By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Dr. Kilo Vivian Asheri, the Secretary of State to the Minister of Basic Education, has celebrated the victors of the 2026 Mount Cameroon Race of Hope from the Nso community of Bui Division, urging them to maintain their exceptional momentum.
This message of encouragement was delivered on March 11 in Yaoundé during an audience Minister Asheri Kilo granted the successful athletes in her cabinet. Speaking directly to Senior Women’s Champion Mary Grace Dzekenyuy Wirba, third-place senior finisher Tata Carine, and third-place junior men’s finisher Musa Oumarou, the Minister hailed their remarkable achievements.
She specifically commended them for transforming Bui geographical landscape often associated with negativism into a platform for positive triumph, training in the hills and bringing medals back to their ancestral land.
Expressing her pride during the reception, Minister Kilo remarked, “I am very, very delighted that you thought it wise to bring the trophies to show me. I am very delighted and always very delighted to receive my people, to receive Cameroonians who have a zeal, Cameroonians who know where they are going.”
She called on the champions to remain disciplined and consistent in their pursuit of excellence while extending the benefits of their success to those around them. She thanked them for making their tribe, their division, and the entire nation proud, stating, “I wish to thank you for your remarkable success in making our tribe, division and Cameroon proud. I am glad and happy because I know your future still hold a lot.”
The Minister underscored that the Nso and Bui people are a remarkable gift to mankind, known for their intelligence, forthrightness, and boldness. She urged the community to harness these qualities for the nation’s glory, stating, “We are great people. The Nso and Bui communities exemplify exceptional traits. Let’s use our strengths for positive purposes rather than negativity.”
Reinforcing government’s stance, she reminded the athletes that no achievement is too small to bring fame and prosperity. Referencing the philosophy of President Paul Biya, she stated that no sport is minor or less important than another, and just as the nation celebrates soccer, it also celebrates its elite runners.
She used the occasion to encourage other young Cameroonians with athletic aptitude to participate in such competitions, noting that if you don’t try, “you’ll never know whether you can make it.” On behalf of the Nso community, she also charged the athletes to serve as peace ambassadors.
For Mary Grace Dzekenyuy Wirba, the visit was a deeply honoring experience, noting that “we feel acknowledged. We want to appreciate her for welcoming us and talking to us.”
While the champions expressed a desire to celebrate their victory in their home region, Mary Grace issued a plea for stability, stating, “We want the peace, we want to go back home, we want to celebrate this with the people back home. We do not know how long that can take, but this is our plea.”
Tata Carine, a five-time champion in the Senior Women’s category, echoed the same sentiment, sharing her dream of training young girls in Kumbo. She noted that while she wishes to promote the talents of her sisters in her village, she requires a peaceful environment to establish such a legacy.
“My dream was to train young athletes, especially female, to be like me, but I don’t have the opportunity to be back home, especially in my village. There’s no way to promote my own sisters to be like me. But if there’s peace, I will go back home to train other athletes,” she said.
The 18-year-old Musa Oumarou expressed his deep satisfaction with the ministerial audience, stating his unwavering commitment to winning more trophies to bring joy to his land, division and the Republic of Cameroon.
