On June 27, 2026, during the programme “Obama Time” on the private channel A1, Owona Nguini, vice‑rector of the University of Yaoundé II, delivered an unequivocal verdict: Samuel Eto’o, head of the Cameroonian Football Federation, is the principal cause of the disorder that has plagued the nation’s beloved sport for more than a decade.
Eto’o, a football icon and hero of the Indomitable Lions, retired from the pitch in 2009 to assume the presidency of FECAFOOT. His charisma long masked the federation’s structural weaknesses, but, according to Nguini, fame alone is insufficient to run an organisation that demands rigor and transparency.
Professor Nguini points out that the debacle began in 2009, while the player was still active with the national team. He cites the “bracelet episode”, which he describes as unnecessary and says it “spoiled” the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations as well as Cameroon’s participation in the 2010 World Cup.
The same chain of setbacks, Nguini argues, prevented the Lions from qualifying for the 2012 and 2013 Nations Cups, culminating in an “absolute catastrophe” at the 2014 World Cup. These successive failures, he notes, have left Cameroonian football without a major trophy for over ten years.
For the average supporter, these defeats are more than statistics: they represent a loss of confidence, sponsors pulling out, and young talents seeing their dreams of excellence drift away. The lack of cohesion Nguini mentions is reflected in empty stadiums, clubs struggling to fund their academies, and a diaspora questioning the value of investing in the national sport.
Nguini does not merely assign blame; he offers a way forward. He stresses the need for a united team where every player shares a mental and moral bond. He says the priority must be rebuilding transparent governance, establishing an independent oversight committee, and reinstating former technical officials capable of restoring discipline.
The future of Cameroonian football now hinges on whether leaders heed these criticisms and act. If FECAFOOT embraces leadership reform, the Lions could regain the passion that once propelled them to the summit. If not, the spectre of disorder warned by Owona Nguini may persist, depriving an entire nation of the collective pride it deserves to restore.
