Coastal giants Blue Waters Football Club has in the past produced a significant number of football-playing pairs of siblings, spearheaded by the Shimbulu brothers Tarah and Leo; Parri and Chopii Shekupe; Tobias brothers Jerry and Berro; Jakonia siblings Moripe and Riva; the colourful Muatunga quartet Phello, Hanga, Koko, and Phello Jr; Shipanga brothers Aupapa, Britto, and Lucky; Salathiel Ndjao and Ronnie Kanalelo; Kaputji and Seadog Kuhanga; Striker and Munjanda Muaine; Ivo and Sandro de Gouveia – and of course the Lucas brothers Ranga and Costa. However, the latter pair captured the imagination of many football followers, including the neutral fan with their near faultless eye-catching displays week in and week out for the exciting Kuisebmond outfit. In today’s edition of your favourite weekly sports feature – Tales of the Legends, profiling and tracing the history of our forgotten athletes past and present – New Era Sport posthumously pays tribute to former Super Stars, Blue Waters and African Stars slippery winger Kephas Costa Lucas, who sadly perished in a horrific car accident between Windhoek and Okahandja. May his soul continue to rest in eternal peace in one piece.
Born in the harbour town of Walvis Bay on the banks of the giant Atlantic Ocean in 1966, young Kephas Costa Lucas was just like many other Pikininis his age in the neighbourhood – football crazy. He would play football at the slightest provocation; be it in the streets, on his way to school, in the dunes, or at any other available piece of open space.
Younger brother of Blue Waters and South West Africa Invitational Eleven icon Ranga Lucas, young Costa was determined to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, with the ultimate hope of emulating his legacy. He started out with local lower-tier outfit Super Stars, alongside other highly gifted football-crazy young boys.
Despite his tiny frame, young Costa always demonstrated flashes of greatness and was destined for the bigger stage at a very young age, tormenting robust defenders with sheer speed, and football intelligence way belying his tender age.
He rose to prominence when he moved to Windhoek to further his education at the Augustineum Secondary School, mounted on the outskirts of Namibia’s largest residential area Katutura.
The easy-going Kuisebmond-born winger joined hostel team Golden Bees, made up of predominantly Oshiwambo-speaking pupils who hailed from the coast, northern Namibia, and Windhoek. Back home, Costa continued to strut his stuff with youthful Kuisebmond outfit Super Stars and was amongst the star players in the giant killers’ attack, forming a dangerous striking partnership with the equally talented Duban Pule Benson.
Costa’s impressive displays in the school’s first team and the ‘Super Doen’ team did not go unnoticed by his boyhood team Blue Waters’ team management. He was fast-tracked into Birds’ first team, finally living a childhood dream to share the dressing room with elder brother Ranga.
The young and energetic flying winger became the toast of the Birds’ supporters with his left footwork and goal-scoring prowess. As has become customary practice, upon completing his secondary education at the revered Augustineum, Costa was obligated to find refuge in the city of bright lights (Windhoek) where he could find suitable employment.
As it turned out, Katutura glamour football club African Stars, seized the opportunity and gracefully dangled a juicy carrot in his baby face, enticing the speedy winger with a lucrative job offer at the Namibia Breweries Ltd, and as they say, the rest is history.
Costa’s arrival at the Reds coincided with a major transformation process that saw a wave of new young and highly gifted footies recruited to steer the sinking ship out of troubled waters, with the Reds having just escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth on a few close calls.
However, it did not take long before the adorable nimble-footed boy from Kuisebmond announced his arrival on the big stage with breath-taking performances to the extent that he was given the freedom of movement, strolling casually and frequenting the notorious ‘Herero Mall’, at any given time after darkness has set in, by Starlile’s usually hard to please followers.
Costa formed a devastating partnership with the equally free scoring Seven Endjala, former Blue Waters teammate Pule Tjombe and speedy winger Patrick Basson.
Add the jaw-delicious defence-splitting through-balls via the educated boots of midfield maestro Wagga Goagoseb, Zico Tjazerua, evergreen defensive midfielder Bernard Neumann, and young skilful playmaker Mannetjie Kaimu, pulling the strings in the fired-up Reds’ engine room, and you have a complete package.
History reveals that both African Stars and Blue Waters have over the years gradually forged an amazing unwritten telepathic partnership, and close Camaraderie, exchanging players occasionally whenever the situation demanded.
The likes of Charles Kauraisa, Oscar Norich-Tjahuha, Julius Stephanus, Riva Jakonia, Mathew Amadhila, Kaputji Kuhanga, Haitjama ‘Jomo’ Nakanene, Immanuel Kamuserandu, Edwarth ‘Boy-Boy’ Ndjadila, Britto Shipanga, Moses ‘Cheese’ Kavikairiua, Seadog Kuhanga, Meinert Tjauha, Getzen Ndjiharine, Munjanda Muaine, Lucky Shipanga, Tengaa Tjombonde and Athiel Mbaha, all donned both teams’ blue, red and white strips at different intervals.
Costa was well-liked, and much adored by the vociferous Red Army and will go down in history as an African Stars legend. Without an iota of doubt, Costa will be long spoken of in the same conversations as Reds’ greats in the following sequence:
Oscar Mengo, Justus Kaika Kuzee, Amos Ririvi Tjombe, Oscar Norich-Tjahuha, Benjamin ‘Doc’ Naobeb, Obed Kamburona, Ace Tjirera, Tjatjitua Katjiteo, George Hoveka, Kamuserandu, Albert Tjihero, George Gariseb, Kuhanga, Ndjiva Kauami, Juku Tjazuko, William Rwida, Gruzi Goseb, Matheus ‘Tsetse’ Nerumbu and many others.
Lucas has certainly left deep tracks during an amazing resume with his beloved Starlile, having won almost every available silverware there was to be won in the domestic setup, including the elusive national league title, Metropolitan Cup, Castle Classic, NFA Cup and many other high profile trophies in an amazingly flawless career that saw him being crowned a cult hero.
Regrettably, the easy-going trendsetter’s life was cut short following a terrible motor vehicle accident south of Okahandja, killing him instantly.
His shocking death sent shockwaves amongst the Reds and Birds supporters and was a bitter pill to swallow for many who came to know and mingle freely with him in social circles. May his gentle soul continue to rest in power.