BLACK MAGIC Disappoints the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon Footballers as a large numbers of them still rely on it.
The Cameroonian national football team is the most favourite in the country. Besides pulling huge crowds of fans, it has also complimented the country internationally. According to a recent report by Joe Sa’ah for the BBC focusing on African, he talked about the continued use of purported black magic charms by players in Cameroon. It was reported that their charms has failed them for this year’s match. However, if they had won, the praises would not have gone only to the goal scorers or the team, but also for the men who performed the charms known as the “Marabouts.”
Some years ago, Cameroonian players performed extreme practices such as sleeping at the graveyard a day before their match. Recently, their ‘Marabouts’ has chosen a very simple way for them by providing them with palm oil, popularly known in Cameroon as ‘manyanga’. These they can use for rubbing their ankles as well as for eating kola nuts or even jump over a burning fire before the game. While on field, these “Marabouts” are armed with supernatural powers to confuse their opponents and consequently allow the Cameroonian team to win.
According to Joe Sa’ah, before going to the field, the juju man usually reassures the players not to panic in case they feel a strange touch. According to the juju man, it is a touch of a ’ghost’ filling their boots with supernatural powers.
The Menchum Voice newspaper in Cameroon recently published an article in which it said that, while many believe that witchcraft is fading out, the Cameroonian team still practice it at their local football cup final.
In the 1990 world cup in Italy, while Cameroon was playing with England, a white dove flew onto the field from nowhere during the match, and many suspected it was the result of magic.
According to Mohammed, a traditional healer in the North West Province of Bamenda, “European players take drugs to improve their performance while African players seek for traditional concoction. This is because they do not have access to drugs.” Mohamed claimed he inherited the gift of traditional healing from his father, and according to him, many player and team managers consult him for powers to excel in sports. He added that he can cast a spell on a ball and keep the ball from entering the pool with his magic.
