Recalling Beautiful Success Stories

Good stories are never too old to be told again and again. Cameroon has just written one of the most attractive pages of its history. This was the successful hosting of the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament christened, TotalEnergeis Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021. With 24 out of 54 African countries present in Cameroon from 9 January to 6 February, 2022, the event proved to be a veritable crowd-puller. Some of the participating nations like Senegal that took home the most coveted trophy for the first time in its history came with about 100 reporters to cover the event. Talk less of other major media structures across the world that honoured the rendez-vous. 
Cameroon`s Indomitable Lions clinched the bronze medal after an epic match against the Stallions of Burkina Faso during which the Lions came from three goals down in the second half. They levelled score and went on to win during post-match penalties. Such a memorable presence on the podium by the Lions tied with the general sense of satisfaction in the country with the hosting. There were visible ingredients of organisational savvy in spite of the sad incident that took away the lives of eight innocent football fans on 24 January, 2022 in Yaounde during the eighth final between Cameroon and The Comoros at the Olembe Stadium.  
It was therefore understandable that the Head of State, President Paul Biya came back elaborately on the hosting of the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon with five cities namely: Yaounde, Limbe/Buea, Bafoussam, Douala and Garoua vibrating to the rhythm of African football. Of course, the presence of a cross-section of Africa in different towns in Cameroon meant that satisfaction about the event could not only be in the domain of football.     
Showcasing the hospitable nature of the people of Cameroon, marketing the tourist potentials through good cuisine, attractive wildlife, fauna and flora among others, all formed part of what could permit Africa and the world to better understand why Cameroon is referred to as Africa in miniature. It also pointed to the fact that the people are capable enough to handle major continental and global events and stand to be counted among those who matter in terms of having a sense of resilience and self-mastery. 
It might be too early to recount all the windfalls from the AFCON TotalEnergies Cameroon 2021. No one can doubt the fact that the event gave room for the entire country to witness another moment of frenzy which can only be known to those who were lucky enough to have experienced such in 1972ss. Needless recalling that Cameroon is hosting the AFCON 50 years after it did so in 1972. At the time the number of te...