Dolisie Council’s Historic Vote
On Monday evening, the municipal chamber of Dolisie broke into applause as every councillor raised a hand in favour of making Colonel-major Rémy Ayayos Ikounga an honorary citizen. The unanimous ballot formalised two decades of gratitude often expressed informally in streets, markets and stadium stands.
- Dolisie Council’s Historic Vote
- Two Decades of Community Action
- A Golden Era for AC Léopards
- Continental Glory Carved in 2012
- Dolisie on Africa’s Football Map
- National Team Ripple Effect
- Health Projects Saving Lives
- Support for Women and Youth
- Education First Approach
- Funding Through Personal Means
- Military Career Understated
- A City’s Emotional Testimony
- Official Ceremony Planned
- Words from the Honouree
- Economic Ripple on Local Trade
- Role-Model for Balanced Development
- Challenges Still Ahead
- Legacy in Motion
Two Decades of Community Action
Councillors cited the officer’s continuous support for youth programmes, school repairs and family welfare. “We wanted to say thank you in the most official way possible,” deputy mayor Marie-Paule Makosso explained after the session (Radio Congo). She recalled Ikounga’s habit of paying school fees for orphans without publicity.
A Golden Era for AC Léopards
Football remains the most visible chapter of his story. After taking the helm of AC Léopards in 2009, Ikounga oversaw four consecutive national titles between 2012 and 2017 and added a fifth crown this year. Training routines were modernised, salaries were paid on time, and local talent was prioritised.
Continental Glory Carved in 2012
The club’s 2012 CAF Confederation Cup victory ended a 38-year continental drought for Congolese football. Reporters still replay images of the final at the then Denis-Sassou-N’Guesso stadium, where fans sang long after the last whistle. “He gave us faith,” former captain Césaire Gandzé remembered this week (Les Dépêches de Brazzaville).
Dolisie on Africa’s Football Map
Those triumphs drew busloads of supporters from Brazzaville and Kinshasa whenever the Léopards hosted a match. Hotels filled, street vendors prospered, and Dolisie earned the nickname “citadel impossible to breach” after a five-year unbeaten home streak in continental competitions. That run later helped the Congo secure extra CAF slots.
National Team Ripple Effect
Ikounga’s influence extended to the national side. In 2013 he lobbied for a CHAN qualifier to be moved from Brazzaville to Dolisie, arguing that the local turf and atmosphere would unsettle visiting DR Congo. The gamble worked; the Red Devils booked their first CHAN finals ticket.
Health Projects Saving Lives
Sporting headlines, however, tell only half the tale. In 2018 Ikounga financed “Santé tout Dolisie”, a fortnight that brought volunteer surgeons from France and the Congolese diaspora. More than 1,200 patients from Niari, Lékoumou, Bouenza and Kouilou received free operations and follow-up medicine, according to the regional health directorate.
Support for Women and Youth
Local NGOs credit him with funding sewing workshops for young mothers and donating ultrasound scanners to the Mbounda maternity ward. “His help arrived without speeches or cameras,” said midwife Josiane Ndinga, showing a delivery room that now bears his name. She believes infant mortality dropped because of the equipment.
Education First Approach
Ikounga has quietly paid exam fees for hundreds of final-year pupils and supplied science labs with microscopes imported from Europe. Principal Serge Mabiala of Lycée Dominique-Ounou says the colonel insists on academic discipline among Léopards trainees. “He tells them football ends at thirty, a diploma lasts for life.”
Funding Through Personal Means
Unlike many benefactors who rely on corporate sponsorship, Ikounga self-finances projects through farming, timber and logistics ventures. Municipal treasurer Henri Missamou confirmed no public money was used in the latest donation of school textbooks. “That independence reassures taxpayers and speeds up delivery,” Missamou noted.
Military Career Understated
A senior logistics officer in the Forces armées congolaises, Ikounga rarely discusses army duties in public. Colleagues describe him as meticulous. “When he plans troop movement, every bolt is counted,” a fellow officer joked. The same precision, they agree, informs his community spending.
A City’s Emotional Testimony
Night fell after the council vote, but crowds gathered outside the mairie, drums echoing across Avenue Félix-Tchikaya. Some waved green-and-white scarves of the Léopards; others held candles. “It feels like we all got an award,” said vendor Clémentine Maboungou, who sells cassava fritters near the stadium on matchdays.
Official Ceremony Planned
Mayor Bernard Lendzé announced that the honorary citizenship parchment will be presented during an upcoming home fixture. A commemorative plaque will be unveiled at Paul-Sayal-Moukila stadium, and a children’s stand will bear Ikounga’s name. Regional TV intends to broadcast the ceremony live.
Words from the Honouree
Reached by phone, Ikounga remained modest. “The city nurtured me; I simply returned the favour,” he said, dedicating the title to residents who volunteer on clean-up days and parents who let sons and daughters pursue sport. He urged youth to dream beyond provincial borders.
Economic Ripple on Local Trade
Economist Armand Loubaki estimates that each Léopards home game injects at least five million CFA francs into micro-businesses. “By empowering the club, Ikounga multiplied income for hundreds of households,” he told us. Upcoming stadium upgrades could push that figure higher, giving Dolisie new bargaining power with investors.
Role-Model for Balanced Development
Sports analyst Grace Ngalula argues the colonel’s model blends high-level competition with grassroots welfare. “Many African clubs chase trophies but neglect community,” she said. “In Dolisie, victories and clinics happen together, showing that success on the pitch can finance social cohesion.”
Challenges Still Ahead
Maintaining momentum will need fresh talent pipelines, better road links to Brazzaville and sustained health funding. The municipality hopes Ikounga’s title inspires business leaders to open similar initiatives. Councillors are drafting a charter encouraging public-private partnerships in sport, education and healthcare.
Legacy in Motion
For now, the city savours a rare consensus. From students to retirees, Dolisiens agree the honorary title captures a collective feeling: pride in what they have achieved together. As council speaker Henriette Louamba put it, “The colonel shows that one person’s drive can lift an entire community.”
