Honour Sexton Kowa

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I have never seen him play soccer but Iknow he has played for the Zebras duringhis heyday. Matshidiso Kowa, affectionatelyknown as Sexton has not been giventhe respect he deserves. My uncle believesSexton is the best goalkeeper Botswana hasever had, I believe he has an extra ordinaryfootball brain. Not just that he understands thebusiness of football particularly developmentof talent but he has produced so many starsnamely Vincent Kgaswane(Phiri) and TsotsoNgele, both of whom went on to play at thehighest level. Ngele is in the Premier Leaguewhile Vincent Kgaswane signed for OrlandoPirates and spent a few years in Finland beforecoming home to close in on his career withGabane Santos.

 

Sexton played for Centre Chiefs during hisdays, a remarkable leader and a solid goalkeeperwhose presence was felt by opponentsand team mates alike. He quit Chiefs andformed a club called Flamingo Santos whichlater merged with Gabane Santos. I hear Sextonpreached professionalism way before SamSono implemented the idea by the formationof FC Satmos in the late 90’s. Sexton has beenconsistent with his vision for professionalfootball way back in the 80’s but many peoplethought it was a farfetched idea; it was impossible.If I remember well, the fi rst privately ownedteam in Botswana is Santos owned by SextonKowa. This enterprising football administratorbelieves deeply in local talent, deeply infootball and deeply in the indisputable factthat football has taken people from squalor towealth, from poverty to magnifi cent cities andmetropolis of the world to incredible heights.

 

He deeply believes that football can help developa country’s infrastructure landscape andthat football can unite people with diametricallyopposed beliefs and views on life.Sexton continues to generously plough moneyfrom his pockets into the local football;having invested in youth development formany years without any sponsor and hopingthat one day he would be able to reap handsomelyfrom these selfl ess deeds. How do weas a nation want to thank people like him? Dowe want to say things that we failed to say during his lifetime at his funeral? Do we want totreat him like Sono whose legacy is fast goinginto obscurity despite his contribution? Whydo we treat our legends like this? Is it true thatBotswana has no heroes?I have a few ideas as to how we can honormen and women like Kowa.

 

If I were Ministerof Sports, I would make sure at least I leavesome tangible contribution to honor the legacyand contribution of legends such as Kowa andSono. These are not the only ones, they aremany more. The truth is Kowa is not only ayesteryear hero, his contribution continues asa club owner where he continues to employabout 25 boys who are paid on a monthly basis.Can my government realize it is time weshowed respect and do the honorable thing?To Sexton, we say continue doing well, forone day someone will recognize your selfl esscontribution in a big, unprecedented way.