2010 Mount Cameroon Race Finally Takes Place:

A New Champion is Made and

Lyonga Mondoa Uplifts The Spirits of Bakweri

People By Coming Fourth

By Moki Stephen Mokondo in Buea for Fako UK/Fako News Centre

20 February 2010

The 15th edition of the Mount Cameroon Race that recently raised dust in Buea between the organisers and the local inhabitants has finally taken place, with athletes running from the Molyko stadium to the summit and back, instead of stadium to Hut 2 and back as the organisers had earlier planned. This year’s edition saw the emergence of a new champion, Joseph Tiben Wirba, who hails from the North West Region of Cameroon. The sprinter conquered the Chariot of the Gods in 4hrs 36ms 9secs to win the race.

Simplice Ndongeh closely finished 30secs behind Joseph Wirba to come 2nd . Ndongeh, who hails from the Lebialem Division of the South West Region, completed the race last year in 3rd position. Innocent Tchouankam occupied the 3rd position, finishing the race in 4hrs 46ms, while Lyonga Mondoa, a Bakweri native of Mo’oli (Wvasingi) village in Buea, narrowly came behind him to occupy the 4th position. Lyonga Mondoa’s appearance at Upper Farms on his descent received a standing ovation and applause from the home crowd that had in the past years received consolation from his performance. The young and the old ran with him to encourage him cross the finishing line at Molyko as their Bakweri hero. It is more than a decade since an indigenous athlete from Fako featured among the first three runners in the male category.

The female category was more of a family affair. Last year’s champion, Yvonne Ngwaya, again dominated the race this year from start to finish, beating her senior sister Patience Timpep Ngwaya, who finished 2nd . In 3rd place was 21 year old Lizette Ngalim, also from the North West Region.

Apart from the veteran, relay and junior category, some two runners got special prizes: Mola George Jackai was acknowledged as the oldest participant of the Mount Cameroon race. Mola Jackai has been participating in this race since its inception in 1973. He ran this edition in the veteran category that ended at Upper Farms. The youngest athlete of this year’s race, Mary Grace Wirba, took home over FCFA 200,000 in cash as prize and special motivation.

Talking to some of the athletes at the end of the race, Lyonga Mondoa surmised that Fako elites should unite and create an athletic club. He maintains that this is the only solution if they wish to gain back the lost glory as indigenous winners of the race. Mondoa wept that less than twenty sons and daughters from Fako division took part in the race. On his part, this year’s champion, Joseph Tiben Wirba, explained that it needs a lot of perseverance, endurance, patience and the will-power to conquer Mount Cameroon. Mr. Wirba said that he had participated in the race over ten times but never featured among the first 10 runners. ‘’It entails a lot of sacrifice and hard work to succeed in any endeavour’’, he added.

Coming 2nd in the female category, Patience Timpep Gwaya claimed she got motivated to run the race when her junior sister, Yvonne Gwaya, came 1st in the 2009 edition. According to her, she joined her senior brother and her sister Yvonne to train just for a few months after her marriage failed. She noted that as a primary school pupil, she used to run but stopped racing when she got married at a very young age. She said that she will work hard to beat her sister in next year’s edition of the race, slated for the 19th of February.

Some Fako elites have argued that much is still left to be desired as concerns the general organisation of the race. The lord Mayor of Buea, Charles Mbella Moki, is believed to have boycotted being present at the stadium during the race because the organisers failed to meet some of the promises they had made.

The South West Regional President for the national athletic federation, Motombi Mbome, regrets that the Bakweri people are always not respected when it comes to issues that affect them directly. He explained that when their federation goes to other regions to organise races, they respect the indigenes there. Mr. Mbome disclosed that though he was happy as a host that the athletes returned home and that the race finally ran to the Summit as opposed to Hut II, much is still left to be desired.

On her part, the Vice Speaker at the National Assembly, Hon. Emilia Monjoa Lifaka, told the press that she had got the cry of the Fako people. According to her, the idea of decisions being taken in Yaounde and forced on the locals without consulting the traditional authorities and local organisers is a sign of disrespect. She promised to contact the Minister of Sports and Physical Education and the authorities of the athletic federation to iron out this matter.