President Paul Biya and First Lady Chantal yesterday offered a deserved reception to the Women Indomitable Lions, Vice Champions of Africa.

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The impressive turnout at the reception offered by the First Couple to the vice champions of the just-ended Women African Cup of Nations football tournament yesterday afternoon at State House was very much an indication of the satisfaction of the Head of State over their performance.

For an event scheduled to take place at 3PM, the second floor Ambassadors’ Hall of State House was at 2PM already bristling with life as the nation’s top officials – from Senate President, National Assembly Speaker down the protocol line to government ministers – waited anxiously to set an eye on these new breed of sportswomen who won so many hearts during the competition.

The Ambassador of Russia, Vice Dean of the diplomatic corps was also sighted in the hall.rnThe arrival of the presidential couple in the hall at exactly 3PM set things rolling as the team and technical staff members individually moved up to receive the acknowledgments of the First Couple.

Then the President of the Republic moved to the rostrum to deliver a statement which essentially was a praise song for the exploits of the female lions. He said by their performance, the lionesses had carried out their assignment creditably and remain an example of courage, solidarity, team spirit, characteristics that show their love for the fatherland. “Cameroon says thank you” he told them, urging them, as they go back to their various clubs, to continue to carry Cameroon’s flag very high. Special words of encouragement went to the team’s coach Carl Enow Ngachu for a job well done.

The presidential nod of satisfaction also went to the organizing committee of the tournament which he said had been not only near-perfect, but also enabled foreigners visiting Cameroon for the games to have a taste of the warmth of Cameroonian hospitality. The President said such success was going to encourage him to ensure that the scheduled organization of the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon in 2019 will be given the necessary backup.

The team’s captain Christine Patience Manie, in a short statement, thanked the presidential couple for the support they received from them and spoke of the privilege of being invited to State House which, by her reckoning, was another sign of the esteem they have for the team. “We promise to continue to work hard to carry our flag much higher in future events”, were Manie’s closing remarks.

The rest of the ceremony went into an elbow-to-elbow phase with clinking glasses as  each of the players struggled for a photo opportunity with the presidential couple and other guests trying to exchange a few words with the team members, many of whom were being seen physically for the first time. These rare moments with the players continued even after the departure of the presidential couple and even downstairs as they waited to leave State House grounds, there was still very much of a beehive as improvised photograph taking and exchange of addresses or mere signing of autographs continued.

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