Farewell Rre Archibald Mogwe

Here is a man that lived life to its fullest! Rre Mogwe was such an amiable elder, ever ready to generously tender advice from his overflowing cup of wisdom to whoever asked.

I think the problem with the dot.com generation is the tendency to think they know everything. In their rush to make a quick buck they pretend to know everything just because they can Google words and their meanings!

But, there is absolutely no substitute for experience, even in this era of information superhighway. Most of what Rre Mogwe did in his illustrious decades-long public service is buried with him. With his loss, we are all the poorer, because we can never retrieve all those archives from him!

On Saturday night I asked my 80 yearold dad what he remembers about Rre Mogwe, who passed on last Thursday 25th February at a ripe age of 99 years, six months shy of his centenary.

My old man’s eyes suddenly lit up at the mention of Mr. Mogwe. He told me about Mogwe’s posting to Mochudi as an educator in the early years before independence. He stayed in Phaphane and my old man worked for a Swedish doctor at the time.

He remembered that Mogwe was also part of the group that included political stalwarts, Phillip Matante, Quett Masire, Seretse Khama, Tilbury and Moleleki Mokama – that travelled to England for the constitutional talks that would pave the way for independence.

At that time my old man worked at Lobatse and to this day he still has a vivid recollection of the Legislative Council (LEGCO) whose sessions he usually regales us about.

Mogwe would take up strategic roles post independence as permanent secretary to the president and a long time minister of foreign affairs and finally Botswana’s Ambassador to the United States.

As foreign minister Mogwe was a central figure in the work of the Frontline States, which led to the formation of the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference (SADCC).

He represented Botswana diligently at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and in fact was Chairman of the Council of Ministers that mediated the Western Sahara-Morocco dispute, which dispute, has persisted to this day!

In one of the conversations I had with him at Merchanised Farming in Gaborone where he had come to get some items for the farm, he joked that he must be the only foreign minister of his era in Africa that didn’t become president!

Yet, indeed this is true in many ways! Mogwe didn’t have ambitions for the presidency. He had already made his contribution and I am confident that he was content with it.

Rather than moan and fault the government of the day, he retired to his farm and lived a simple fulfilling life.

During that meeting at Merchanised Farming he was driving himself despite his advanced age, yet he could navigate his way from Pitsane to the hell roads of the city! And he even had fresh milk with him from the farm!

In his typical humorous nature at Kgosi Seepapitso IV’s funeral, I remember him condemning the tendency of naming schools after diKgosi, some of which, he said, had never even seen the inside of a classroom.

I want to also appeal to the powers that be, to consider a fitting posthumous tribute for this Patriarch. Let us learn to celebrate our own whist they live, so that they will know that they are valued.

Naming one of the Universities after Mogwe would be a fitting honour for his contribution to education.

Better still, an Archibald Mogwe Institute of Foreign Relations would also be a fitting tribute to appreciate his sterling contribution in advancing the ideals of this country’s foreign policy,

I am grateful that Ambassador Joseph Legwaila has already sounded his misapprehension with the manner in which some of the country’s heroes go unrecognised.

We need a groundswell of opinion from likeminded professionals that will persuade our leaders to take notice. I have said this before, and I think Rre Mogwe’s passing provides yet another opportunity to repeat it.

That is, I appeal to all the retired/former diplomats to form not just an association but an institution that will proffer advice to the government of the day on issues of international relations and foreign affairs.

In this way, this body will also shortlist some names of eminent personages within their profession that they believe merit some form of national recognition for onward transmission to government for consideration.

And whilst at it, I urge this body, once in place to immediately submit the names of the lady of firsts, a Matriarch within our midst, Mme Dr Gaositwe Chiepe.

Let’s make hay whist the sun shines, time waits for no man, and as they say, dead men tell no tales. It is time we recorded our living history today for this generation and indeed for posterity.

Rest in Power Rre Mogwe.

In one of the conversations I had with him at Merchanised Farming in Gaborone where he had come to get some items for the farm, he joked that he must be the only foreign minister of his era in Africa that didn’t become president!