My experience at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon continues with quite a number of interesting tales to reflect about and passionately report home.
From the thick of action on the field of play, the humid weather, sight of the Atlantic Ocean, thick-dark tropical equatorial rain forests, exciting fans, tasty new foods, fun-filled road and air trips to now the bush meat, Gabon has had it all.
On Tuesday morning, I embarked on a domestic flight CAN 901 from Libreville to the forested and deserted town of Oyem, north of Gabon.
The domestic flights are sponsored by COCAN, the tournament local organizing committee and free to the the accredited media personnel, players, officials, invited football legends and local organizing committee officials.
The distance from Libreville across the Atlantic and thick–dark Equatorial forests is 410km, about 50 minutes by air.
As early as 8:30 a.m local time, I was already at the Leon Mba International Airport in Libreville.
A large number of passengers were already at the check in terminal.
It took close to one hour for all the passengers on board to be sorted before we embarked on the flight.
We had a successful trip and landed safely at Oyem Airport, situated right in the middle of the forest.
We then drove through the forest to Stade D’Oyem in 50 minutes before being received by the volunteers and ushered into the media center.
Later in the night, we watched Morocco eject the defending champions, Cote D’Ivoire in the magnificent Oyem stadium.
The match ended minutes to 11 p.m local and it was time to look for where to spend the night.
The nearest decent place we checked in was 77km away, in a town called Bitam through the thick forests.
Tuesday night was spent at Be-Eya Lodging, a stone throw away from Hotel Benedicta, the official team hotel for Mali, Morocco and Uganda Cranes.
Since I arrived in Gabon a fortnight ago, I had not seen mosquitoes, rats and other rodents until I traveled to Bitam town.
The local food itself is an interesting menu ranging from root tubers – cassava, potatoes, plantain, rice, wild leaves and the delicious bush meat.
Being a vegetarian saved me the taste of bush meat where monkeys, edible rats, leopard, tortoise and other wild animals are a delicacy.
The road trip from the lively Bitam town (which is less than 20km from the Cameroon boarder) to Stade D’Oyem lasted 50 minutes.
Through the thick equatorial forests, I was able to read the road signage with a keen interest.
I read interesting names as Zomo, Tchimazock, Melene, Endama, Nkolmessa, Ebanga, Mboubou, Akam Effak, Assouk, Nkolayo, Akok Esatouk, Awoua, Konoville, Koumassi, Akam, Nye, Sougoudza and finally Oyem.
Throughout the 79km journey in the cab, we only encountered only two cars along the way with lots of bushmen lining the meat from wild cats, dogs, mice, edible rats, monkeys and other apes.
I have decided never to taste anything meaty lest I eat the ‘uneatable’ in my home town of Entebbe.
All is set for Uganda Cranes’ final game against Mali at the magnificent Stade D’Oyem.
The stadium is located right in the middle of the thick forests but has all the facilities for a world class stadium.
The dressing rooms are elegant, playing turf top class, VIP media tribune and general fans wing are a class act, Media press conference, administrative, parking lots, media center all meeting the expected standards.
As I admire the facility, I keep wondering whether the Uganda sports ministry and Government at large has the bold plans for Uganda.
Mujje Tulumbe
