SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR, AUTHOR SPILLS THE BEANS

MOLEFHI Obenne is a sports administration expert and the owner of a football team, Palapye All Stars.

He also runs a football academy, which contributed a lot to the local football development and produced national team players. Due to his passion for football and frustrations that come with sports administration 36-year-old Obenne published a book titled, ‘Botswana Football: A Fool’s Paradise’.

This year, he was engaged as a National Course Director on BNOC sports management courses meant to train Sports Administrators on subjects like organising sport events, governance, and strategy among others.

Our reporter, PORTIA MLILO, had a chat with Obenne about his involvement in sports development and his new book.

Q. What made you write the book?

A. One day I was reading a book called Soccernomics, which is about European football so I developed an idea of writing a book about Botswana football. There is too much lies, empty promises in our football so I wanted to name the book ‘Lies in Our Football’. I started to pen it; an eight chapters book. The book is about the experience I had with coaches, players, supporters and other administrators in my quest to improve our football. I remember

Township Rollers wanted to sign our player, Mohutsiwa, and that time we had loaned him to Motlakase, it was a tussle. Motlakase wanted money for his transfer while they knew he was on loan. So these are some of the things I wrote about.

Q. Kindly explain the book title to our readers?

A. Most of the people in our football are self-serving.

I gave the book to my friend, Kago Mosinyi, and after reading it he said I should change the title from ‘Football Lies’ to ‘Botswana Football :A Fool’s Paradise’. In our football, one can come and fool around and never be held responsible and taken to task hence it is a fool’s paradise.

Q. How is it doing in the market?

A. It is currently doing well and I have already sold 237 copies at P150 each. There is one guy called ‘Ian’, who is a football tourist from UK who came here in January saying he read the book and wants to get a feel of our football. He watched a few games, interacted with players and coaches and the feedback he gave me was that 80% of what I wrote about.