They are present everywhere on campus singing and dancing to attract attention and cheer their mates to victory.

The university games are not only about sports competition. It is also a forum for students to showcase culture and creativity. As such, besides the quest for medals in sports, there is usually a heated competition for the best fan club trophy. At first, the fan clubs performed haphazardly on campus but since the last three editions of the games, their performances have been organized.

In addition to dancing at the various game sites, they are given time to perform on a podium under the watchful eyes of the members of the commission for the award of the fair play and best fans club trophies who allocate points. They are equally given themes to work and the theme for this year’s edition is on ‘the patriotic drive towards growth and development’.

The fan clubs spice the university games not only through singing and dancing but by also making fun much to the amusement of on lookers such that the fan clubs have become an indispensable actor in the university games. They gave the tone of the games right from the opening ceremony as fan clubs from the different university institutions match past to the rhythm and pace of traditional dances from their area of origin. Their mascots are either precious objects to the people from that area or symbolic of emblematic figures.

As such, this year, the University of Dschang matched with their traditional mascot which is a pig since pig rearing is the main economic activity of people from Dschang. The University of Buea matched with a thatched house reminiscent of constructions in the South West Region while the University of Bamenda matched past with a Fon and juju depicting the culture of the North West Region. The Saint Jerome university institution matched with a pope to depict the religious nature of the institution. The fan clubs were also clad in traditional adornments from the different parts of the country.

Various dances were also on display notably the benskin dance from the West region, Fulfulbe dance from the North Region, the Bafia dance from the Centre region and many other dances from different parts of Cameroon. However, given the theme of this year’s games and context of the war against Boko Haram, there were many demonstrations to this effect. INJS fan club matched with messages against Boko Haram singing patriotic song and making a demonstration in which Boko Haram elements are killed. The university of Douala fan club was in military outfit while the Advanced School of Public Works paraded captured Boko Haram elements. All day long, the fan clubs rival for attention, singing and dancing in a manner to poke fun.