Chippa Legodimo
30 October 2009
Gaborone — More than 10 times Kabelo Munikaso was rejected by the government Department of Broadcasting Services but he kept going back. Such was his passion for football commentary on radio or TV that he never gave up the quest to live his dream.
Munikaso's love for football commentary did not start yesterday. It has lived inside him for many years. During his days at Shoshong Senior Secondary School, he was 'notorious' for sitting on the touch line and mimicking radio sports commentators.
It was this passion that kept him going even after he was turned down by the state-owned Radio Botswana on 10 occasions. Botswana Television (Btv) where he now works as a freelancer also turned him down on a few occasions but he simply refused to give up or to despair.
There were times when he used to take a loud speaker to Premier League games to do his thing. Although he would start in a low tone, he would find himself shouting at the top of his voice especially on occasions when action intensified.
This would attract the attention of fans who would be wondering if the match was on radio and because naturally he is a shy person, he would put his loud speaker aside and pretend to be a fan.
Those days are over now. KB as his colleagues at Btv call him, now uses professional equipment to share his views on the game with viewers at home. He explained to Mmegi Sport that he started 'commentating' at primary school and he is happy to be living his dream.
"I was born in a football-mad family. All four boys in our family play football including myself and I have to admit my other siblings play better than me. I suffered a back injury some years ago, which ruled me out as a soccer player but even if I had not incurred the injury, I do not think I would be playing. As you know, television is new in our country and during my years as a youngster, we used to listen to matches broadcast on radio and for some reason, I felt I needed to do that instead of playing," Munikaso said.
He has always followed different commentators with keen interest as he wanted to fine-tune his skills. During the 1990s, Zama Mazondo of SABC rated as one of his favourite together with Motsweding FM's Clement 'Cebo' Manyaapelo.
His colleague, Nelson Ditibane rates among the best television commentators in southern Africa according to Munikaso. "Nelson is so comfortable on the microphone. He knows how to find a suitable name for any situation and he also knows how to quickly cover up for any technical error that might occur during a broadcast by diverting the fans' attention to something else. The other thing about him is that he knows how to take charge of the broadcasting of the match because he is able to make the camera people switch to a certain scene he is interested in just by using words," he said of Ditibane.
The 32-year-old said he has learnt a lot from Ditibane although he ruled out ever trying to imitate him. He recalled an incident where the two of them had to broadcast a match without the head phone. They had to rely on their own judgement from the pitch and what would appear on the monitor next to them.
"The headphones are for communication between us and the broadcasting truck and when they are not there, your comments could end up differing with what appears on television which is why you have to keep on checking what the monitor is showing while at the same time focusing on the pitch. I remember on that occasion, I got lost on a few occasions but he was quick to get me back on track such that fans did not realise my weaknesses," he said.
The first Premier League game he commentated for Btv was the Lobatse derby between BMC and Extension Gunners at the UB Stadium last season while his first international game was between the Zebras and New Zealand. He said both games meant a lot to him.
But so far the most important game of his career is last season's final league match between Gaborone United and Mochudi Centre Chiefs in Molepolole.
"Just like the players needed to be at their best on the day, it was the same with me. I was trying to stay focused a day before the match and I have to say I was happy with my commentary at the end of it. In the BMC-Gunners' game, I was not nervous because I had been rehearsing all my life. It was just a question of getting on a bigger stage," he said.
He acknowledged that for one to give good commentary, there is need for extensive research on players and teams and that statistics play a big role. However, Munikaso claimed there is never enough information whenever one wants it.
"You would be surprised to learn that there are not enough archives on local football and at times, even current statistics would not be available at the Premier League office. But I always try to go the extra mile because I understand that viewers need to know more than just what is happening on that day. For instance, they want to know how may times such and such a player has played for his country, where they come from and the teams that player has played for," he said.
Munikaso has a degree in physical education from the University of Botswana. He is still to get formal employment. Right now he is working with friends to establish a soccer publication. In the meantime ,he is focusing on refining his skills and establishing himself at a bigger station. Although he currently works on television, he believes he can combine the two like his childhood hero Manyaapelo who juggles between SABC and Motsweding FM. If God answers his prayers, he could soon sit side by side with Manyaapelo at Orlando Stadium. He has told Mmegi that he recently impressed the Motsweding radio station's officials who were visiting Botswana during the Stanbic Bank Media Cup. "My ultimate dream is to go abroad and I believe Motsweding FM would be a perfect destination, if we can have players going abroad, why can't we have commentators plying their trade in foreign countries," Munikaso said.
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