Belated Bamenda Stadium soon to be a reality

But commentators say its coming too little to late

By Njodzefe Nestor

In about six months from now, the metropolitan city of Bamenda will be proud recipients of a stadium with 2500 covered seats, the latest generation of synthetic turf that allows for better evaluation of water, team dressing and Press rooms, TV Studio, VIP Chamber, Officials room, restaurant, Olympic running tracks and provision to handle at least seven sport disciplines.

                The foundation stone of this stadium valued at some CFA 780 billion was laid on April 20, 2016 by Northwest Governor Lele L’Afrique Adolph, in the presence of Tombi A Roko Sidiki, FECAFOOT president, Ni John Fru Ndi, SDF Chairman and some top raking administrative, traditional and religious authorities.

                While addressing those who came to witness the long awaited dream, Northwest Governor Adolph Lele L’Afrique enjoined FECAFOOT officials to work harder to provide Bamenda with a befitting sporting infrastructure and to push for some of the fallouts of the 2019 AFCON to reach Bamenda and the Northwest region as a whole.

                In response, the FA boss said Bamenda is amongst the major cities of the country to be equipped with a modern stadium with a capacity of 20 000 seats under a national development program.                For the Olympic Stadium, he said Bamenda was earmarked because the presence of elite teams and the lack of infrastructures. Bamenda he added is one of five towns chosen with the others being Bafia, Bafang, Bangante and Sangmelima.

                Although many have been jubilating that at last Bamenda will soon benefit from a modern stadium, many are those who have said the gesture is not only too late but also too small for a town made up of passionate football lovers.

                Speaking at the ceremony, Bamenda City Council Delegate Vincent Ndumu Nji said Bamenda ranks amongst the top three in the country in terms of gate takings and deserves a bigger stadium like those of Limbe, Bafoussam and Yaoundé.

No wonder that the crowd cheered when the Government Delegate announced the availability of some 80 hectares of land for FECAFOOT to develop into a standard FIFA stadium.

                It is worth noting that Bamenda is the 3rd in gate takings after the Yaounde Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium and the Douala Omnisport stadium.

                The Bamenda Olympic Stadium will be the first ever modern sporting infrastructure of any kind to be constructed in the city and the northwest region as a whole since independence in 1961.