Briefs:Wum Win NIVAC Cup

Compiled By Robert Tumassang & Victorine Biy Yongka

The 2008 edition of the North West Inter-Village Championship, NIVAC, has ended with Wum FC emerging champion.

Wum FC Beat Donga FC in a highly contested final match played at the CENAJES playground in Bertoua. Donga FC controlled the game in the first half, but failed to concretise their chances. Wum FC, scored the lone goal of the game during the second half, when Benfamin Buo, donning jersey number 9, chipped the ball past keeper Bawe at the 60th minutes for the curtain raiser.

It should be noted that the championship brings together youths from the North West, resident in the East Province.The Social and Cultural Affairs advisor to the Governor, Epente Tazeh Adrian, while handing over the trophy, said, NIVAC has undoubtedly united North westerners in the East Province and called on others to emulate that example.

Bawe Stanislus, the co-ordinator, said the championship has been a success story. "We started this yearly event with just four teams and if today we are counting eight clubs, I think we are moving in the right direction." He added that the finals ended with a cultural evening at the CPDM party hall in which cultural dances and dishes of Northwest origin were displayed.

Belabo Win Lom And Djerem New Look Tournament

Belabo FC is this year's winner of the Lom and Djerem New look Games, sponsored by the former Minister of Mines, Industries and Technological Development, Charles Sale.
Belabo the unlucky finalist for the past three years beat new comers Bertoua 2-0 on Saturday August 30.

They opened scores from a spot kick following a hand ball in the vital zone. Apande Epounde of Belabo converted it after the 20th minute of play and 15 minutes later, Karol Ndenge sealed the victory from a goalmouth tussle.  Bertoua attempts to retaliate were all aborted by a tenacious Belabo defense.

Charles Sale said he was impressed with the outburst of good football, but added that victory or defeat wasn't the very important thing. "For five years that this competition has been running, we have succeeded in uniting the youths of Lom and Djerem Division," he said.
The final was watched amongst others by the Secretary General of the East Province, the SDO for Lom and Djerem, Rim a' Mboussi and a cross section of mayors.

Instituted in 2003, the Lom and Djerem Fraternity Tournament that was re-baptised New look Games now counts some 35 competing clubs.

Youths Receive Basketball, Leadership Training

A non-profit making organisation, Kossengwe has trained over 50 youths in basketball in a one week camping that took place at the Presidential Guard Sports Complex, Yaounde. The youths came from Nigeria, Chad, Gabon and Cameroon.  The youths were schooled on leadership skills and the dangers of contracting the HIV/IIDS.

The Washington-based organisation, through the Yaounde workshop sought to transmit important messages that could positively affect youths around the world through these selected teenagers.

The workshop participants were students who have distinguished themselves in their various schools in both academics and in basketball.  According to the organisers of the workshop, the guidance would ignite a spirit of leadership in the youths. After training them, the organisers believed, the youths would disseminate the lessons to their brothers and sisters in their respective villages.

The exercise, organisers said, was an opportunity for the participants to gain scholarships to study in the USA. The organisation, they said, has sponsored 30 youths who have studied in the United States.

Commenting on the choice of the venue of the camping, Joe Touomou, the founder and promoter of Kossengwe who is also the coach of the National Basketball Association, NBA, said the Presidential Guard Sporting Complex was chosen so as to ensure that the youngsters involved in the exercise and the entire team of Kossengwe is secured. He added that the complex offers good play grounds.

Kossengwe is working in partnership with Hope4Africa, another organisation with similar objectives. Its assistant organiser, Sookie Som, said her organisation has embarked on the sharing of knowledge to youths so they could take it to remote areas and promote wide awareness on the strengths of leadership and the vices of HIV/AIDS.

Sookie revealed that it is the first time they are organising the camping to train youths in Africa and Cameroon in particular.Kossengwe, it should be noted, was born some five years ago and the idea came from a group of basketball players at Essos, Yaounde under the leadership of Joe Touomou.