By Enoke Kaumba BLACK Africa acting chairperson Dimbulukweni Nauyoma looks forward to steering the club through trying times.
Formerly installed as deputy chair, the activist has temporarily taken over the club’s reins following the recent death of club chairperson Lucky Richter.
Nauyoma will be in the position until an elective general meeting is called.
Nauyoma, who is best known for his land activism through the Affirmative Repositioning movement, shared his vision for the country’s most successful club in an interview with The Namibian Sport last week.
He intends to reinforce the Black Africa traditions while incorporating a modern football management. "There is a need for more of BA’s youth to be more proactively involved in the running of the club," he says.
That is the best way to ensure that Lively Lions remain the preeminent club in the land.
“You don’t need to have 35 years of experience for you to run a football club. You just need the will and the vision to see where you want to see your club go so that you are able to reach those aspects,” Nauyoma said.
“We [youth] bring a whole lot to the table. It’s a complete team of diverse people both young, middle age and old,” he added.
“The mixture of the cocktail is so sweet that we are not even worried about winning the league when we resume eventually.”
Former chairperson Cassius Moeti threw his weight behind Nauyoma. He believes the interim head is the right man for the job.
“I have no problem with Dimbu as a person. He was elected as one of two vice chairpersons at BA’s last annual general meeting held in Rehoboth,” the long-serving member of the club said.
However, running a big successful club like Black Africa comes with pressure, something Nauyoma should get used to quickly.
The club has been embroiled in conflict since former owner Ranga Haikali gave the club back to the supporters to focus on running for the Namibia Football Association presidency.
“We have landed the same expectations throughout the 57 years. Winning the league must be a natural delivery of a strategic initiative which we, in BA, have become accustomed with,” said Moetie.
“I think Dimbu will learn on the job. It will not be a walk in the park, but I think he will get used to the pressure the job offers,” Moetie explained.
Nauyoma feels that managing football politics will not be difficult as it is not that different from the mainstream politics.
“Football is politics because it determines when the boys must get to the pitch, how they must be paid and how,” he said.
“If you are able to answer how, what and why you will realise that it’s politics. The men in suits in clubs are actually politicians because they deploy tactics on how to manage the affairs, how to overthrow and how to create funding and all these things,” said Nauyoma.
The club does not see Nauyoma’s political business getting in the way of the club’s needs, Moetie said.
“I don’t think that Dimbu’s political orientation will affect BA. I believe Dimbu is mature enough to distinguish between the mandate of BA and his political programme. So, I see no risk at all, after all Dimbu is part of an executive committee of open-minded people,” Moeti noted.
