If you follow me on my personal FB account, you might have come across a post in which I talked of an article I wrote a few years back that I have been putting off posting. In that article, I basically share my ideas on how to build a Cameroon that will be an envy of the world. Part of that plan involved making Cameroon the world’s greatest sporting nation.
In every country I have visited, it almost seems like I have to mention Roger Milla or Samuel Eto’o to help with proper identification of my origin. As a country, one might argue that our greatest achievement has been in world sports - when the men’s national football team won the Olympic gold medal at the 2000 summer olympics in Sydney, Australia.
I believe athletes could become one of Cameroon’s most prized exports. When you think about the amount of money someone like Eto’o has infused in the Cameroonian economy from his healthy footballing salaries; you can only imagine what will happen if we can have just 10 more players of Eto’o’s calibre. We all know Eto’o’s impact could have been even greater if not for the corruption, greed, and selfishness of our leaders. I am talking about ventures like SET Mobile that could have created so many jobs for Cameroonians but which was not even allowed to get off the ground. I am talking about the football academy that he was basically forced to build in another country that proved to be more welcoming than his own home country.
Football as we know it and soccer as it is know in the USA is not that much of a big deal in the USA. The sport is still in the early stages if its growth in the USA but basketball is a hallmark sports there. Five Cameroonians have played in the NBA, three of them between 2008 and now i.e in the last 11 years.
Luc Mbah a Moute came from a fairly privileged background. His father Camille Moute A Bidias has been a high ranking official in Biya’s government for a good while and is currently the Director General of the National Employment Fund. The 32 year old attended secondary school, high school, and University in the United States; playing varsity basketball. In 2008 he joined the NBA and instantly became a sensation. Just two years into his NBA Career, Luc launched the Luc Mbah A Moute Foundation in 2010.
As part of his work with the foundation, he created a summer basketball camp in Cameroon with the goal of identifying great athletic talents that he could help mentor into professional basketball while also keeping kids out of trouble during long holidays. Two of those talents have today risen to the top of the NBA - Joel Embiid who is arguably the most interesting NBA player/Celebrity and Pascal Siakam who was very influential in leading his team, the Toronto Raptors, to their first ever NBA Championship - beating the favorites and defending champions (The Golden State Warriors). Joel Embiids team lost to Siakam’s team in the Eastern Conference Semi finals - just to let you know the level at which these brothers are playing in the league. Joel Embiid was actually the 3rd overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft (for those who understand the lingo.
Any-Ha!
The most interesting thing about all the three names here is that they have maintained their Cameroonian nationality. I will like to mention also that both Pascal Siakam and Joel Embiid did not have any basketball experience when they joined Mbah a Moute’s camp. Luc picked them just for their athleticism but look at how they turned out.
I believe Cameroonians are naturally gifted. Look at the likes of Eto’o and Alex Song who managed to succeed and play at higher levels in football amongst other players who benefitted from better training facilities from a younger age than them. Meanwhile the athleticism is currently drowing in crates of beer to the point where a mutation could occur to completely wipe it away, we till have the potential to turn things around.
I am not a great basketball player and I am way past the age of thinking I can make it to the NBA but I love the game. Recently I have been playing every Sunday for recreation. Before we start every game, I like to remind everyone that there is no trophy and we need to play in a manner to avoid injuries. When I think about a parent whose kid might be interested in the game, I can only see the fear that the parent must have as to what happens if the child gets injured. Our poor healthcare system actually gets in the way of many of our dreams. Investing in sports also means investing in our healthcare system which is another thing I talked about in the article I am still not going to release.
That said, I believe if we have just 50 athletes playing at the highest level of world sports, athletes who are groomed with the love of the nation, the positive impact on our economy will definitely be enormous. I pray Siakam and Embiid can take the baton from Luc and give the same opportunity they were given to other young Cameroonians. I would love to see an army of Cameroonian athletes going out there to take some foreign currency and bring it into the country.
By the way, the dollar exchange rates are good for those converting to CFA around now.
- Tino Foy