded. Simplice Ndonguel, 2nd winner male, sustained a wound on his arm. Other athletes got stocked at the mountain. Nine came back late at 9.00pm after the race was over. Twenty years old Mba Akondong Roger, carrying the athlete’s number 240, was stocked at the mountain. He got cramps and caught a cold while up the mountain. He stayed the night on the mountain until the previous day when the President of the Regional league, Mr Motombi Emmanue and The vice, Mr Andrew Eteki Njoh, sent a rescue team that brought him down. The victim had called on the National delegation for the organization of the Mount Cameroon race to come to his medical assistance.
The mount Cameroon race of hope has come and gone, and many hope for another edition.
Sally Oneke
This event is reported by Sally Oneke, Buea, Cameroon for iCameroon.com. Photographs by Sally Oneke.
