By Walter Wilson Nana & Leocadia Bongben
The pioneer winner of Mt. Cameroon Race in 1973, John Muambo Ekema, is no more.
Ekema died Thursday, January 3, in his Bokwaongo residence.
The deceased's first wife, Bertha Muambo and last son, Max Mosio Muambo told The Post that Ekema had been suffering from a prolonged cough.
Records have it that after 1973, Ekema consecutively took part in the race six times but did not make it in first position. At the time, athletes for the maiden edition of Mt. Cameroon Race took off from Mbongo Square to Hut II and back. The Post learned that the cash prize at the time was FCFA 35,000.
Ekema was born to Daniel Ekema and Theresia Efosi, all of late, in 1950 in Bokwaongo, Buea. The farmer cum mountaineer did his primary education at Catholic School Buea Station and loved sports.
Ekema was married to two wives, the first one is still alive, with whom he had one child, while the second, Eposi Ekema is dead. They were blessed with four children.Family sources say Ekema's corpse will be removed from the Buea Provincial Hospital Annex, mortuary Friday, January 11, and burial will take place in the family compound in Bokwaongo on Saturday, January 12.
2008 Mount Cameroon Race Preparations Hot Up
Meanwhile, Preparations for the 2008 Mount Cameroon Race billed for February 17 hot up with the installations of specialised commissions. The President of the Athletics Federation, Ange Sama installed the members of the 13 specialised commissions at the federation's premises recently.
Tina Kuo Sport journalist of the national radio and television heads the newly created commission of master of ceremony charged with the conception and timing as well as the presentation of events.
In a chat with The Post, Ange Sama said the preparations have started earlier this year in order to overcome some of the hitches of last year whereby things were hurriedly put in place two weeks to the event. He said additional innovations this year are the televised debates. Sama disclosed that the Federation of Sports Dance and Karting would be present in Buea for the race
He called on local organising committee to explore ways of organising the trade fare as an integral part of the race. He said the mission of the federation to Buea last year was to ask for the budget of the local organising committee and announce to traditional rulers the date of the race. He maintained that in collaboration with the local organising committee a synchronised programme would be drawn.
Comments