By Bizel-Bi Mafor
Cameroon international sprinter, Emmanuel Eseme, through his foundation, the Eseme Alobwede, EA Foundation, has encouraged Cameroonians to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Eseme made the call during a maiden hike organised on Mount Mbankolo in the country’s capital, Yaounde. It brought together about 100 participants.
The sports activity dubbed “Sports, a pathway to a healthy body”, is the first of many sporting activities to be organised by Eseme through the EA Foundation.
Besides the hike, there was also sensitisation on site by doctors and physiotherapists on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, the need to always check one’s blood pressure, sugar level and other vital signs.
The fitness coaches engaged the participants in cardio exercises, stretching and other fitness activities.
Lesly Khan, a certified fitness trainer, led warm-up activities to prepare participants for the hike, followed by stretching of the calves, hamstrings, glutes, and thighs.
According to Khan, these exercises are important before the hike to “prevent injuries, enhance flexibility and mobility and also to improve performance and activate key muscles in the body”.
Felix Assiga, 64, an athlete who has participated in several competitions such as the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, was overwhelmed with this initiative by the EA Foundation.
According to him, “it is a laudable initiative and many more people should participate to ensure they are healthy and fit even at old age just like him”.
After the hike, Emmanuel Eseme told Camer Today that through the Foundation, he aimed “to use sports to target some of the problems that people face in society, most especially in underprivileged areas, with a focus on sports development, education, and environmental sustainability, and they intend to handle all of this through sports”.
About the EA Foundation
Cameroon’s Olympic champion and gold medallist Emmanuel Eseme announced the creation of the Eseme Alobwede Foundation dedicated to identifying, training and supporting young athletic talent on January 5, 2026.
The decision, we gathered, was made after a meeting with the Minister of Sports and Physical Education (MINSEP) Narcisse Mouelle Kombi.
The meeting was an opportunity to present his gold and bronze medals won at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh to the government.
According to Eseme, the Foundation intends to tackle these societal issues through sports because “it is an activity that brings joy and laughter and peace”.