BETH ODUO TRIBUTE: Austin Oduor, kind-hearted and a gentleman per excellence

Footballers rarely come squeaky clean as Austin ‘Makamu’ Oduor Origi did on and off the pitch. Unlike many creatively talented persons, he was a gentleman per excellence in the eyes of those who saw him play the game he loved over the years.

The man who grew up in Ziwani Estate, a seemingly rough Nairobi neighbourhood had roots in the famous Kager Clan of Siaya County. After playing competitive football between 1978 -1993 he hanged his boots before settling for a quiet life as a Civil Servant with the Ministry of Works.

Although he tried his hand in coaching, it was rather short lived. Maybe being a fine man about football, he couldn’t stand the frustrations coaches undergo especially when players are not compensated. Austin chose not to pursue it fulltime.

In his everyday life, Austin avoided anything that would attract negative conflicts with others. With a kind hearted ever smiling demeanour he came across as the big assuring and comforting brother or uncle an upcoming young man would wish to have.

Our paths first crossed in 1981 when my uncle Josiah Oliech was a club scout whose duties included keeping an eye on the general welfare of the players. I was a university student then and Gor Mahia FC were hot favourites in the Cecafa Club championship held at the City Stadium. Makamu was a real deputy because the player in whose honour Austin got his nickname was Mike ‘Machine’ Ogola, the father of sliding tackles.  That is a story for another day.

Stint in the Civil Service

As a beneficiary of the period when football gave young men employment, Austin was lucky to be employed as a civil servant a job he kept until retirement four years ago, thanks to his patience and composure even as an employee. In any case, he may have had no option because he had taken up the responsibility of raising and educating his younger siblings. It is an open secret that Mike Okoth Origi, Anthony Origi and Gerald Origi were his proteges. Austin took up the mantle after their parents retired to their new home in Makunga, Kakamega County. 

Anyone who has interacted with the four would agree that they are as disciplined as their benefactor Makamu. Throw in Arnold and Divock Origi and you get the Origi football family whose memoirs Austin and I were thinking of putting together before he passed on. What a fine football pedigree?

I remember his tales how as students in Highway Secondary School he pushed Nahashon ‘Lule’ Oluoch to take up football after realizing Lule was a great sprinter and left footed. He kept on reminiscing to me their happy days as young men at Umeme FC when they played Mtaa football around characters like ‘Pirates’ and ‘Jairzinho’ with former Mayor Joe Akech as their unofficial patron.

Cruel hand of death

Death can be very cruel and harsh. Just when Austin was enjoying his status as a senior citizen and Gor Mahia ‘Alumni’ were all over social media going round encouraging upcoming players, the grim ripper struck.

Even in retirement, Austin carried himself with dignity unlike your typical nagging and pesky ex-footballer about town. Always the gentleman, he would mind his own business and stay focused on his objective of the day.

As football fans, we were indeed honoured to watch Austin Oduor play. His reassuring moves were calming during tense moments and our footballer DNA is poorer without him. It is through footballers like Austin Oduor that statements like “when Gor Mahia was Gor Mahia” or when ‘Harambee Stars was Harambee Stars” were birthed.

He also narrated to me his lowest moment happened when as Captain of Gor Mahia during the 1987 Mandela Cup, club officials vanished without fulfilling their promises around winning bonuses.

Rest in peace Wuod Kager.

The author is a historiographer and has documented the Kenyan football journey over the ages