Anglophone Representation At The Federation Continues Shrinking To Historical Low

FECAFOOT Crisis:

Anglophone Representation At The Federation Continues Shrinking To Historical Low

Eto’o’s response to those who complain against marginalization is that FECAFOOT is not the National Assembly

Agbor Balla had since March 2022 cautioned Anglophones NOT to be blinded by ‘Etomania’ to condone marginalization

One of Eto’o’s men says, “NJALLA QUAN Jr IS PROBABLY A FRIEND OF AMBA”. This is not only going too far, it is crossing the last red line

Njalla Quan Jr that stick out his neck in support of Eto’o’s at FECAFOOT election, was after election subjected to marginalization, was recently forced to quit the Federation, and is under death threats

The headline of an analysis that I did in The Post Newspaper back in March 2022, that is three months after Samuel Eto’o Fils was elected President of FECAFOOT on December 11, 2021 read as follows: “FECAFOOT Under Eto’o: Anglophone Representation Shrinks To Historical Low”. One of the subheads was: “Why Was Njalla Quan Jr, First To Stick Neck Out For Eto’o, Relegated To 4th Position?” (The Post No. 2256 Friday, March 18, 2022).
As aforementioned, the article cited above was done just three months after Samuel Eto’o was elected President of the Cameroon Football Federation commonly known by the French acronym, FECAFOOT. It is really unfortunate that more than a year after The Post Newspaper sounded the alarm bell on the marginalization of Anglophones by Eto’o in his appointments at FECAFOOT and other related organs, the situation has only been degenerating further and further.

Those Condoning Marginalization

Unfortunately there are some Anglophones who naively continue to condone the marginalization of Anglophones by Samuel Eto’o, and ignominiously continue to sing Eto’o oye ye ye. These are people that unfortunately seem to have adopted the marginalization of Anglophones as a normalcy, and have accepted that Anglophones are an inferior being in Cameroon, and thus accept that it is the right of Francophones to monopolise decision making positions at FECAFOOT. Well, as a philosophe once said, the fellow who thinks he is inferior, regardless of what his real qualifications may be, is inferior, for thinking regulates action.

Eto’o’s Francophone FECAFOOT

The long and short of it is that Samuel Eto’o has transformed the Cameroon Football Federation into a Francophone FECAFOOT. And the Francophone FECAFOOT will take decisions that clubs in the Anglophone regions as well as the regional leagues of the two Anglophone regions are compel to implement. When it also comes to going out of the country to represent FECAFOOT or to do FECAFOOT business, it is the preserve of the Francophones running the Federation.
It is very important for a people to be fairly represented in a decision – making room or at the decision making table. Besides having Anglophones on the decision making table to protect Anglophone interests, it also psychologically boosts the spirit of the people to feel that they too matter.
It is not for nothing that African countries keep crying out that the continent is not represented in the UN Security Council. That is, as a permanent member of the Security Council. There are over 50 African countries in the UN General Assembly, but then non in the UN Security Council which is the chamber where real decisions that affect the world is taken. And when a decision is taken, African countries though with no representation, are obliged to abide as members of the UN. That of course is very unfair to Africa.
Speaking at the Russia – Africa Summit in St Petersburg late last week, Cameroon’s Head of State, Paul Biya, again raised the issue of the unfair treatment of Africa at the United Nations, for Africa is not represented in the Security Council.

Njalla Quan Stick Out His Neck For Eto’o

Meanwhile, no honest observer can deny the fact that the then President of the Southwest Regional League (Southwest FECAFOOT), Henry Njalla Quan Jr, was the first, or seemingly the only Regional President of FECAFOOT in the country to stick his neck out in support of Eto’o for the FECAFOOT election of December 11, 2021. When Eto’o declared his candidature, Njalla Quan valiantly came out and minced no words that he was for Samuel Eto’o against the incumbent, Seidou Mbombo Njoya. This took many people by surprise, because at that point many people did not see the chance of Eto’o wining, considering the mafia that has over the years characterized FECAFOOT elections.
It would also be recalled that before the election to the post of FECAFOOT President that was scheduled for December 11, 2021, a total of three delegates that were to vote at the election, filed petitions for the disqualification of the candidature of the incumbent, Seidou Mbombo Njoya. The three delegates were Samuel Eto’o Fils, Robert Louis Mbekek who like Eto’o was one of delegates of the Littoral delegation, and Henry Njalla Quan Jr of the Southwest delegation. Without any surprise, a FECAFOOT Commission that was created by the Seidou Mbombo Njoya –led Executive Committee, rejected the three petitions.
But I like many other observers, thought then that Njalla Quan had gone too far in the risk he was taking to support Eto’o candidature, because it was certain that if Seidou Mbombo Njoya won the election, he (Njalla Quan) and the Southwest Regional League would have become a target of victimization. Njalla Quan himslef admitted while talking to CRTV Sports and Entertainment shortly after Samuel Eto’o was elected President of FECAFOOT at the December 11, 2021 election, that some people strongly criticized his decision to have stick out his neck and that of the Southwest Regional League, for Samuel Eto’o’s candidature, but that he stood his ground.

All Anglophone Votes Went To Eto’o

At the December 11, 2021 FECAFOOT elections, each of the 10 regional leagues was represented by 6 delegates, which made a total of 60 delegates or 60 votes. Then there were a few associations that had delegates with voting rights. A total of 65 votes were cast at the election for the post of FECAFOOT President. It should be noted that all the 12 delegates from the two Anglophone Regions (Northwest and Southwest Regional Leagues), voted for Eto’o. This meant that if only the eight Francophone Regions and associations took part in the election, Samuel Eto’o Fils would not have won the FECAFOOT election.

But What Did Eto’o Do To The Anglophones After Election?

To begin with, many observers and analysts had expected Njalla Quan Jr to be the 1st Vice President, or at least the 2nd Vice President of FECAFOOT. But Eto’o relegated Njalla Quan that stick out his neck for him, to the post of 4th and last Vice President of FECAFOOT. That was what the Anglophones got in the Executive Committee. The post of 1st Vice President went to Celine Mendomo Eko of the South Region. The post of 2nd Vice President went to Boubakari Bello of the Far North Region, and the post of 3rd Vice President went to Djampir Arthur of the East Region.
There was clearly no rationality in Eto’o’s partitioning of the posts of Vice Presidents. It was simply a flagrant marginalization of the Anglophones. Usually in political groupings in this country, there is the block of the three regions of the Grand North, there is the block of the Centre, East and South regions, there is the Anglophone block of the Northwest and Southwest Regions, and there is the Littoral and West Regions. But Eto’o gave the block of the Centre, East and South Regions the post of 1st and 3d Vice Presidents, and gave the Anglophone block the post of the 4th and last Vice President. How many clubs do the East and South Regions, even have? What Eto’o did was an insult to the Anglophones. That was an UNFAIR TREATMENT of Henry Njalla Quan Jr in particular, and Anglophones in general.
It should be recalled that Boubakari Bello (now of blessed memory) of the Far North who got the post of 2nd Vice President of FECAFOOT, only jumped to the Eto’o camp on the eve of the elections. He was among the five Presidents of regional leagues that signed a declaration in Garoua on December 5, 2021, declaring support for the candidature of the incumbent, Seidou Mbombo Njoya.
Worthy of note that in the Seidou Mbombo Njoya – led Executive Committee, an Anglophone in the person of Hon Joshua Nambangi Osih, who was one of the delegates from the Southwest Region in the 2018 FECAFOOT elections, got the post of 2nd Vice President of the Federation.

No Anglophone Among The Technical Staff Of Indomitable Lions

Meanwhile a new team of the technical staff of the senior national football team (Indomitable Lions) was appointed on February 28, 2022, with Rigobert Song Bahanag as Head Coach. There was no Anglophone in the seven man team. Instead Eto’o’s friends in the media were trying to project Simo Augustine who once played for PWD Bamenda, as somebody from the Northwest Region. Simo was appointed Assistant Coach of the Lions, and Kala Raymond appointed Team Manager. An Anglophone could not even be given that post of Team Manager or Team Press Officer.

No Anglophone Among The Five Directors At FECAFOOT

There are five posts with the rank of Directors at FECAFOOT. For these five posts which among others include the Secretary General, Director of Marketing and Communication, and ‘Charge de Mission’, the President of FECAFOOT makes the appointments, but the appointments have to be validated by the Executive Committee of the Federation before they become effective.
FECAFOOT President, Samuel Eto’o, presented the names of the five Directors he appointed, at the second meeting of his Executive Committee which held in Limbe, Southwest Region on February 16, 2022. But scandalously enough, there was no Anglophone among the five Directors he appointed at FECAFOOT. It was also a real affront to the Anglophones that the list of appointed Directors in which there was no Anglophone, was presented for validation at an Executive Committee meeting of FECAFOOT that held in an Anglophone Region. What an insult! Unfortunately the two Anglophone members of the Executive Committee of FECAFOOT, Nalla Quan Jr and Mbigha Felix, joined their Francophone colleagues to validate that list.

Agbor Balla Cries Out Against Marginalization

There was apparently only one big Anglophone voice that came out to denounce the fact that there was no Anglophone on the list of senior management personnel of FECAFOOT, that Samuel Eto’o, presented at the Executive Meeting of the Federation, that held in the Anglophone town of Limbe on February 16, 2022. That was the Buea based international human rights lawyer, Felix Agbor Balla.
In a post on social media, Agbor Balla said: “I am a fan of Eto’o, but will equally condemn any acts and omissions of marginalization and discrimination against Anglophones”. Agbor Balla rightly cautioned Anglophones that: “We should not be blinded by Eto’omania” to condone marginalization,

Eto’o Continues His Marginalization Of Anglophones

But despite the criticisms, Eto’o stubbornly refused to change. On August 31, 2022, the President of FECAFOOT appointed new members of the Transitional Council of the Professional League. The team of nine members was comprised of a President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary General and five members. There was just one Anglophone in the team of nine members, in the person of Senator Mbella Moki Charles. Worst still, just as happened with the Executive Committee of FECAFOOT, Mbella Moki was appointed the 2nd (and the last) Vice President, with Boudjiko Youkeka Pierre appointed President and Andre Noel Essian 1stt appointed Vice President.
Again, the appointments of members of several commissions in FECAFOOT by Samuel Eto’o, was also devastating to Anglophones. Only one Anglophone (a lady) was appointed President of a commission. An obscure commission for that matter! Out of a total of over 60 persons that constituted the different commissions, there were less than six Anglophones.

Eto’o Says FECAFOOT Is Not National Assembly

Meanwhile in reaction to criticisms that he sidelines some regions of the country and always appoint people from some particular regions, Samuel Eto’o who does not look bothered at all, arrogantly respond that FECAFOOT is not the National Assembly. He unfairly tries to compare FECAFOOT to the Cameroon national football team (Indomitable Lions), with himself being the coach.
He says as the coach of the national team, he brings in the best players that will enable the team win matches, and that it does not matter whether the players are all from the one region or even from one tribe. Eto’o says when Vincent Aboubakar scores a goal for the national team, all Cameroonians are happy, and nobody bothers to know from which village, town or region he comes from.

FECAFOOT Is Not A National Team

However the fact is that FECAFOOT is not like the national football team, and is not supposed to be compared to the national team. When it comes to elections to the post of President of FECAFOOT, somebody pleads to delegates from all the 10 regions to vote for him. Then when he wins and becomes FECAFOOT President, he limits appointments of members of different commissions as well as appointments of members of technical benches of the different categories of the national teams, to some tribes and some particular regions. Then he turns around and insultingly tells off others, that FECAFOOT is not the National Assembly. Terrible!
Eto’o saw nothing wrong that he is of the Bassa tribe, and went on to recruit a Bassa as Secretary General of FECAFOOT, and another Bassa as Head Coach of the national team. Some two Francophone youths even came out with a song in which they referred to FECAFOOT as Bassa. That is how bad things have gone under Eto’o.

Issue Of Competence In Recruitments And Appointments

Eto’o in his declarations that he selects the best without consideration to tribe or region, give the impression that the competent persons that can be appointed technical staffs of the national teams as well as appointed into commissions, are only people of some regions.. This is definitely an insult to the Anglophones.
Even looking at some of the major recruitments and appointments that Eto’o has done as President of FECAFOOT, there is clearly no indication that competence was part of criteria he used. Rigobert Song Bahanag who failed as Coach of LIONS U 23, and also failed as Coach of LIONS A, was appointed Head Coach of the senior national team (Indomitable Lions), and his incompetence has been so glaring. Samuel Eto’o’s friend, Happi Soho Fanguen Franck, who was President General of the longtime power houses in Cameroon football, Union Douala, was forced by irate supporters to resign at the end of the 2020/2021 First Division League season (MTN Elite 1), after the club’s poor performance placed it among the three clubs that were supposed to be relegated to the Second Division League (MTN 2). Eto’o appointed Happi the Director of Football Development at FECAFOOT. Somebody that failed as club president!

Anglophones Still Left Out Of ‘Influencers’ For 2022 World Cup

Meanwhile Samuel Eto’o still left out Anglophones from the group of ‘influencers’ from Cameroon that participated alongside their teams at the 2022 World Cup that took place in Qatar. Worth noting that it was Qatar, the oil rich host country, of the 2022 World Cup, that funded the participation at the World football festivals of groups of special animators from all the participating countries. But it was the football federations of the different countries that did the selection of members of the group.
In Cameroon, it was thus FECAFOOT that did the selection of members of the group of so called influencers. Nobody was invited from the two Anglophone Regions to join the group for the journey to Qatar. This is what happens when Anglophones are not represented in the top management structure of FECEFOOT that run the Federation on a day to day basis.
Meanwhile this time around many Anglophone football fans especially in the Fako Division of Henry Njalla Quan Jr, jammed the social media to denounce Eo’o Fils’ sidelining of Anglophones. They cited the particular case of a football fan in Limbe, who became popularly known as “We Go Take That Cup”, or was it, “We Go Win That Cup”! It was Henry Njalla Quan Jr , who came out on social media to try to defend Eto’o, pleading that things will be different next time.

Njalla Quan Becomes A target And Quits FECAFOOT

But then there will be no next time for Henry Njalla Quan Jr to try to persuade the President of FECAFOOT, Samuel Eto’o Fils, to threat Anglophones fairly as he promised. In his capacity as 4th Vice President of FECAFOOT and thus somebody who was supposed to be a close collaborator of the FECAFOOT President, Njalla Quan Jr, addressed a correspondence to the President of the Federation to try to draw his attention to his observations on why their Executive Committee had so far failed to live up to expectations on many things.
But unfortunately, Eto’o who is so intolerant against any form of criticism, though someone who always criticize others, turned the correspondence which the 4th Vice President certainly did out of good faith, into something else. Njalla Quan has since become an object of attack and even death threats by some hungry fellows and bootlickers, especially after the press conference he granted in Limbe on July 15, 2023 to clarify some pertinent issues.
The press conference came after Njalla Quan Jr had been forced not only to resign from the post of 4th Vice President of FECAFOOT, but to quit the Federation. In one of his recent articles, he bluntly put it to Samuel Eto’o and his men, that not all Cameroonians are hungry, or are bootlickers as they think. He has since become the target of blackmail, mudslinging, character assassination and all sorts of devilish plots including death threats by mafia and evil forces , for daring to denounce marginalization, mafia, corruption, lies-telling, match fixing, hypocrisy, fake promises, injustice, and so on.

Suggestion That Njalla Quan Is Amba

Still in connection to the July 15 press conference that Njalla Quan Jr granted in Limbe, a Francophone media man, Serge Tamba, who comes out with videos almost every day on the social media to sing the praises of Samuel Eto’o and violently attack any person who dares to criticize him (Eto’o), came out with a video on July 16, 2023 in reaction to the press conference, in which he unleashed attacks on Henry Njalla Quan Jr. He talked of how Samuel Eto’o is a great patriot, how his father is President Biya, how Eto;o valiantly defends the regime, and bla bla bla.
On the other hand, Serge Tamba suggested that Njalla Quan Jr whom he claimed is trying to destroy Cameroon football and the ‘great patriot’, Samuel Eto’, has links with Amba. “It is more probable, that this man, Njalla Quan, is a friend of Amba, is Amba”.
Since the conflict between the FECAFOOT President, Samuel Eto’o Fils, and the former 4th Vice President of FECAFOOT, Henry Njalla Qun Jr , escalated, Serge Tamba and other Eto’o’ fighters, have poured all sorts of invectives and false accusations on Njalla Quan. But to suggest in a video put on social media, that Njalla Quan Jr has links with the separatist is crossing the last red line. We know what such declarations are meant for.
When Njalla Quan Jr says his life is in danger, and that some people are plotting or trying to destroy him, some people naively take it as him being alarmist. We know how things happen in this country. When a Francophone starts suggesting that an Anglophone is Amba or is close to Amba, we can imagine how it can turn out to be. It will not be surprising to see a mafia deal and operation where Njalla Quan Jr is framed up and arrested for allege links with Amba,
Go and ask the former Director of Communication and former Interim Secretary General at FECAFOOT, Parfait Siki, who is the Publisher of Info + , what crime he committed that he had to spend close to six months (November 2022 – April 27, 2023 ) at Kondengui Prison in Yaounde.