Ooops, let me quickly borrow a famous code from the great statesman Nelson Mandela, “Fools multiply when the wise men remain silent”.
We cannot seat arms folded, pretending as if things are normal while something is cooking under the table. So, the whole country is in high spirits, rejoicing in the victories of our national cricket team and netball side the “Desert Jewels” for their astonishing exploits on foreign soil.
Congratulations to both sporting disciplines for hoisting the Namibian flag beyond our borders, but alas some people need to maintain consistency with their convictions on the composition of certain national teams representing our nation abroad.
Our senior netball team got stick when they ended with the wooden spoon in a continental tournament in South Africa, earlier this year - branded a purely “Ovaherero team’ ostensibly not a true reflection of our demographic representation.
Now, when the very same team wins, it suddenly becomes a fully-fledged national team whilst those who kept tightlipped when the poor girls were unfairly subjected to all sorts of unwarranted tribal abuse hurriedly scrambled to the HKI Airport to welcome the victorious team with open arms.
And while yours truly applauds those at the helm of the ladies game for their generosity in rewarding the players with win bonuses of N$10, 000 for each and every traveling squad member left me swimming in a pool of confusion.
HELLO !! This is a team that have won a prestigious gold medal at an August international tournament despite the odds staked against them – yet the meagre rewards do not match or come anywhere near the large amounts of moolah allocated to the senior football team for their dismal failure at the 2019 Afcon in Egypt. Does this practice not amounts to blatant discrimination and gender inequality?. I’m just wondering.
Over to cricket, yours truly still has serious reservations about the REAL modus operandi of this particular sport code.
Personally, I don’t take any pleasure out of a national team’s victory that is solely built and still systematically advocates for hidden “white supremacy”. Cricket Namibia has still not done enough to embrace the concept of unification and oneness.
As it stands, the unconvincing hopelessly low number of cricketers of colour is a clear indication that there’s still a lot of work lying ahead.
Lest we forgot, this is a code that was not so long ago obliged to introduce quotas by its principal financial backer - subsequently losing its lucrative sponsorship for failure to adhere to these well-meant directives.
Truth be told, I can’t allow my unquestionable patriotism to be patronized by a sport code that has made it her soul beat to turn blacks into the periphery of mere spectators.
It’s quite interesting to note that those who were vocal about the apparent “skewed makeup” of our national team are comfortable with the composition of the national cricket side. I’m just wondering.
Anyway, what can we expect if those pulling the strings in the top echelons of our sport structures also fall in the same pit?. A word of caution to the portfolio minister, don’t expose yourself to unnecessary criticism.
Yours truly has been following a worrisome pattern of “preferential treatment” when it comes to appointments in key positions on the country’s controlling sport organs. The recent appointment of board members on the troubled National Professional Boxing & Wrestling Control Board is case in point.
Apart from Dr Bernard Haufiku, none of the other board members boasts proven pedigree in the area of their jurisdiction. Without mentioning names, this is a serious administrative entity, which requires more than just passion for boxing and possessing technical ability.
Yours truly is damn certain many of you would scorn to own me in a lie on these assessments but your continued silence makes your unsigned accomplices. I rest my case.