Bata and Obua ‘too big’?
Jun 05, 2005
THERE is this saying that you can take someone from the village, but you may not be able to do away with the villager in him.
THERE is this saying that you can take someone from the village, but you may not be able to do away with the villager in him.
Likewise, David Obua and Timothy Batabaire’s move to a professionally run league has not helped the footballers do away with some old bad habits.
One of my colleagues was rudely awakened to this fact on Obua’s return from South Africa.
Obua refused to be photographed with the medal he won with South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs until he is paid. For him, this was one of the positives he had learnt from South Africa, where the stars ‘are paid to be photographed.’
If you think Obua was rude, then you should perhaps hear this. Another journalist on a visit to the Cranes camp thought his story would be enriched by Batabaire’s arrival, and sought a comment.
Bloemfontein Celtic’s Batabaire was angered by a New Vision story, which correctly reported that he gifted Kaizer Chiefs with a goal that helped them win the South African title.
“The New Vision is rubbish,†the defender yelled at the reporter before assuring him that he didn't need the paper’s publicity because his name was too good a brand that could promote itself.
Suddenly all those newspaper articles and television recordings that were used in marketing Batabaire before his move from SC Villa seemed not to matter.
It all reminds me of another incident some years ago involving Magid Musisi.
The star striker attacked me for exposing escapades where he lured fellow players to Ange Noir discotheque. Musisi chose ridicule for his onslaught.
Pointing at his black car, a Golf, he charged that even if I wrote a heap of such “rubbish†I would never drive anything close to his machine. I now need not say more on where Musisi’s arrogance finally put him.
Davis Kamoga also developed an inflated ego after winning bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
He spat at a prize given to him by USPA, saying he was too big for a ‘black and white’ television.
Months later Kamoga sobered up when I informed him that bigger souls like Olympic champion John Akii-Bua had been more courteous.
Someone out there should tell the likes of Batabaire and Obua that papers won’t fold for skipping their stories.
Ends
Likewise, David Obua and Timothy Batabaire’s move to a professionally run league has not helped the footballers do away with some old bad habits.
One of my colleagues was rudely awakened to this fact on Obua’s return from South Africa.
Obua refused to be photographed with the medal he won with South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs until he is paid. For him, this was one of the positives he had learnt from South Africa, where the stars ‘are paid to be photographed.’
If you think Obua was rude, then you should perhaps hear this. Another journalist on a visit to the Cranes camp thought his story would be enriched by Batabaire’s arrival, and sought a comment.
Bloemfontein Celtic’s Batabaire was angered by a New Vision story, which correctly reported that he gifted Kaizer Chiefs with a goal that helped them win the South African title.
“The New Vision is rubbish,†the defender yelled at the reporter before assuring him that he didn't need the paper’s publicity because his name was too good a brand that could promote itself.
Suddenly all those newspaper articles and television recordings that were used in marketing Batabaire before his move from SC Villa seemed not to matter.
It all reminds me of another incident some years ago involving Magid Musisi.
The star striker attacked me for exposing escapades where he lured fellow players to Ange Noir discotheque. Musisi chose ridicule for his onslaught.
Pointing at his black car, a Golf, he charged that even if I wrote a heap of such “rubbish†I would never drive anything close to his machine. I now need not say more on where Musisi’s arrogance finally put him.
Davis Kamoga also developed an inflated ego after winning bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
He spat at a prize given to him by USPA, saying he was too big for a ‘black and white’ television.
Months later Kamoga sobered up when I informed him that bigger souls like Olympic champion John Akii-Bua had been more courteous.
Someone out there should tell the likes of Batabaire and Obua that papers won’t fold for skipping their stories.
Ends