2000: Year Cameroon Conserved The Trophy

After the Indomitable Lions’ victory in the Africa Nations Cup in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in 1984, the second victory against the Green Eagles of Nigeria in Casablanca, Morocco on March 27, 1988, the peak of Cameroon’s football team’s continental victory in the trophy came on February 13, 2000. This was when they won the Africa Unity Trophy at the Surulere Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria. The particularity of the victory was the fact that having won the cup for three times, Cameroon had to conserve the trophy. After the victory, the jubilation and celebration that gripped Cameroonians across the national territory were crowned at the Unity Palace on February 17, 2000. The Head of State, President Paul Biya and First Lady, Chantal Biya gave a heroic reception to the Indomitable Lions who had once again made Cameroon proud. Another specificity of the Indomitable Lions’ third victory in the cup was the fact that it coincided with President Paul Biya’s 67th birthday. President Biya, the number one sportsman and greatest promoter of sports in the country in the State House reception of the football national team showered praises on them. In an address during the occasion, the Head of State disclosed that during his earlier address to the youths on February 10, 2000 on the eve of the National Youth Day celebration, he gave the persevering spirit of the Indomitable Lions as an example to follow. He said that by winning the Africa Nations Cup which was the first in the new millennium, the Indomitable Lions went beyond the hopes of everyone. The victory he told them, was an honour to African football and further said that by winning the cup, the Indomitable Lions brought the cup which Cameroon will conserve to perpetuate their victory and that of the former lions.

The Head of State has always used moments of victory to better commune with the lions and members of the sports family. In the February 17, 2000 event, the greatest moment of fellowship between the presidential couple and the Indomitable Lions came when the team captain R...