The passionate Ngando Pickett, a massive supporter of the IPL, is excited to serve in Qatar and showcase his moves.
Yaounde, Cameroon’s most prominent football fan, is set on visiting Qatar to cheer on his Indomitable Lions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
More than 40 years have elapsed since Ngohando Pickett helped his team. Through good times and bad, attending 16 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments and two World Cups.
I enjoy football and my country, stated Pickett, who no longer went by his real name Henri Mouy b, whenever friends began referring to him after a deceased singer’s lithe style.
Pickett was a player at a club level in the 70s and had told Al Jazeera. That he first became a fan of the Indomitable Lions in 1982 when the team was playing in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.
“Cameroon was here to participate in a university tournament within Ivory Coast. There were 10-year-old Cameroonians in Yamoussoukro.
And I was able to mobilize them to support the team’s youth footballers.” He said, noting that he was able to watch his country win their debut AFCON award two years after in Abidjan.
Years later, many Cameroonian officials participated in the 1998 African Cup of Nations. The president spotted Pickett covered in paint that matched the colors of the national flag.
I was selected from a large group of players as the primary person in the AFCON because of several media [outlets]. That who came here to cover the game started taking photos of me, including many French media outlets.
The minister of state in charge of sports was interested in Joseph Pickett, so he asked him to take on an essential role for the club.
He said it was a massively persuasive Indomitable Lions supporter who supported him in the World Cup in France that year. He invited Owona to be his mascot, Pickett stated.
“I enjoyed a cultural night we had around Notre Dame Cathedral with seven other Cameroon fans,” said the president. “We participated in the mini-dance contest with other countries’ fans and beat them with our performances.
We were given a large box of champagne. From there, no matter where we went, we were told that the Cameroonians were there with their dazzling choreography.”
On The Side, Dancing
When Pickett isn’t cheering for his team during games, the father of two earns extra cash by entertaining at local events by performing with Cameroun O Mulema. A group of dancers that he started in Cameroon’s capital city, Douala.
“We perform at parties, marriages, and official events, especially in Douala,” he added. “We go to other regions of the country when we are invited. My friends know me, so I’m not a problem.”
He claimed that his income is used to fund his children’s education.
“I have to do this in periods when we don’t have football competitions,” Pickett explained. “It is not easy, but I have been doing it for years now.”
World Cup Aspirations.
However, football is his true passion, and he’s awaiting the response of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot). Find out if he can participate in this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
“Fecafoot is extremely aware of our plans to travel to Qatar. They’ve told us they are looking into our travel plans, accommodation, and other aspects. I am optimistic about this.”
Pickett hopes that the fan club he started his own, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon Supporters’ Club, will be able to go to Qatar.
“There are 20 of us who will be taken care of by the Cameroon Football Federation for the World Cup,” Pickett explained. “We have already begun daily training just one month ago. We are confident that we will represent Cameroonian supporters most spectacularly throughout Qatar.”
High Expectations
Pickett is optimistic about his team’s participation in the coming World Cup.
Cameroon is currently in Group G and will begin their match with Switzerland on the 24th of November. They will then play Serbia four days later. They will then be closing Group G against champions five times Brazil on the 2nd of December.
Pickett said a rousing “yes” to work Samuel Eto’o, president of Fecafoot, has been doing. He said that his team would reach at least the knockout phase at the World Cup.
the coach said.” I feel we’ll thrive in achieving at least the competition of 16 because Eto’o is doing everything doable to get the right players,”
People Also Read:Â
World Cup Update: GCC Condemns German Minister’s Remarks On Qatar World Cup 2022
