History reveals that the seemingly eternal close knit affection between coastal giants Blue Waters Football Club and Katutura glamour football club African Stars, is the culmination of a mere romantic hostel love affair “Kalwer Liefde” between a pair of students. There is an old saying that after every successful man, there must be a woman behind the scenes.
Well back in the day, the historical Augustineum High School, holed up on the outskirts of Namibia’s commercial capital Windhoek after it was relocated from the garden town, did not only produce intellectuals and great men of substance, the revered learning institution also laid the foundation for the inevitable tolerance of tribal integration that saw children born from mixed tribes.
Former African Stars Football Club lanky shot-stopper, one Moses “Cheese” Kavikairua, a student at the school found himself deeply and soulfully hypnotized by the catchy looks of a damn gorgeous Owaambo speaking student lass from the Atlantic Ocean.
The “Bird” hailed from the harbor town of Walvis-Bay and would occasionally charm her ‘Beau” into escorting her on the long and winding railway journey to her hometown during school holidays.
Safely wrapped up in the casually used romantic phrase “under the influence of love”, the tallish goalie felt obliged to sail along the flow of the freezing Atlantic Ocean.
He would join fellow students from Augustineum at local outfit Blue Waters, exchanging gloves between the sticks with regular net guard Bonnetti Niilenge, not only as a guest player, but fully-fledged recognized son in law.
What started off as a mere no-strings-attached normal student romance would eventually manifests itself into a long lasting well cemented camaraderie between the two clubs.
In today’s edition of your favorite weekly sport feature, Tales of the Legends, New Era Sport goes hand in glove with retired Windhoek City and African Stars FC net minder “Cheese” Kavikairua.
WINDHOEK – In reality, the name Moses Kahese Kavikairua, also known as “Cheese” amongst his vast circle of football buddies, did not inspire the confidence of many a neutral football fan, more notably his presence between the sticks but his bullish figure would scare even the most lethal strikers in the business.
Bro Cheese’s name will go down in history amongst the club’s golden generation. Cheese was part of a highly gifted high school students, recruited to succeed a significant number of the Red’s ageing playing personnel bar the ageless Amos “Superman” Tjombe and hard galloping fullback Mike Pack.
He was given the heavy task of filing the big gloves vacated by the six-fingered shot stopper Ripuree Hoveka, younger brother of Reds’’ great George Kanima Hoveka. Cheese’s inclusion in the squad was fast tracked by Ripuree’s hastily roped in stop gapped successor net guard the butter fingered Ngatangue Kezumo’s inability to live up to the task at hand.
Cheese was amongst a young crop of highly talented footballers led by bulky midfield general Kaika Kuzee, Bush Menjengua, Babes Kangombe, Kierie Tjituaiza, Nicklaus Njangatare Kajau, Ben Kauejao, Zeb Tjitemisa, Julius Stephanus, Eliah “Zorro” Tjipuna, Asser Mbai, Oscar Mengo, George Kasuto and Jacob “Suitcase” Kaune.
Though the newly assembled Reds’ outfit were regarded by many as the most complete squad, the team’s last of defense was very patchy.
Bro “Cheese” would exchange places between the sticks with the acrobatic but often very risky Uzeu “Two-by-Two” Muundjua and the equally less impressive trident of George Jaanuu Katjiuongua, Ratjindua Katjimune {Loydt Kazapua’s old man} and Njangatare Kajau. May their combined souls rest in peace.
The latter, who has in the meantime sadly taken a bow from the game of life, was the blood brother to Merino Kandonga, Zeb Tjitemisa, Thabo Tsamaseb, Justus Menongongo Tjazerua, Amos Kajau and uncle to Steven Tjenao, whilst his old man Justus Katume Handura, was founder member of African Stars FC.
Though bro Cheese did not inspire the confidence of the neutral football fan between the sticks, the giant goalie was the own kith and kin (brother) of club blue-eyed-boy Oscar (Mengo) and would occasionally enjoy preferential treatment in terms of team selection.
Born at the small village of Ondjombo Jahenda in the mountainous Ovitoto district, in 1952, bro Cheese found himself in the city of bright lights (Windhoek) as a seven year old toddler, hardly out of his customary attire “Omitjira” {traditional pair of trousers}.
Bro Cheese started his primary schooling at the Rhenisch Herero School before defecting to the St Barnabas “Jo Veripate” in Windhoek’s old location.
With virtually none existing youth football structures, let alone recreational facilities in place, Cheese was confined to watching his talented buddies from the sidelines as they demonstrated their god given skills on the dusty streets of old location before relocating to the Katutura township in 1968.
A chip of the old block, bro Cheese was not be outdone by his siblings either with younger brother Andronicius Uparura Kavikairua excelling on the athletic track while “Silver Fox” was the most talked about young footballer in the ‘hood”.
Bro Cheese was amongst the first crop of recruits roped in by newly formed colourful Katutura outfit Flames FC alongside his brother Oscar “Chameleon” Mengo.
The latter was duped “Chameleon” {Esembi} in the Otjiherero vernacular for his habitual questionable loyalty (or rather first-come, first-service-attitude) towards parent team Flames and African Stars, respectively. He was re-baptized “Silver Fox” during his brief spell at Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs in 1976.
Incumbent Nudo parliamentarian Asser Mbai, a student at the Augustineum High School at the time, led an enthusiastic group of the following footballers that formed the core of the overly ambitious newly formed green and gold outfit {Flames FC}.
Paul Kaurimuje, Ronnie Kahuure and elder brother Ringo Mbaze Kahiru, Issy Kahungi, Oscar Kazonganga, Simon Nujoma, Phillip “Kessy” Kauuoua, Edward Semba, Leviticus “Karretjie” Hindjou, Katume Babylon Katire, Issy Kavezepa, Fly Phillemon, Immanuel Katjiuongua, Willy Katire, Ngururume Katjiku, Eben “Ozohande” Kahimise, Abe Katire, under the shrewd stewardship of self-styled football gurus, the late pair of Felix Kakuenje and Darius Tjakaurua.
Cheese’s younger brother Tjeripo “Pro” Rijatua, also left huge tracks in the history of Namibian football having served the Namibia Football Association (NFA) as a much respected treasurer with aplomb.
In the interim, “Cheese” would juggle his goalkeeping duties between popular hostel team Windhoek City, a predominantly Ovaherero speaking students at the Augustineum Secondary School hostel and African Stars.
The new look Reds soon established themselves as the most successful football team in the seventies with their direct style of play but the silver lining was somehow still missing to make the squad the finish product.
The unavoidable arrival of a fairly unknown goalkeeper going by the name of Asaria Ndjiva Kauami, was to signal the end of Cheese’s further flirtation with the spherical object. Nonetheless, the beanpole gloves man gladly exchanged his gloves for administration within the team’s structures.
His pre mature retirement from competitive football came as a much welcomed relief as he was now exempted from being at the receiving end of Black Africa’s sharpshooter Pius “Garrincha” Eigowab’s, aka Pele’s ferrous pile drivers that left many a shot stopper with disfigured fingertips.
Bro “Cheese” went onto represent the club at executive level with distinction when the game was amalgamated under one umbrella body in 1977.
“Starlile” won an incredible cup double in the inaugural season of multiracial football in Apartheid South West Africa {SWA} – clinching the national league title and the coveted Mainstay Cup in fine style – leaving crosstown rivals Ramblers to pick up the pieces for the runner up spot in both competitions.
And who says there is no life after football? Nowadays a noted commercial farmer, bro Cheese is the epitome of very few former footballers who have wisely managed to make the right choices upon their retirement from the game.
He is listed alongside former teammates Issy Kahungi, George Gariseb, Ringo Kahiru, Albert Tjihero, Oscar Mengo, Ace Tjirera, Seadog Kuhanga, Asser Mbai, Fly Phillemon and former mentor Otniel “Kella” Kauta, in the lucrative livestock breeding farming industry.
He might not have been the greatest of shot stoppers blessed with a safe pair of hands, but bro Cheese has made a huge contribution in domestic football. Coastal giants Blue Waters and Katutura glamour football club African Stars have benefited immensely from bro Cheese’s magical influence.
The likes of local socialite well known academic Charles Kauraisa, Riva Jakonia, business Oscar Norich-Tjahuha, Mathew Amadhila, Koos Muaine, Edward “Boy-Boy” Ndjadila, Marques Kamuserandu, Julius Stephanus, Kaputji Kuhanga, Costa Lucas, Chicken Kasaona, Tsetse Nerumbu, Britho Shipanga, Jerry Tjizo, Pule Tjombe, Leo Koutondokwa, Jomo Nakanene, Lucky Shipanga, Rasta Mbuende, Getzen Ndjiharine all wore the colours of both clubs at different intervals.