Elder brother of equally-talented attacker Boeta Mungunda, the much-traveled Edward Karigub was a phenomenal baller who cut his teeth with several leading teams in the country’s lower-tier leagues until he announced his arrival in topflight football with Katutura glamour football club African Stars.
Born in the semi-desert Hardap regional capital Mariental in 1960, Karigub started playing football barefoot in the dusty streets of Aimablaagte as a toddler barely out of his pair of shorts.
The well-built midfielder made his presence felt when he joined local outfit Bee Bob Brothers (BBB). However, it was not until he arrived at the Augustineum Secondary School in the city of bright lights (Windhoek), that the young Karigub finally hit the limelight rising to prominence.
After many years and numerous failed attempts trying to corner the slippery midfielder, New Era Sport, finally caught up with the cool-as-a-cucumber socialite as he walks us through some exciting moments about his amazing untold football journey.
Carlos CK Kambaekua
Not many footballers or athletes hit the ground running in their debut season of their successful sporting careers. Well, one Edward ‘Edu’ Karigub defied that tradition. The Mariental-born midfielder was in the real sense of the word just another journeyman hobbling between unfashionable football teams before finding refuge with Katutura glamour football club African Stars in 1984.
The latter has a long-standing history of luring highly talented players from the garden town to their stable and Karigub was not going to escape that tradition. During his formative years, Karigub showed flashes of greatness playing for youthful hostel team Southern Empire during his lodging at the revered Augustineum Secondary School.
Upon leaving school, Karigub found himself in Okahandja, where he joined local side Marokko City Stars before stints with exciting Nau-Aib outfit Battle Boys, and Rolling Computers. African Stars came dangling a juicy carrot in his baby face to be reunited with a significant number of playing personnel hailing from his adopted hometown Okahandja.
The likes of club legend Oscar Mengo, Doc Naobeb, George Gariseb, Merino Kandonga, Albert Tjihero, Lemmy Goagoseb, Ace Tjirera, Ishmael ‘Zambia’ Khoeseb, Jamanuka Tjihero, Hassie Mingeri, and young Bimbo Tjihero, were all products of the sacred garden town, proudly donning the red, white and blue strip of ‘Okaserandu’.
Despite his rookie tag, Karigub established himself in the star-studded midfield alongside greats Mengo, Gabriel Freyer, Nico Hindjou, Tsetse Nerumbu, and Bernard Neumann.
A well-drilled calculated intelligent midfield general handsomely blessed with a devastating killer pass, the boy from Aimablaagte became an instant hit with the usually hard to please Red Army, effortlessly putting in eye-catching displays in the middle of the park.
Karigub played a pivotal role when the red-hot Stars clinched the coveted Mainstay Cup at the expense of coastal outfit Blue Waters through Oscar Mengo’s Diego Maradona mimicked ‘Hand of God’ goal in the dying minutes of an otherwise entertaining final at the jam-packed Windhoek stadium in 1984.
Stars won 1-0 to claim their fourth Mainstay Cup triumph, having previously won the trophy in the inaugural season (1977), tailed by back-to-back wins in 1980 and 1981.
Regrettably, an unavoidable change in guard within the club structures that saw the sad departure of club’s blue-eyed boy Mengo and the Tjihero brothers leave the club to form Liverpool in their native Okahandja, obligated Karigub to jump ship in solidarity with his homeboys.
Nevertheless, the much-adored soft-spoken Karigub will, without a shadow of doubt, go down in history as one of the finest midfielders to have ever played for African Stars.
RIP – Ode to thoroughbred Manfred Mansfeld
1940 – 2023
Namibia’s leading rugby club Wanderers are mourning the sad loss of one of the club’s stalwarts, Manfred Mansfeld, who played club rugby for the ‘White Stallions’ with distinction during an illustrious playing career with the Pionierspark outfit.
Mansfeld who also represented his native land South West Africa (SWA) at provincial level during the height of apartheid and racial segregation, was a powerful lock, embodying the true essence of what it means to be a true sportsman.
Be it leading the White Stallions to victory or fighting battles on the playing field, the big-frame lock always displayed a rare blend of skill, brutal strength, and astonishing sportsmanship second to none that stood him head and shoulders above his peers.
A well-crafted touchy statement issued by his former team Wanderers Rugby Club reads: “We are not only mourning the sad loss of a great rugby player but at the same time celebrate the life of a remarkable human being, who has certainly left an indelible impact on the rugby community and beyond. Rest in peace Mani, your spirit will live on and your legacy will continue to inspire many players to come. Thank you for the great memories, lessons and unwavering spirit we shared with you. You will be deeply missed but never forgotten”.