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A tribute to former Gor Mahia FC all-rounder Masanta Osoro

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Published on Saturday, 05 November 2011 18:40

Masanta Osoro, a former Gor Mahia stopper, will be buried today at Daraja Mbili in Kisii.

Osoro died two weeks ago. Newspaper obituaries that have run for the past week have passed almost unnoticed.

But the few football fans of yesteryears have a lot to say about the man who was eager to make a name.

Gor Mahia players, officials and fans at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on their departure to Conakry, Guinea, where they were to play Horoya. Masanta Osoro is squatting far left. Other notables (from left) are Jerry Imbo, Andrew Obunga, Tom Oyake, Sebby Omolo, Ogolla Machine, Paul Oduwo, Duncan Migan, Laban Otieno, Ogwanjo, Maurice Ochieng’, George Ayuka. STANDING: Joe Aketch, David Ouma, Charles Abondo, Francis Mudany, Eunice Adhiambo, Dan Owino, Romanus Odongo, James Tirop, David Okello, George Yoga, Sammy Owino, Otieno Kola, and Jackson Aluko.

His name may not resonate with the current Gor players or the legion of their fans. But to football fans of yesteryears, Osoro was a celebrated player, who could have played in European league.

He played in that golden era, which included Jerry Imbo, Paul Oduwo, Sebby Omolo ‘Osuga’, Duncan Migan, George Yoga ‘Rakula’, Laban Otieno, Maurice Ochieng’ ‘Sonyi’, Andrew Obunga ‘Singh’, Francis Mudany ‘Power’, Ogolla ‘Machine’, Allan Thigo ‘Ogango’, and others.

A former Gor player, David Okello ‘Andiwo’, now a golfer, recalls his days with Osoro, with whom he toured the continent.

"Masanta was a good defender. He used to play in the forward line in school and even wanted to continue in the same position, but there were many better players in that position like Thigo, Yoga, Nashon Oluoch ‘Lule’, Sammy Owino ‘Kempes’, Peter Ouma, Martin Ouma ‘Ogwanjo’, Obunga, Jackson Aluko, among others," recalls Okello.

He later moved to number five. It was discovered he was an all rounder and later settled on four. Bob Ogolla joined from Kisumu Hot Stars before Masanta. He was too good to be benched thus rendering Masanta an irregular player.

"When Gor played Canon Sportiff de Younde (1979), it was Masanta who played No 4," recalls Okello. Gor Mahia fans of that generation would not wish to be reminded of this match.

Gor lost 2-0 in Nairobi and were drubbed 6-0 in Yaounde, amid allegations of match fixing.

Osoro is said to have been outspoken on matters to do with the players’ welfare and team selection.

This was the time players used to earn Sh20 in daily allowances. Camping would be in dingy lodgings in Eastleigh, where towels would have been patched many times and slippers deliberately made one-sided to curb theft.

Okello says he never minced his words. He used to say it as is. Although he was a likeable person, who got along with almost everybody, woe unto you if you dared cross his path because he would not care who you were.

Being a Kisii did not make him uncomfortable in Gor, which was a club with bedrock following from the neighbouring Luoland or Luos from the diaspora.

He only continued what had earlier been started by Kisii participation in Gor like minister Chris Obure, when he was an accountant at Bata Shoes, in Limuru.

He was followed by the late Mobe Atebe Marita, who was a striker. Marita died when his vehicle caught fire near Survey of Kenya.

Later there was Simon Nyatome, who also joined from Bata.