Eselem Galvanises Crisis-hit Wotutu Community In Solidarity Football Tournament

Eselem performs symbolic kick-off of the Solidarity Football Tournament

By Andrew Nsoseka & Hope Nda

Orange Cameroon’s Communication Officer, Edwin Eselem, has reignited solidarity among the people of Wotutu, a crisis-hit community near the city of Limbe, by organising a solidarity football competition that is rallying dozens of natives at the Catholic School Field, Wotutu.

Launched on July 25, the tournament started with two matches, the first pitting Royal Veteran FC and Ewongo Wotutu FC, while the second match involved Alpha FC vs Sunshine FC. Both games were watched by the tournament’s promoter, Edwin Eselem.

The Wotutu Ewongo Football Tournament, as the sports event is called, had an impressive ambiance at its launch, consisting of youths, parents and children, who all turned out for the sports warm-up during a cold July weather.

Eselem says the competition “answers a clarion call to reignite community spirit in Wotutu.”

Talking to the press, he expressed his joy at the fun and fanfare witnessed. “We decided that since the kids are on holiday, since we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel, let’s do something to reignite the spirit of solidarity, to give hope to these young people – let them know that there are people who are still thinking about them and we want them to be the veritable ambassadors of this village, and of course of this country.”

Eselem also appreciated the talent and quality of play, encouraging all players to display fair play, integrity and honesty. Poised towards making the competition an annual rendezvous, he called on other promoters/sponsors, lovers of football and the Wotutu community to “reach out to the organising committee to support this project”.
One of the natives of Wotutu, Peter Emole Njoku, popularly known as Big Four, was among those who applauded the maiden edition of the Wotutu Ewongo Football Tournament.

“We are very happy with our illustrious bona fide youth of the Bojongo Court Area for bringing up this competition. We say may God guide him, give him more grace to see that this happens every year,” Njoku said.
The competition of eight teams began on July 25 with matches holding on weekdays and weekends at the Catholic School Field Wotutu. The final game will take place on Sunday August 29, 2021. Wotutu, a village in the Fako Division of the South West Region, has been greatly deprived of such communal events, owing to the Anglophone Crisis  that has displaced about 80 percent of the village’s population, who later returned to the ravaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.