Tales of the Legends – In the jungle with the indomitable ‘Onamungudo Lion’ Itope-Kauluma aka ‘Makatchaka’ 

Tales of the Legends – In the jungle with the indomitable ‘Onamungudo Lion’ Itope-Kauluma aka ‘Makatchaka’ 

Born Johannes Kauluma on 9 June 1966 in Ondjondjo/Oluno on the outskirts of Ondangwa, he was adopted by foster parents. 

He grew up in the coastal harbour town of Walvis Bay. 

Interestingly, his foster mother was the old lady of the football-playing siblings Ronnie Kanalelo, Shindere and Salathiel ‘Stimela’ Ndjao.

It was obvious that he would follow in the footsteps of his newly -found brothers. 

Growing up in a multi-cultural society, young Kauluma started playing competitive football for Kuisebmund-leading outfit  Namib Woestyn. 

“My broer, I started at right fullback, and would often shift to the opposite side whenever the situation demanded. 

I was in a group of highly-talented youngsters, which included dribbling wizard, the great Duban ‘Pule’ Benson,” he recalled with a twinkle in his big eyes. 

Kauluma also played for Kuisebmund’s youthful outfit  Super Stars. 

Like many other young boys his age in the neighbourhood, he was hyperactive and wanted to explore other challenging activities besides playing football. 

He joined the local boxing stable, where he rubbed shoulders with the legendary Harry Simon. 

Regrettably, his time in Walvis Bay was up, as authorities started sniffing around about his real identity, dangerously peddling on different assumed names. 

However, the streetwise Kauluma swiftly relocated next door to Swakopmund. 

He joined forces with Mondesa outfit, Atlanta Chiefs Football Club, in 1992. A bird of passage, the overlapping free-scoring fullback retreated to his original habitat, Ondangwa, where he found refuge with a local outfit, Oluno Santos Football Club. 

However, his lodging at the overly-ambitious Ondangwa outfit came to an abrupt end. 

“What transpired is that the majority of the players in the Santos quad were ‘Omakakunyas’ (South African stooges embedded with the soldiers). 

They tried very hard to persuade us to join the army. But some of us came from politically-militant homes, and could not fight shoulder to shoulder with the oppressors against our kith and kin,” he narrated.

Feeling slightly out of place with tension mounting amongst the playing personnel, he and a few brave teammates resolved to exit the toxic environment. 

The young men established K.K Palace, stylishly named after the late Ndonga ‘Langana’, King Eliphas Kauluma (great-grand uncle of the author). 

The new kid on the block quickly established themselves as a major force to be reckoned with in domestic football. 

He won several high-profile knockout cup tournaments, including the coveted Metropolis Trophy. 

A noted dead-ball specialist, Kauluma won the Golden Boot on several occasions, with most of his well-taken strikes coming from set-pieces. 

His amazingly uninterrupted 15 years as a vital cog in the Palace squad culminated in the club clinching the coveted Oshana Regional League title, earning Palace a well-deserved promotion to the country’s elite league in the 2004 season.  

“Truly speaking, we assembled a very good squad, a mixture of talented youngsters and experienced players under the mentorship of former Tigers and South West Africa (SWA) sharpshooter Steve Haihambo. 

He (Haihambo) was a very good coach, but constant interference with team selection by some senior club officials contributed to the team’s unfortunate demise. 

“Frans Mbidi was permanently interfering with team selection. 

This contributed to my premature retirement from playing competitive football because I was getting sick and tired of being constantly reminded at the slightest provocation that I am illiterate and should shut my mouth whenever I raised my concerns about team tactics,” he revealed. 

Nowadays, sporting a bald head at the advanced age of 58, the streetwise Kauluma is enjoying life to the fullest.

He is happily hitched to his longtime sweetheart Helvi, who bore him a pair of beautiful ‘Pikininis’. 

He also fathered two children from previous relationships.

Rest easy Uncle Mihe Goagoseb

A dark cloud has befallen the close-knit family of the country’s most successful football club, Katutura giants Black Africa, following the death of club stalwart Uncle Mihe Gogaoseb. 

The latter was a founder member of the exciting Gemengde outfit. 

He will be sorely missed by those who got to know him as the ever-present figure at local football matches, notably whenever his beloved BA took to the field. 

Uncle Mihe was the biological old man of local socialite and BA-diehard Hillary Goagoses. 

May his gentle soul rest in ancestral power.