In a nation where a government reshuffle has been anticipated for months without action, the public discourse should not be held hostage by a ball.
Cameroun failed to secure a spot in the upcoming World Cup. The Lions Indomptables will not be participating in the global tournament. Yet, the national conversation remains trapped in a cycle of football-related disputes, administrative bickering, and federation scandals. While these debates rage on, the country continues to suffer from deep, unaddressed wounds.
Are our national priorities misplaced?
It is increasingly evident that football, once a unifying force and a source of pride, has become a tool of diversion. Even the sport itself is in a state of decay. Camerounian football, which once stood as a beacon of excellence for the continent, is now a shadow of its former self. It is plagued by management disputes, personality clashes, recurring scandals, and crumbling infrastructure. The failure to qualify for the World Cup is simply the logical conclusion of this systemic decline.
Despite this, there is a persistent effort to keep football at the center of public debate. We are asked to obsess over a sport that many see as being in freefall. While the passion for the game and admiration for figures like Samuel Eto’o are understandable, football cannot be used as a screen to hide the critical issues facing the future of our nation.
The issues that truly matter
In a country where the executive branch has been stagnant for years, the focus should be on governance. We are living in a state where a constitutional revision created a Vice President position that remains unoccupied months later. There has been no Council of Ministers or meeting of the Higher Judicial Council for a significant period. Institutional normalcy has been replaced by a vacuum.
The state of law is equally concerning. We see instances where judicial orders are openly defied by security forces, and where provisional release orders are dismissed as forgeries. The credibility of the justice system is at stake, yet the public is encouraged to worry more about the FIFA rankings.
Furthermore, the daily reality for citizens involves dilapidated roads, incomplete public works, and unreliable access to electricity and clean water. High unemployment among graduates and the rising cost of living are the true emergencies. These are the topics that should dominate our conversations.
Who benefits from the football obsession?
Focusing exclusively on sporting controversies allows institutional, economic, and social failures to fade into the background. Intellectuals, journalists, and leaders have a duty to resist this trend. By dedicating the majority of public space to football, they risk choosing spectacle over substance and emotion over critical analysis.
This is not a call to abandon football, but a plea to reorder our priorities. Once our institutions are functional, our justice system is trustworthy, and basic services are guaranteed, we can discuss the pitch as much as we like. Today, however, using football as the primary national topic is a dangerous distraction from the urgent challenges we face.
Camerounians deserve a public debate that reflects the gravity of their situation. We need transparent governance and a responsible public square that informs rather than misleads. History will remember those who dared to address the real crises, not those who preferred to talk about a tournament we aren’t even playing in.
