As football fans gear up for the African Cup of Nations, Randy Joe Sa'ah reports for the BBC's Focus on Africa magazine on the continued use of supposedly magic charms by players and officials in Cameroon. If used, however, they did not help this footballing giant qualify for this year's tournament.

For most Cameroonians a football match is a spellbinding affair. In anybody's book this is the country's favourite sport; it pulls huge crowds and has earned the country international acclaim.

But it is not just the goal-scorers and team coaches who bask in glory when a local or national team wins.

Behind the scenes marabouts - or juju men - also claim credit.

Armed, they say, with supernatural powers, these witchdoctors prepare charms that they believe will help propel teams to victory and confuse opponents.

There are a number of ways that football charms can be administered. Palm oil, popularly known in Cameroon as manyanga, could be rubbed on the ankles or kola nuts, another charm, could be given to players to eat.

In other cases, the players may be asked to jump over a bonfire before the game.

Or players may be nicked in the ankles with a razor blade and black powder rubbed into the wounds.

Then they would be given rules such as not shaking hands with anybody before the encounter or entering the field by walking backwards.