Unknown side of energetic political activist Thomas Shilumbu
Well, many only came to know him as the steadfast, fearless political activist – but in real life, Thomas Shilumbu was a noted goalkeeper, who played for a significant number of top-level clubs in the country’s flagship league.
Truthfully speaking, the unappreciated position of goalkeeper is not for the fainthearted, as it requires men of steel prepared to roll with the punches, facing ferocious canon-like shots from all angles. He was equal to the task, and stood the tests of time.
New Era Sport sat the political firebrand down as he relives his unsaid sporting journey, including his unsurpassed charitable work.
Generally, goalkeepers are not hogging the limelight as much as their more celebrated outfield teammates, unless for the occasional howler or rare acrobatic saves.
However, former Ongwediva-based outfit Golden Bigs Football Club’s travelled last man of defence agile shot-stopper Shilumbu has made a name for himself.
He enjoyed successful stints with the Tertiary Institution ,Sports Associations (TISAN), Hotspurs, Rundu Chiefs and Benfica Football Club.
Despite his rookie tag, ‘Tomsen’, as he is affectionately known amongst his vast circle of friends and acquaintances, established himself as one of the most sought-after net guards in the business.
His fairytale football career took a dramatic turn when he joined the exciting Soweto youthful outfit Hotspurs in Namibia’s chief commercial hub Windhoek in 2006.
Spurs were campaigning in the country’s second-tier league when Shilumbu arrived, but with the new ‘cat’ in their arsenal, the youthful Soweto location representatives gained promotion to the country’s elite league the following season.
He was a student at the International University of Management (IUM), reading towards a degree in Travel Tourism and Hospitality.
As a result of his lodging at IUM, he was the chosen number one goalie for the combined TISAN football team that participated in the World FISU Games in China in 2011.
He was firmly stationed between the sticks when the Namibians confronted Thailand, and played a blinder, despite the team suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat against the silky Asians.
Some of his celebrated teammates were Panduleni Halleluah Nekundi, Loydt Kazapua, Willem ‘Dudes’ Mwedihanga, Ronald ‘Stigga’ Ketjijere, Bryan Bantam and a few others who went on to solidify their promising football careers in the domestic league.
In the same season, Shilumbu joined Rundu Chiefs, cementing his place as the designated number one in the Chiefs starting lineup.
After two seasons with the Rundu-based outfit, he developed itchy feet, and the much-travelled goalie jumped out of the great Kavango River – only to resurface at Nomtsoub outfit Benfica Football Club in the Copper Town of Tsumeb in 2013.
Admittedly, the goalkeeper rewrote the history book by winning promotion to the country’s flagship league with three different teams.
The acrobatic shot-stopper was stationed between the sticks when Spurs won promotion to the Namibia Premier League.
He repeated the same feat with Nomtsoub outfit Benfica, which re-entered the topflight league after wandering helplessly in the wilderness for an extended period, following their relegation from the national senior competition.
He was at it again when his heroics between the sticks earned Rundu Chiefs into the elite league.
His impressive football resume includes representing his motherland internationally on two separate occasions with the star-studded TISAN football team in the hotly-contested CUCSA Games in Botswana in 2009, and the multi-sport World Games held in Shenzhen, China in 2011.
A gold medallist from The Namibian Newspaper Youth Cup in 2007 with the Oshana regional team (Keeetmanshoop), Southern Stream Division One champion in 2007 and 2009, Hotspurs most valuable player of the season in 2009, twice Northern Stream league title champion with Rundu Chiefs and Benfica in that sequence.
Upon completing his studies, Shilumbu retreated to his original habitat in the north.
However, he turned his hand to politics, mobilising supporters for the ruling political party in the Omusati region.
After serving in low-key portfolios in the party’s regional structures, he rose to the position of treasurer for the Okahao branch.
Been there, done this, done that, seen it all, a Jack of all trades, the multitalented Shilumbu authored the book titled ‘Did you know the Namibian Liberation Struggle’.
He held several high-profile public portfolios in the following sequence: history teacher at the Ambrosius Amutenya Private School in the Okahao circuit from 2009 to 2011, secretary for the Student, Representative Council, Secretary for Sport and Culture at IUM, managing director of Thomas Shilumbu Media and Training cc, self-confessed public educator on social media, and occupying multiple positions with the ELCIN Parish Church.
He is currently in his final year, pursuing his second degree at the IUM in tourism.
RIP – Benestus Tjimbongoro ‘Ongwe-Tier’ Nganjone (1955-2024)
Death has struck the seemingly unbreakable close-knit group of the ‘Brave Lions of Judah’ (Hungry Lions Football Club) for the umpteenth time in the last couple of years, following the sad departure of club stalwart Benestus Tjimbongoro Nganjone, famously known as ‘Ongwe-Tier’ in social circles.
The retired Hungry Lions, fullback was a founder member of the club, and was a no-nonsense defender who took no prisoners.
Rock-solid in defence, his never-say-die attitude made Tjimbongoro a favourite amongst his teammates.
He formed the spine of the Lions’ resolute defensive wall alongside the equally robust Shakes Kandenge, Popele Kamatoto, Johannes ‘Long Tom’ Kaahangoro and the bone-crunching Godwin Kauhetjii ‘Tiekie’ Muvangua.
Even though his overall football style of play did not inspire the neutral fan, his defensive capabilities earned him the respect of his opponents and teammates alike.
The uncompromising, fearless ‘Ongwe-Tier’ was a hard tackler.
He was amongst the founding members of the ‘Brave Lions of Judah’, alongside Zebaldt Uazenga, Chief ‘Turi’ Murise, Kumbee Tjizera, Sacky Kaveuka Marenga, Adam ‘Jomo’ Tjiveta, Daniel ‘DCK’ Kamatjipose, Gideon ‘Shadow’ Hangara, Jeremiah Koutumbo Karumendu and few other young raw village boys from Epukiro Reservat.
His death follows short on the heels of club greats in the following sequence: Jackson Meroro, ‘Moloi’ Korupanda, ‘Billy’ Tuahepa, Eleazer Kapi Ngatjiisiue, ‘Giddies’ Gurirab, ‘Foresta’ Nicodemus, Godfried ‘Shoeshine’ Kambanda, ‘Rep’ Kanjaa, Ben Kandimuine, Steve Kavari, Manfred ‘Louw’ Tjiho, and ‘DCK’ Kamatjipose, as well as the ever-present long-serving team manager, Manfred ‘Molaiks’ Murirua.
May their combined souls continue to rest in ancestral power.