Two weeks ago, I bumped into Mighty Wanderers flamboyant chief supporter Yona Malunga, fresh from his trip to the capital where he attended a public order management conference organised by the Malawi Police Service (MPS) with funding from the UK DfID.
Yona wondered why I missed the conference where delegates included football administrators, supporters and sports journalists.
In a flash, the carefree Nomads top fan excitedly screamed: “Agale munasemphana ndi zabwino, munakangopita olo sanakuyitaneni (Garry, you missed a lot, you would have still attended even without an invitation).
Contrary to my expectations that he would share with me some of the things he learnt at the gathering, in the quest to curb violence at football matches, Yona bragged about the luxury of putting up in a four-star hotel and the five-course meals he enjoyed.
“Ndimagona mu room ya self-contain koma kuwonjezera pamenepo bafa, toilet, DStv ndi fridge zinali momo,” he said as I listened attentively.
And it was from him that I learnt that the term buffet has another meaning when he proudly shouted: “Kunali madyo uku amwene kaya ukufuna chicken, kaya bufeti (buffet) kaya fish zonse zinaliko.
Probably, so delicious was the food that when the conference was in session, all Yona, and probably others, wished was for time to move a bit faster for them to eat bufeti and chicken. To them, the actual conference was of little significance. Any wonder, then that barely a few days after the conference, Yona was involved in a brawl with his BB counterpart, Isaac Jomo Osman during the week when they were supposed to lead the campaign against violence and hooliganism at football matches through the IntoSports Giants Cup? How will other fans refrain from such acts when their leaders are failing to lead by example? But, perhaps, Yona was right after all, bufeti was the real deal. Glory be to God! Uloliwe.. Uloliwe wayidudula Hi..Nang’esiza! [The train is pushing!].
