The 2025 Cameroonian Ballon d'Or ceremony, held on February 27, 2026, at the Palais des Congrès in Yaoundé, continues to spark reactions. Cameroonian writer Jean Ediegnie published an open letter on March 1, in which he addresses five questions to Samuel Eto'o, president of FECAFOOT, regarding the event.
Serge Daura, striker for Gazelle FA de Garoua, was crowned Cameroonian Ballon d'Or 2025. He also won the Golden Shoe, rewarding the league's top scorer. In addition to the prestige, Daura received a check for 5 million CFA francs, a 500 m² plot of land, and one year of unlimited internet access. This marks the first time a Cameroonian Ballon d'Or winner has received a car. In the women's category, Tiwa Lys from Lékié Football Filles won the 2025 Women's Ballon d'Or and the Women's Golden Shoe.
In his column, Jean Ediegnie questions the personalization of the ceremony around Samuel Eto'o, highlighting his constant presence on stage and during the awards ceremonies. He also questions certain protocol gestures, particularly towards the First Lady, and the lack of technical solutions to mitigate power outages. The writer also questions the relegated place of the players, the real actors of football, in the background, as well as the criteria for awarding certain special prizes, such as the one awarded to David Pagou.
Ediegnie deplores the absence of international recruiters and representatives from CAF or FIFA, whose presence could have strengthened the credibility of the event and offered career opportunities for players. He insists that a ceremony can offer rewards, but only credibility can open doors to a professional career. His questions echo the criticisms already made regarding the lack of transparency surrounding the selection process for the winners.
Prior to the ceremony, Jean Ediegnie had already made seven recommendations to Samuel Eto'o to enhance the credibility of the Cameroonian Ballon d'Or, in particular by entrusting the organization to an entity independent of FECAFOOT and by publishing the list of voters and the selection criteria. These constructive criticisms aim to transform this award into a real lever for development for the players of the national championship.
