Former tennis player and promoter Joseph Oyebog passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Douala after battling an illness. He would have turned 55 in August.
Throughout his career, Oyebog ranked among the top 1000 players worldwide and left a lasting impact on Cameroonian tennis. His most notable contribution was his dedication to making the sport more accessible, especially to underprivileged children.
His legacy is embodied in the Oyebog Tennis Academy (OTA), a modern complex spanning six hectares in Souza, located in the Moungo division of the Littoral region. As one of Cameroon’s finest players, he became national champion at just 18 before earning a scholarship that took him to the United States, where he played a role in the development of world-class athletes.
In 1999, he took the initiative to democratize tennis by transforming the garden of his home in Bonaberi into a small training court, welcoming thousands of young players. This led to the creation of the Souza project, which now boasts sixteen courts, including twelve hard courts and four clay courts.
