GS must be gentleman part II

In June I had a life-enriching experience for the first time, queuing up for hours on end, not for gasoline, forex, money or sugar, but to access knowledge at 11-storey Library of Alexandria in Egypt coastal City of Alexandria.

At the monstrous library, I had the privilege of reading Egyptian late president Anwar Sadat’s principles he wrote in long hand such as:

i. Cultivate the act of suffering fools…

ii. Don´t let anger get the better of you; try to see the other fellow’s point of view

iii. Cultivate tolerance

v. Be temperate in thought, word and deed

Reflecting on the football happenings during the week, I thought of sharing with our football administrators these principles hoping they would learn one or two things.

A few months ago, I explained in this column why I felt it was critical for general secretaries of Malawi football institutions to be gentlemen. Or at least pretend to be gentlemen.

The idea of a gentleman is subjective but I believe most Malawians understand what that means.

I argued that the level of recklessness and irresponsibility in speech and action were so abject it is increasingly hard differentiating between a supporter and a GS.

My concern was that when football administrators in suits and neckties waste time not on substance but semantics in the media at a time when our football is bleeding profusely, then something is terribly and horribly wrong.

My genuine concern was that when those in leadership positions carelessly brainwash supporters into believing that poor refereeing is the only ground on which their teams can lose, then you know redemption for the domestic game is not in sight.

I argued that when you see a general secretary, like Eminem, lead in swearing, yelling at referees and getting involved in fist fights, then you can only shed tears at the realisation that great administrators such as late Alfred Maluwa are no longer with us on  earth.

Mine was a general concern and it remains such. It is for this reason that you feel so refreshing when you engage worthwhile general secretaries such as Civo United’s Rashid Ntelela;   a very sober sounding man who is so obsessed getting things done than being seen to be doing something.