Meet Joseph Bashi; The Emblematic Promoter of Young Footballers

Joseph Bashi is a household name in Cameroon when it comes to football. He is not just a soccer promoter but one of those rare Cameroonians who for several years now has been at the forefront of encouraging and developing the football nursery for prosterity.

In a quirk of fate, Joseph Bashi has demystified the myth surrounding youth football in Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region to organize a football tournament bringing together teams from Nwa, Ndu, Ako, Nkambe and Misaje sub Divisions respectively.  But Joe Bashi as he is popularly known was born with the gigs of it. He is a charismatic and pragmatic young man who believes organizing championships in the rural set up can rejuvenate football in Cameroon. To him, the rural areas are where talent is hidden and could only be discovered if football is taken there. History has it on record that he initiated the All Anglophone Tournament in Yaounde as well as the North West Football tournament, which for several years now has become a social bonanza for the Anglophone community in the nation capital.

The truth is that Joe Bashi mustered enough experience in developing young talents and has come back home to consolidate his achievements as an emblematic football promoter and he actually breaking the frontiers by uniting youths through football.

Joe Bashi 

The most interesting thing is that Joe’s overwhelming victory in succeeding to stand out of the madding crowd speaks volume given that he has succeeded in blending culture and football as a tool that strengthen social cohesion. “It is not only about football, it is also about bringing together Donga Mantung musicians to showcase their talent during the final. Musical albums have been produced and talents in the music sector have been uncovered”, he told this reporter. More so, Joe Bashi is a gifted mobiliser and he clutches with the God given charm that every time he takes a direction, his true followers are many. “The first thing is that we want to bring the people together and look at the talents to see those who could be encourage to take football as a profession”.

Joe Bashi is pleasantrily an attractive man, down to earth and soft-spoken too.  He is also a good public speaker yet very strict and firm man who loves soccer. As great men will always have great ideas, he says “we have invited renowned national football coaches to come and see for themselves what Donga Mantung can offer. You know bringing people on and around the field leads to many other good things happening, ie people will discuss other important issues, new friendship will be built, relationships strengthened and even family ties reinforced”. No one would deny the fact that Joe is greatly loved by the youth. Some years back, Joe sponsored football tournaments in Binka village and Nkambe Central but this is the first time that he wholeheartedly took the challenge to unite the entire Division through football. Besides, Joe is very perfect in organizational proficiency; he has shown his worth as a football promoter by humble working for development of football in the division with the hope that “Donga Mantung will one day produce a soccer star or one that will play in the National team”.

Warriors of Nwa Vs Binju FC

But above all, he is full of character, wisdom and conscience. People who frequent him are shock to see the good manners he exhibits when he communes with others. During the quarter finals between the Warriors of Nwa and Binju FC, Joe expressed satisfaction at the play style exhibited by the young players. “I think I am happy that at this level of the competition, our objectives of getting some good players with whom we can work with for the next few years are met. Notwithstanding I think it would be necessary that we also see how we can build up the capacity of referees”.  What make him different is his versatile nature and the fact that he says “there are prospects that the Division can produce world class footballers like Eto’o Fils. He can put on many caps without mistaking any. “It is not only about young talents it also about getting the best referees and giving them the support to perfect themselves". This is to say that he can perform the functions of a manager without allowing one to influence another.

Football promoters begin his rise as a self-motivated, captivating, insightful and as visionaries to astound the world with the cleverness of the solutions to peoples’ problems. “I know football can help families, take the case of Eto’o, a renowned footballer can develop our division”.  In many cases, such a visionary always appears to be the savior of the masses. It hardly takes a new configuration of promoters to belief for people but an acknowledgment and an acceptance of the fact that we will have to hold views that are different to make good choices for the football nursery to grow. His dream is not only to bring talented young footballers to the national level but hopes to break the frontiers. For the first time in the history of Donga Mantung, a football team from Nwa participated in a tournament in Nkambe. Schools have been doing it but has always been difficult for individuals to take that challenge. Record have been registered and it is hoped that by the end of the tournament, many more will enter into history books. 
(Coming up: Euphoria that surrounded the Matches, results and potrayed of team that have qualified for quarter and semi finals)

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