Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya, has congratulated the recent achievements of MMA icon Francis Ngannou.
While addressing Cameroonian youths on the eve of National Youth Day 2024, Mr. Biya said,
“The victories of young Cameroonians do not come by chance. These are the outcomes of courage, discipline, organisation, and hard work.” He added, “They are like the story of Ngannou, who marveled at the world during his first fight.”
President Paul Biya’s statement is long overdue, as his office failed to issue a statement during Ngannou’s exploits.This has not been surprising to many, given that President Paul Biya has never been in the habit of commenting on issues affecting Cameroonians, outside of his traditional addresses which he delivers on the eve of New Year and National Youth Day.
In October 2023, Ngannou put up a spectacular fight against Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia. Despite defeat, Ngannou’s impressive performance, which included knocking the undefeated Fury down in the third round with a left hook, stunned the boxing world, leading to the Cameroonian suggesting he could continue boxing.
During and after this fight, which was the major news in Cameroon, Mr. Biya maintained sealed lips. Many are now wondering about the timing of today’s statements and the political motivations.
“He is set to box Britain’s Anthony Joshua in Riyadh on March 8.”
Addressing Cameroonian youth on the eve of February 11th (National Youth Day) is a tradition in the country. He also talked about the cost of living crisis, the plight of teachers, and unemployment. “We were able to create 22,000 jobs in 2023,” Biya told Cameroonian youths.
