Tessema Rules CAF
During Yaoundé's assembly CAF President Dr. Abdel Halim Mohammad lost his seat to Tessema by 15 voices to 12, though it was said that Sir Stanley Rous, who supervised the elections, openly supported Dr. Abdel Halim during the elections. Professor Rene Essomba became first Vice-President while Alcantara was second Vice-President. Dr. Abdel Halim and Alcantara were elected to the FIFA executive committee. Egypt maintained the headquarters together with the African vice Presidency in FIFA. With Tessema as President and Mourad Fahmy as General Secretary, CAF broke new grounds.
Tessema did not inherit a ready made Confederation; peace in the Confederation and total focus on the overall developmental works of the Continent's football, prevailed only after this historic Congress in Yaoundé 1972. This is why he is still viewed by connoisseurs of the Confederation's history, as the most successful African football leader; who had resolved all early detractive problems and directed total focus towards the development of the game, not only for his era, but also, for the future of the continent's most popular sport.
It must be said here, that the differences due to this lengthy and detractive controversy; were confined to conference tables. The pioneers had always maintained enviable, mutual respect and brotherhood in their personal relationships.
In the following years, the continuous inclusion of newly liberated African countries strengthened the Confederation's position in the FIFA congresses, but, this positive development was accompanied by the undesirable by-product of Colonialism; the division between Arab Africa, Francophone Africa and Anglophone Africa, maintaining the "One Africa" motto began to be more and more complicated. This was, and still is, a challenge to unity in African football.
Read more about this topic: History Of CAF
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