Eye-opener To Serious Football Business

The performance of the Indomitable Lionesses at the 12th edition of the Africa Women Cup of Nations, the biennial international football championship organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the women's national teams of Africa sent shockwaves of satisfaction down the spines of many Cameroonians.

The Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium which had almost been abandoned by spectators for several years as a result of profound drop in the standard of the country’s football witnessed a spontaneous influx of football lovers. The reason is simple. Cameroonians were long starved of good football. Considering the performances of the Female Lionesses in recent international competitions, the public no longer doubted their ability to produce the entertainment necessary for its emotions.

Even though the girls won hearts through their performance grabbing the silver trophy of the competition, the problem remains. Female football at the national level remains seriously limping. We are talking of a championship that is sporadic. That is organised intermittently when it is possible. In Cameroon, the female championship exists but without any fixed number of clubs. Some years back, there were ten clubs in the elite Division, a year later; the number went up to 14 and the year after down to 14. In 2014 for instance, Division One, encounters started late in March, but halted shortly before some teams could play their day four and five matches.

While the men’s teams play in stadiums like the Amadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde, the Reunification stadium in Douala and the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua, women are made to play in annex stadiums. The timetable and fixtures are not clear. FECAFOOT which is the country’s federation in charge of football has not cared to integrate female football into its programme. And as fate would have it, the National Commission for Female Football has been doing the cut and nail producing mitigated results.

That notwithstanding, the performances of the female lions in international competitions are a serious indicator that female football needs to be revamped in the country. Many other countries where some of the lionesses are playing are drawing enough revenue from f...