Afrique Sports | On April 14, 2024, the scheduled date for the funeral of David Eto’o, the father of Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, is approaching, and tension is rising within the family of the former football star.
But it’s not just within the family; there’s also a sense of unease among the personnel of the Fécafoot, tasked with contributing to the mourning of the “Boss’s” father.
Indeed, it was reported that on March 7, 2024, the secretary-general of the Fécafoot, the usually reserved Blaise Djounang, acted as the spokesperson for the G3 (Blaise Djounang, Samuel Loe, the Director of Cabinet, and Mrs. Etombi Annette, the DAF), the group leading the Fécafoot’s general secretariat. During a meeting held at the Fécafoot with all the staff, he informed employees of the mandatory nature of their participation, both financially and physically, in David Eto’o’s funeral.
Participation rates were set according to the category of each employee. Those in categories below 8 were required to contribute 30,000 FCFA, employees in categories 8 to 9 were asked for 50,000 FCFA each, and those above would contribute 100,000 FCFA. The news was met with a chilly reception, but no more. As the funeral approaches, some employees are not hesitant to express their disagreement regarding this levy. “It’s not the first time a president of the Fécafoot has lost a parent while in office, but it’s the first time employees are being forced to contribute.
Seidou Mbombo Njoya’s father, the Sultan of Bamoun, passed away when his son was president. Attending the funeral in Foumban was optional, and there was never any contribution,” recalls one employee, clearly unwilling to part with 30,000 FCFA from an already meager salary. “They say the president is a billionaire, so why do we have to contribute to his father’s funeral?” adds another employee in category 8, required to pay 50,000 FCFA.
Nevertheless, the expected budget from Fécafoot employees is estimated at 6 million FCFA, as reported by journalist Boris Bertolt.