By Tata Mbunwe
The University of Buea has been buzzing as more than 1,000 athletes from public and private universities in the South West and Littoral regions compete in the first-ever university zonal championships.
The games, which kicked off on Wednesday, July 2, were jointly launched by the Minister of Higher Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, and the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Prof Narcisse Mouelle Kombi.
They will run until Sunday, July 6.
Athletes will battle for trophies in nine sporting disciplines including football, handball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, judo, athletics, gymnastics, and paralympic sports.
Victors at the zonal championships will earn tickets to the national finals in Ebolowa in 2026, which will bring together champions from three other championships zones.
This is the first time the annual national university games have been decentralized into four zonal competitions, each representing a geographical area of the country.
Speaking during the opening ceremony in Buea, Prof Roger Tsafack Nanfosso, President of the National Executive Bureau of FENASU, the body overseeing university games in Cameroon, assured participants of impartiality in the games.
“Thirteen technical experts and about 142 officials are on the ground to ensure rigor, insight and impartiality,” he said. “All these stakeholders present in Buea will magnify, in harmony and cohesion, the noble virtues of sport, notably those of humanity, fraternity, solidarity, excellence, hard work and fair play. The joy of the game must be maintained.”
Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, who performed the ceremonial kickoff alongside Minister Mouelle Kombi, praised the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea, Prof Horace Ngomo Manga, and his team for their efforts in hosting the games.
He urged the university community to “keep it up and remain vigilant to ensure that this sporting and cultural jamboree takes place with respect to the minimum standards.”
For Prof Ngomo Manga, the zonal games are more than a sporting event—they are a celebration of youth, unity and excellence.
“These games offer something even more precious: the opportunity for athletes to dine together, laugh together, compete, experience disappointment together, comfort one another and build friendships,” he said.
“From this shared experience will grow a deeper appreciation of the values that underpin strong, resilient communities—which values are tolerance, respect, empathy, decency, peace and the celebration of diversity.”
He added: “In a world increasingly mapped by division, university sports remind us that our strength lies in unity and through respect, discipline and teamwork. We can overcome differences and build lasting bonds.”
The opening football match saw the University of Buea men’s team edge out their opponents from the Institute Universitaire de la Côte (Douala) with a 3-2 victory.
The ceremony was graced by several dignitaries, including the Senior Divisional Officer of Fako, Paramount Chief of Buea, Mayor of Buea, Bishop of Buea, MP for Buea Urban, and university heads from across the participating regions.
The zonal games are expected to set the stage for even bigger competition at the 2026 national university games in Ebolowa, as athletes showcase their skills and teamwork.
