Legends deserved more than trophies

SOYA AWARDS 2017 Former footballer Allan Thigo with his hall of fame award during the 14th Edition of the SOYA gala awards at KICC, Nairobi on Jan 17, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Many thanks should go to retired athlete Paul Tergat for remembering boxing great Steve Muchoki and football legend Allan Thigo in the list of 2018 SOYA (Sports Personality of the Year Awards) Hall of Fame winners.

 It takes lots of courage to acknowledge that there are some Kenyans who deserve recognition for bringing glory to our beloved country. What I don’t know is the criteria used by the SOYA panelists to pick the two winners.

 Those who watched the event remember seeing an elated Steve Muchoki, former world flyweight champion, beaming in front of cameras ready to pick his trophy. We also saw that the organizers had  taken the trouble to sort him out with a brand new suit which gave viewers and the audience the impression the guy was just okay in retirement. Far from it.

The Muchoki we know has a very sad story. The former Commonwealth Games gold medalist is frequently seen around the smoking zone between the GPO and Bruce House. With a distant gaze in his eyes, one would occasionally find him leaning on a lamp post waiting to politely say hallo to old pals who may come his way.

Those who care may once in a while buy him cigarettes from the hawkers around or pretend to be busy while quickly fishing out a note or coins. For old time’s sake, some chat him up inquiring about mutual friends. In response he frequently uses the term “aaaah huyo alienda… kitambo!” meaning “ that one died long time ago”.

At 61, Muchoki has survived former boxing greats like Robert Wangila, James ‘Demosh’ Omondi, Steve Muema and Harold Obunga.  

Well, Muchoki was feted at this year’s SOYA gala. So what? Is that enough for someone who may not be lucky to get his next meal? Is that enough for someone who has no roof or proper medical care in retirement? Is it time organizers of SOYA did things differently? Should they now think out of the box or without it altogether?

At only 5ft 3, Muchoki burst into the limelight at 17 in 1974, and went on to win 197 fights against three loses as an amateur in his light flyweight category. His pro career in Denmark landed 14 wins, four losses and one draw before he hang his gloves in 1988.

One can only imagine how many trophies or medals he picked in the process. Fast forward to SOYA 2018, and with his current desperate situation the organizers gave him yet another trophy!

SOYA AWARDS 2017 Former boxer Stephen Muchohi during the 14th Edition of the SOYA gala awards at KICC, Nairobi on Jan 17, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Mzee Jomo Kenyatta awarded Muchoki an Order of the Golden Spear (OBS) title — the first for a sportsperson- besides eight grade cows, which he never received. Kenya Postal Corporation issued postage stamps in his honour when he became Kenya’s first world champion in 1978.  Isn’t it time to think about giving winners some kind of medical cover, modest lifetime pension, meal vouchers, maybe a roof over their heads, insurance cover for personal injury or education cover for their children?

Organisers should do a simple survey to find out what kind of gift would go down well with some winners. I doubt whether Muchoki would go for a shield, trophy or those funny looking carving of wild animals that excite tourists.

Allan Thigo was two times lucky. Just about two months ago he was inducted into the Kenyan soccer Hall of Fame an initiative of retired Kenyan soccer stars in the diaspora.

Thigo was an accomplished player during his heyday. Unlike Muchoki, Thigo played football but also doubled up as an employee of a state corporation. He always wore jersey no.13 for both club and country and actually played international soccer for 13 years. In retirement he tried club coaching only to be let down by his former club Gor Mahia.

  Thigo is the only player who was never substituted during his playing career. That is a sign of how physically fit he was and for which he earned the nickname the ’90 minute man.’ At almost 70, he spends his retirement coaching a university team in Nairobi.

What Thigo shares with Steve Muchoki is the number of trophies or medals as he won so many league accolades since the late 1960s when he first played for Gor Mahia. This is not the kind of person you still stuff with more trophies. At his age, he needs comfort and cushioning from the vagaries of life.

Awards are supposed to motivate, excite and boost morale. How does a trophy given to an over 60 year old achieve all these?  

Allan Thigo and Steve Muchoki deserved better than mere trophies and new suits. I hope the trophies were accompanied by brown envelopes.