A century after Gor Mahia died, the legend’s spirit lives
What you need to know:
- Legend has it that the medicineman from Kanyamwa in Ndhiwa possessed magical powers to transform into different forms
- Over the years, Gor Mahia has played a massive role in bringing the country together through football
- Over the years Gor Mahia has gone through rough patches, the period between 2000 and 2007 being one of our worst moments when the club was nearly relegated
Friday May 15, 2020 marked a century since the legendary Gor Mahia Ogada wuod Ogalo died at his revered home in Kanyamwa Ndhiwa in Homa Bay County.
It is him who our beloved club Gor Mahia was named after in 1968 when the Luo Union and Luo Sports were merged to form Gor Mahia.
The name was proposed by Aggrey Olango, who played for Luo Sports Club. Legend has it that the medicineman from Kanyamwa in Ndhiwa possessed magical powers to transform into different forms.
He would change to a woman, a dog and back to himself.
These powers helped him pass through people and not be recognised.
He would use these powers to walk with or through his enemies during war. He would also transform other people so that they would escape from their enemies. His clan won so many wars thanks to his abilities to see the future.
So when Aggrey Olango suggested the name Gor Mahia, even the senior most persons who were in the meeting that oversaw the formation of the club could not resist.
And the power of Gor Mahia lives on. At some point, former President Daniel arap Moi ordered all sports teams with tribal names to change their names, but Gor Mahia maintained its name.
Over the years, Gor Mahia has played a massive role in bringing the country together through football.
All of us remember December 5, 1987 when the Mighty K’Ogalo became the first and only East African side to win a continental title, the Africa Cup Winners Cup.
Gor Mahia has remained as dominant as the person the club was named after. Nineteen league titles the club has won since 1968, a fete unmatched by no other.
Over the years Gor Mahia has gone through rough patches, the period between 2000 and 2007 being one of our worst moments when the club was nearly relegated.
We survived that period to re-emerge as the most dominant club in the country.
But as I have said time and again, as an honour to great Gor Mahia wuod Ogalo, we must find a way to stabilise this club financially so that our children and great grandchildren will feel proud to be associate with this great club named after the magician from Kanyamwa.
I take pride in being associated with Gor Wuod Ogada nyakwar Ogalo (Gor son of Ogada grandson of Ogalo).
We thank the people of Kanyamwa for giving us Gor Mahia.
One hundred years on after his death, the spirit of Gor lives on. Long live the “Mighty Gor Mahia.
Meanwhile, last week I wrote about the group of Gor supporters going by the name of Kulundeng’. One thing that did not come out correctly is that it is a not a branch but just a team of friends that came together to advance the club’s interests.
However, I am told that there are two factions of Kulundeng’. How I wish the two groups would contact me for free arbitration. See folks I am a junior clan elder back in my village in Nyakach- as my good friend and fellow Gor Mahia supporter Daniel arap Kapsoot would confirm- I handle small matters of solving domestic disputes and such. That’s the experience I want to bring.
