Famous Cameroonian People

Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian MMA fighter who currently competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) heavyweight division. The current UFC Heavyweight Champion, Ngannou is renowned for his heavy punches and is the hardest recorded puncher of all time. Ngannou is also known for his philanthropic efforts; the Francis Ngannou Foundation aims at helping young people train in a gym.

The seven-foot-tall Cameroonian basketball player has been part of the Philadelphia team since his NBA debut in 2016-17. Joel Embiid who plays in the power forward position has the honor of being chosen to the All-Star team three times. 

Alex Song is a Cameroonian football player who has played for popular teams like Arsenal and Barcelona. He has also represented his national team in important tournaments like the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. Alex Song’s performance in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations made him the only player from Cameroon to be named in the Team of the Tournament.

Ahmadou Ahidjo was a Cameroonian politician who served as the first president of Cameroon from 1960 to 1982. He played an important role in helping Cameroon attain independence from France. He also played a major role in reuniting the English and French-speaking parts of the country. Ahmadou Ahidjo is also credited with establishing a centralized political system in Cameroon.

Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician and the current president of Cameroon. Serving as Cameroon's president since 1982, Biya is Africa's second-longest-ruling president. He is also Africa's oldest head-of-state and the world's longest-ruling non-royal leader. Despite claims that most of his presidential elections were rigged, Paul Biya continues to serve as president of Cameroon.

Apoula Edel is a Cameroonian-born Armenian retired professional football player who played as a goalkeeper for the Armenia national team from 2004 to 2005. Apoula Edel has also represented professional clubs around the world, such as Atlético de Kolkata, Chennaiyin FC, Pyunik, Rapid București, Paris Saint-Germain, and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Cameroonian writer Mongo Beti is remembered for his controversial satirical novels such as Le Pauvre Christ de Bomba. Expelled from his missionary school in Mbalmayo for his vocal nature, he later studied at the Sorbonne. His works also spoke about colonialism, negritude, and the ill-effects of French Catholic missionary activities.

Sofoklis Schortsanitis is a Greek former basketball player who helped the Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club win the 2014 EuroLeague title. He was also an important member of Greek national team and represented his country in the 2006 FIBA World Championship where he helped Greece win the silver medal. Sofoklis Schortsanitis is also a two-time Greek Cup winner.