Thousands have been turning out at the lone fan zone provided by the municipality to watch matches of Afcon 2021 underway in the country.
For about two years now, the Fundong population has developed some resilience against the excesses of the armed groups, known here as amba boys. Once, the population marched to their camp to liberate the Fon of Kom who had been plucked from his palace. “The population is tired and looking for something to make them feel free again. The number of drinking spots that were closed have been reopened plus new ones created,” the Mayor Ndang Denis said. The Mayor had to withhold the holiday championship when the crisis in the two English-speaking regions soared. Last year, the mayor brought back the championship and participation was huge, the mayor said.
Relying on this calm in the municipality, he decided to set up a fan zone. “I used this opportunity to, once more bring this sports loving population to join the rest of the country to cheer the Lions to victory,” he said.
Mayor Ndang says providing this facility was to make sure the population remains together including those who cannot afford a screen at this time that the crisis has rendered many poorer. “This Afcon village is also situated at the green city space that the population used to enjoy before the crisis,” he added.
The fan zone is a beehive on match days. Bar owners are busy selling drinks as well as those roasting meat and fish. The bar owners bring out their chairs to add to those provided by the Fundong Council. About 2000 people turned out for the opening match between Burkina Faso and Cameroon. Since then the number has continued to increase. The mayor says some people from hinterland got the news about the fan zone and moved to Fundong town for the Afcon period.
Breathe Fresh Air
Fundong is “doing fine”, according to the Mayor, and attributes the situation to the “resilience” of the population and the “support” of the military. Now, projects that were forced to stop because of the crisis have been restarted. “The council is engaging in Labour-Based projects to provide some means of living to the impoverished population, providing assistance to the vulnerable population as well as assisting with school fees and materials to school children,” Mayor Ndang said. The Mayor spends more time in the municipality, and keeps encouraging the population to resist the excesses of the “amba terrorists”.
Jude VIBAN
