WINDHOEK – Cometh the hour, cometh the man, internationally acclaimed retired footballer, one Ephraim Matsilile Sono, aka Jomo in social circles has certainly left a long lasting legacy in the annals of Namibian football.
Namibian football is a great deal indebted to the man duped the “Black Prince” during his heyday mesmerizing robust defending with his amazing dribbling skills and trademark banana kicks.
The former Orlando Pirates (South Africa) blue-eyed boy and New York Cosmos play maker is no stranger to Namibian football, making his debut on Namibian soil way back in the 70s in the black and white strip of Soweto giants Orlando Pirates in exhibition matches against a Central Invitational Eleven at the old Katutura stadium.
“Bro J” returned to his second home as a guest player for Katutura glamour football club African Stars at the invitation of his old buddy Oscar “Silver Fox” Mengo alongside Basil Hollister and Joel “Fire” Faya for exhibition matches against a local Invitational side at the SKW Stadium in 1983.
And when Namibia gained her democracy in 1990 – it was only fitting tribute that the Black Prince would be amongst few selected invited guests of honour featuring for the Namibian President Eleven against the visiting Spartak Moscow at a packed to rafters Independence Stadium during the country’s inaugural independence celebrations.
Though quicksilver Sono was already in the twilight of his flourishing football career, the football genius has lost none of his usual nostalgia.
The big frame ball juggler announced his presence with a well-executed free kick as he bent the ball past the bemused Spartak wall into the right hand corner, sending the appreciative large crowd into absolute hysteria.
The Black Prince’s newly found love affair with Namibian football did not end there as he went on a recruitment drive – shipping a significant number of Namibian footballers across the Orange River for professional careers with his club Jomo Cosmos.
The sextet of Lazarus Tommy Kaimbi, Knowledge Ipinge, Wycliff Kambonde, Sidney Plaatjies, Congo Hindjou and George Hummel are some of the prominent names that spring to mind.
The street wise Sono took these players under his wings and though Cosmos was not regarded as the ultimate destination in the stinking rich South African Professional Soccer League (PSL) in terms of long-term rewards – the players benefited handsomely off the field through Sono’s business acumen.
And while many of their peers who enjoyed the limelight during their short-lived football careers with more glamorous clubs in the PSL are now pale shadows of their former selves – Sono’s protégés are certainly reaping the fruits of good financial advise as can be attested by their newly acquired status in community.
So far, so good, life after football has been cool-as-a-cucumber for retired Kuisebmond born former Blue Waters lanky shot stopper Abisai Paulus “Zico” Shiningayamwe. The latter is the proud owner of the modernized ISAA Guest House at Usakos in the vast Erongo Region.
“Look at Cosmos, it was not only about playing football, bro J was a father figure to all the players. He taught us about the finer points of life. Football is a very short career and bro J knows all the pitfalls of athletes, he always told us to keep our feet firmly on the ground and to refrain from being tempted by luxuries. He would advise us to save and invest money wisely.
It was about life values and having Bra J as a coach, friend and father figure and life coach around was a massive plus – he taught and prepared me for life outside football and it was while still at Cosmos that my business life started with selling stainless steel pots imported from Sweden and electronic gadgets through a good friend of mine Mojalefa Tsotsetsi.
“It was while in Jozi, that bro J jokingly told football agent Colin April that his player is now a pot seller but it was the very same Bra J who decided to give me another two year on my running contract till 2014 but when the club was relegated, I pleated with bra J to go home to pursue my business interests and as they say, the rest is history.”
In the meantime, the quartet of Ipinge, Kambonde, Plaatjies and Hindjou are all credible self-employed citizens in their respective chosen business careers while Kaimbi (still playing active football in Asia) has invested his earnings from football handsomely in immovable property.
Hummel is nowadays a highly qualified Safety Officer for a leading mining company and is reportedly enjoying life to the fullest away from football.