Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala’s Football Finals Pull Over 10.000

Gerard Ngala Handing the Male Trophy to Capt. of Achaba FC

There was euphoria and fanfare at the uncompleted Nkambe Municipal Sports Complex on August 19, 2012 where a crowd of over 10.000 people gathered to support Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala’s efforts to promote football development in Mbumland. Vuvuzelas trumpeted high echoing into the eucalyptus forests, while the drumming and singing also echoed into the small valleys around the stadium. A football tournament for both men and women worth 1.500.000 FCFA described as the first of it kind in Donga Mantung Division was what had brought together the crowd. The cash prize for the male tournament was 1.000.000 FCFA while that of the female was 5.00.000 FCFA. It was a unique moment for young talented footballers in Mbumland to portray their skills in order to convince the population whether Mbumland could ever dream of a 2^nd Division football team.

The tournament which has been described by football lovers and observers as a unifying tool for the Mbum people of Nkambe Central and Ndu Sub Divisions in Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region entered into records as the biggest crowd pulling occasion ever witnessed in Mbumland.In fact it was a moment of merry making and for those who have never had the opportunity to express their gratitude to Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala to do it in songs.

Launched two months ago with over 18 football teams competing in the male and female tournament, Ta Nformi Ngala Gerard’s tournament brought back home young talented football players from all the four corners of the country.

Donga Mantung Administration Applauds Donor

1st Assistant SDO Ambomo Mani handing to female 

Addressing the crowd during the occasion, Mr. Ambomo Mani, the 1^st Assistant Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung expressed gratitude to Ta Nformi Gerard for his efforts in promoting youth activities. He said that football is very important to society because it is an instrument that advocates for peace and unity. According to the 1^st Assistant SDO, Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala’s efforts in promoting peace and unity will always get government support. He encouraged the cup donor to continue with his philanthropic gestures towards youths, which he added are “outstanding and worth appreciating”.

Enter Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala

On his part, Gerard Ngala lamented the fact that the Nkambe Municipal Complex is still uncompleted whereas it is aired that the contract for the construction of the stadium was awarded some 13 years ago. He told the crowd that the tournament was sponsored by the Association for the Improvement of Living Standards-ASILIS and in his capacity as the Chief Executive Officer,  he used the opportunity to disclose the mission and objectives of his organization and added that the tournament is intended to unify the people of Mbumland as well as encourage young talents in football. He refuted allegations that the tournament had political colourations and lamented the absence of the Mayor and the MP who are suppose to be the pillars of support in social gatherings. Unfortunately, politics has made people to lose their human faces. He franked at the notion of putting a political tag to all activities  and emphasized that it is contributing to slowing down development efforts in Donga Mantung Division and especially Mbumland " a traffic jam to development" he noted.
 To Ta Nformi Gerard, ASILIS engaged in organizing the tournament to instill harmony and fun amongst the youths during this long vacation as well as develop a football nursery in Mbumland in view of preparing for a 1^st or at worst a 2^nd Division team.  He added that the reason for including a female tournament is aimed at encouraging the women folk to also be part of the new way. He also used the opportunity to call on the over 10.000 man crowd to register massively in the electoral register in order to choose their representatives in the up coming election. "A woman" he said "can manage the people of Nkambe and why not as mayor or Member of Parliament”. He cautioned the youths against the widespread of HIV/AIDS and reiterated that a free from HIV/AIDS youth is a productive one. “Nkambe is good but we can make it better” he reechoed with a lot of optimism.

He also congratulated students who made in the General Certificate of Education at all the levels and to those who did not, he prescribed hard work. To the parents, he applauded their efforts in sending their children to school but added that “more youths should be send to technical schools because the future is brighter in technical education”.

Female and Male Finals

At 1pm, the female football final kick off putting head to head Mansoh United of Nkambe and the Red Devils of Binka village. 15mins into the encounter, the Red Devils of Binka scored the cutting raiser. The first half of the match ended in-favour of the girls from Binka. When the second half resumed Mansoh United took control of all the movements. Their play style changed completely and they fought with all their energy to equalize the goal. At the 70^th Minute, Binka through No 9 shirted player hit the cross bar. The match ended with a draw and the match officials decided that the two teams should move directly to penalty kicks. In due course, Binka lost three penalty kicks while the girls of Mansoh missed two. There was jubilation and elation when the player of Mansoh United scored the last penalty kick that enabled them to win the match.

The male final beating the Squadra of Binju and the Achaba Football Club of Nkambe started at 4pm. The players of the two teams demonstrated their expertise in the game of football. Barely 32 minutes into the first half, Achaba FC scored the first goal. They took control of the match and enjoying the supremacy of the goal in their favour until 6 minutes to the end of the first half when the Achaba Boys committed a fault in the 18 meter box and the referee of the match pointed to the penalty spot. Squadra exploited the occasion to draw the tallies.

Upon resumption, the remaining 45 minutes ended with a goal. The two teams proceeded to penalty kicks whereby the goalkeepers for the both teams saved one penalty each. But as nature would make, the best player and captain of Squadra who kicked the last penalty displaced the keeper just to kick the ball wide-off target. The achaba boys went wide, there was singing and dancing. The pitch was invaded and emotions went high as achaba boys won.

It should be noted that that while Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala was presiding over the finals in Nkambe, the Wimbum Students were also playing another final sponsored by his organization. He donated the trophy for male and female to the tune of 500.000 FCFA. (more next on the WISU tournament)

What they said

Fon Ibrahim Japbfu Nfor (Fon of Nkambe)

“I think Ta Nformi Gerard is someone who is development oriented. He is a great man and I think we need many of such young people in Mbumland to prosper. I am really happy that this event is taking place on a Sunday and also the day that we are celebrating “Sallah”. It will unify more and more the Mbum people. To me, this is the best football match I have had the occasion to see in this stadium. I am really surprise that all these good players are our sons and daughters. I think if Ta Nformi Gerard continues, our dreams of having a good football team will come to past positively”.

Alhadj Borno Kamfon

Alhadj Borno handing prize

“I think this is the most successful tournament that we have had in this division. I am really delighted that Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala has committed himself to always promote and encourage unity in Mbumland. I see this tournament as one of those instruments that will go a long way to develop a football nursery where we will be able to see talented players and future football superstars. In fact I am happy to have been part of the team that organized this tournament and I also dup my heart to the CEO of ASILIS, Ta Nformi Gerard and Barrister Yembe for putting youths at the forefront of their actions”.

Betrand Bah (Squadra Binju)

“I have participated in many football tournaments in Bamenda and Nkambe, I think this is the best so far. You cannot imagine that even though we lost in the final, we received a sum of 250.000 FCFA. It is marvelous and as a football player, I think we (young football players) now have a shoulder on which we can lean. I wish to use this opportunity to appreciate Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala for organizing this tournament. We lost the battle not war and since it is sports, I was also touched by the massive turnout. I have played at the Bamenda Municipal Stadium but the crowd I saw in this field was marvelous. I think we have a lot of hope in ASILIS and in Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala as well. For sure, he is going to reshape football in Mbumland and I am really proud of him. He has our support and we will always be behind him”.

Nfor Emmanuel aka Nunu-Achaba FC

I wish to thank Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala for organizing this tournament. It is the first of its kind because no team complained. Moreso, the funds allocated for the tournament were managed in a very transparent manner. It is the first time for me to hear the amount given to each team being announced publicly. I think this is the rightful person that will change many things here. We of the Achaba union are all behind him and we will always give our little support to make sure that he succeeds in anything he wants to do for our people. He has shown us that he is a man on whom we can rely. I thank him and wish he makes this tournament a yearly event and that he should forget about people who have failed to concentrate on the future.
Bang Bullet

Bang Bullet

I wish to congratulate Gerard for organizing this tournament. Since we started playing football in Donga Mantung, this is the first time that we have seen and witnessed transparency in the management of funds allocated for the tournament. For example, the winner got a trophy and a sum of 400.000 FCFA, i think this is fantastic. I wish he keeps on with this spirit and also make sure that in the nearest future Nkambe should be able to come with a football team that can make a name. Ta Nformi Gerard is a great sports man and he not just proven it today, he started by supporting Nkambe FC and i am hopeful that he will provide us with a 2nd Division team. The people here like to watch football and i was very impressed by the turnout. I think apart from Minister Calistus homing and this football finals i have never seen a crowd like this in Nkambe. You great people are known by the number of people who support them, so to me Ta Nformi Gerard remains a force to reckon with in Donga Mantung Division.
Tamfu Jude Tamfu

Tamfu Jude Tamfu

I am really touched with the crowd and the way the tournament was organized from day one right up to the finals. But i am disappointed with the Nkambe Council. You can imagine that we stood in the rain to watch this match whereas a contract was given to one politician to construct a municipal sports complex for Nkambe. In fact it is shameful that we have leaders here who do not even care about us the youths. Coming back to the event of the day, i think Ta Nformi Gerard deserves all this support because he is down to earth, available and always listen to people. I am convinced that the way he managed this tournament will sound as a signal to those who continue to think that they can manipulate youths for their selfish interest. Whether they like it or not change must come to Nkambe and today we have seen that everyone is behind Gerard for the youths to build our Division. If the Mayor and the MP were absent here, it is not a surprise to me because i am sure they were aware that if they come here the population must surely jeer at them for abandoning the construction of this stadium.


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa