MT. Cameroon Race of Hope:

Gov’t Rewards Athlete Who Ran for Peace

 Cameroon’s Sports and Physical Education Minister Professor NarcisseMouelle Kombi took a spontaneous decision Saturday February 23rd  rewarding  an athlete who ran up and down the Mount Fako carrying a peace plant and the nation’s flag calling for a return to peace in the conflict-ravaged English-speaking  for citizenship and patriotism.

                The athlete Jules KomKom surfaced at the MolykoOmnisport Stadium 7am Saturday at the starting line with Cameroon’s flag and a peace plant. He ran to the summit and returned hours later when the stadium was already deep in the frenzy of celebrating winners.

                Kom touched the hearts of spectators as he ran to the finish line of the race showing forth the peace plant. He will then kneel down lifting his eyes to the skies as though praying for peace to return. In the wake of the ripples of applause that trailed his action, Kom was live on state television for an interview.

                Moments later, the Minister asked to see the athlete. Muelle Kombi thus offered Kom a special Prize of FCFA 200.000 for patriotism and citizenship.

                In an earlier chat with reporters, the athlete recounted that, he has been a long time advocate for peace. He recalled doing same when the Islamic sect Boko haram surfaced on Cameroon’s soil provoking havoc.

                Kom said, every Cameroonian should be a promoter of peace. After expressing himself in French, the athlete then turned to the national flag wrapped all over his body stating in Pidgin- English that “one plus one na one”.

                The connotation of his utterance in English was to pass a message across that Cameroon is one an indivisible irrespective of its numerous problems.

                Following the move, there was a wave of the distribution of peace plants to athletes and officials at the occasion ground to enhance calls for peace to return in Cameroon’s troubled regions.