Football braces for the Battle of the Cowshed

In George Orwell’s 1945 political satire, Animal Farm three key battles take place on Manor farm.

The first was the rebellion, which saw animals overthrow Mr Jones in a resounding victory which reshaped their lives for supposedly the better. The second, was the Battle of the Cowshed, which was fiercely fought as Mr Jones, with the help of other neighbouring farms sought to wrestle back initiative of Animal Farm. But led by Snowball and Napoleon, the animals prevailed. The animals ultimately lost the Battle of the Windmill as the earlier euphoria of taking over Animal Farm started to wane.

The intriguing events in a novel that has remained relevant nearly a 100 years after publication, resonate with the recent uprising at the Botswana Football League (BFL).

Not long ago, ‘fed-up’ club administrators set in motion a process to remove their perceived Mr Jones in Nicholas Zakhem and Jagdish Shah.

The first rebellion was unsuccessful as their efforts to convene a shareholders’ meeting were deemed to have been illegal.

However, the ‘animals’ eventually prevailed over Mr Jones during a meeting held in Palapye over the weekend.

Zakhem and Shah have been overthrown, much to the excitement of the Snowballs who were the masterminds.

However, there is corridor talk that the Mr Jones might launch a vicious fight to retain their positions, which could set the stage for the Battle of the Cowshed.

In the battle of the Cowshed in Animal Farm, Mr Jones retreated to reorganise with the combined help of allies from neighbouring farms. But the animals registered a significant victory over Mr Jones and his allies in the Battle of the Cowshed, which meant taking full control of the farm and all the activities.

Mr Jones is banished to live in a neighbouring farm, but with time, interaction between animals and human beings is re-established.

This led to mistrust among animals, who not too long ago, were united in their quest to defeat Mr Jones and all that a human being represented. Eventually the divided animals were defeated during the Battle of the Windmill and day-byday, the rebellion became an exercise in futility.

Local football fans might not live to witness the unfolding of all the three battles captured by Orwell in Animal Farm, but with the rebellion already in the rear view mirror, it all points to a bruising second phase, which will be akin to the Battle of the Cowshed.

However, like in Animal Farm, the real battle is not in winning the marginal wars, but ultimately delivering for the game of football. The overthrow of Zakhem and Shah has been anchored on restoring the image of the game and it remains to be seen if there will be no Battle of the Windmill in what could be a vicious cycle.

With the Botswana Football Association elections in the horizon, reports are that the masterminds of the rebellion are now targeting the association’s president, Maclean Letshwiti. But this could mark a drawn out battle as football enters its night of long knives.