In the Middle of It

Following the second world war, Cameroon began to develop quickly as an independent power in Africa. A big point of contention over this independence was that of the relationship with the French, which were a dominant power in Africa at the time. France was reluctant to cut ties with Cameroon and grant their African colonies full independence. Cameroon was a valuable source of petroleum as well as cocoa beans, which were both valuable to the french. Deciding who would gain control over these territories was contingent on who would maintain the best relationship with France after all was said and done. The first nationalist party in the country was called the Cameroon People’s Union, which was headed by Felix-Roland Moumie and Reuben Um Nyobe, both of which were fiercely anti-colonist. These leaders advocated that it was time to separate themselves from the French and their socialist economy. Of course, the French wouldn’t stand for this, leading to a civil war. Finally, on January 1st 1960, independence was granted. In January 1959, the Cameroonian Liberation Army engaged in a fully fledged war with France for the country’s independence. After a year of conflict, Cameroon finally gained independence, and Ahmadou Ahidjo became the nation’s first President, pledging to establish a capitalist economy and keep close ties with France. Football is a source of great pride for Cameroon. Among more contemporary news, Cameroon’s performance in football tournaments has been a source of great national pride, especially in the Italia 90 where they beat Argentina, the world champions at the time. In early 2022, Cameroon also hosted the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament for the first time in 50 years.