The Far North region has emerged champions of the primary school games, FENASCO League B, which ended in Limbe on Thursday, April 17.
The organisers moved the games’ closing ceremony from Sunday, April 20, to Thursday, April 17, allowing the participating pupils to celebrate the Easter holiday.
Chaired by the Minister of Basic Education, Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, participants at the competition included finalists in different sporting disciplines from the 10 regions of the country.
The Far North Region emerged the winner, securing 30 medals, with 13 gold.
The Centre region came second with 25 medals, including 12 gold. Although the Far North was crowned winner, the East Region secured the most medals, that is 31, but had just 10 gold.
Meanwhile, host region South West came in the fifth position on the medal classifications table.
This year’s games, which was the 18th edition, took place under the theme “Primary school sport, the catalyst for living together in peace and unity for an emerging Cameroon.”
SW Governor Says Region Now Safe
The FENASCO League B Games took place at a time when the South West region is recovering from a violent armed conflict that erupted in 2017.
Authorities recorded no security incidents during the event.
The South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, who chaired the local organising committee of the competition, told reporters in Limbe the region is safe.
He encouraged pupils who had come for the games to come to the region at any time.
While activities unfolded, it was also an opportunity for the pupils to visit touristic areas in the town of Limbe.
They visited the beach, the botanical garden, and the zoo, among other historical places.
Over 1,400 Athletes Participated
Marcel Junior Nengue, the president of the FENASSCO League B Games, reported that 1,400 pupil athletes participated in the competition, with hundreds of technical and administrative officials supervising them.
The Minister of Basic Education, Prof Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa, was accompanied to the event by the Minister of Sport and Physical Education, Narcise Mouele Kombi, and the Secretary of State to the Ministry of Basic Education, Asheri Kilo.
The Basic Education Minister claims that Cameroon organised this competition during a period of escalating hate speech, identity crisis, and exclusion.
He said the gathering of pupils from Cameroon’s 10 regions represented the country’s four cultural areas and was a moment of intense communion, conviviality, fraternity, sharing, and cultural exchange.
“It is an opportunity to remember that, beyond education, sport is also an integrating factor; a field where team spirit and discipline are promoted, as well as other values such as tolerance, compassion, respect, and acceptance of others,” said Minister Laurent Serge Etoundi Ngoa.
“All of these factors undoubtedly contribute to the establishment of lasting and solid peace within society, a guarantee of harmonious development for our dear and beautiful country,” he added.
At the close of the event, the Minister of Basic Education announced that Garoua, in the North Region, will host the 19th edition.
