Gor’s Supper Fan Eat ,Sleep And Drinks Soccer

Jared Otieno      Photo: Courtesy

By JAMES WANZALA

Decked out in green attire, with a vuvuzela, walkie-talkie and a beret to boot, Jared Otieno, better known as Jaro Soja welcomes me to his house in Kayole estate, Nairobi.

In the compound is a Gor Mahia ?ag swaying in the wind. When I ask him what it represents, he says

K’Ogallois a government and just like other governments, it has its ?ag.

‘‘I raise it in the morning and lower it in the evening as is the norm everywhere, ’says Jared.

Inside the house, green and white, the brand colours of Gor Mahia Football Club, dot everything.

From the carpet, curtains, slippers, seat covers, utensils, bed covers; the list is endless.

“Most of my things are either green or white, although green dominates.

Whenever I buy something and its neither green nor white, I repaint it to march my club colours,” he says

‘‘I am Jaro Soja, Inspector General of K’Ogallo Defense Force (KDF), 33-year-old Gor Mahia diehard fan,”he tells The Counties.

He was born in 1980 in Gem Location of Siaya County, in family of four siblings.

Genesis

He recalls a football match between AFC and Gor Mahia in the1990s that he followed from a neighbour’s house. He says commentator Jack Oyoo Sylvester’s voice enticed him even more to watch the game. “From that day, I started following Gor Mahia’s games. I also developed a liking for the team colours,”he adds.

His love for Gor  Mahia saw him change schools twice so as to get a school with green uniform.

He says he had to approach his mother since his late father was a no nonsense man. He approached his mother who welcomed the idea of taking him to a school of his choice.

Since Odendo Primary was wearing a blue-and-white uniform, he had to change school to one that wears green.

This led him to Nyabenge  Primary school, about 20 kilometres from his home where he was enrolled

Standard Six. He had to miss lunch on several occasions because of the distance.

‘‘Nyabenge later changed its uniformto blue, meaning I had again to change schools again to one

with green uniform. I later settled at Okola Primary School, which had checked uniform of green and white,” he says.

Jaro’s dream of being in the army has been futile after trying severally in the recruitment exercises. He say she has served in the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s youth security team.

‘‘Every time I go for the recruitment, I am told I meet the physical requirements but should try next time. I believe I was born a soldier, am physically ?t, I don’t take alcohol nor smoke and that’s why I want to be one and serve my country,’’ said Jared, who owns a Taekwondo training centre and gym in the estate, and won the First Done Black title in2011 in Kisumu.

Jared is not just a football fan and supporter, he says he was the best player in primary school and was it not for an injury; he would be a professional player today.

Apart from being a fan, Jaro say she helps the coach during matches by texting useful ideas on substitutions while the game is going on.

‘‘I also make sure Gor Mahia fans including all my 5,000 facebook fans are mobilised to come out and watch the game by posting on my timeline.

I also use my bicycle which is ?tted with a siren to help ease traf?c whenever there is a game,’’ he explains.

He says when motorists hear the siren, they think it is an ambulance and they give way. That helps to ease traf?c as well as to alert fans of a Gor Mahia match.

He also says they have formed a team with his other colleagues to tame hooliganism during matches by monitoring anyone who throws any object to the pitch or have plans to cause violence; they arrest him and take him to the police manning the game for necessary action.

Hooliganism

‘‘Those who engage in hooliganism are not real football fans; you cannot be a real fan and involve yourself in such acts of indiscipline. Such acts ruin the reputation of your club.

“I advise that such hooligans should be arrested and charged according to the law and not be banned as it happens,’’ he advises. He argues that you cannot ban a supporter who is not popular, for instance, when you ban someone who is not popular like him, tomorrow he will come in a suit or another dress hence you may not be able to identify him. ‘It’s better to ban those who are common ?gures like me because everybody knows me and even if I disguise myself, I will be discovered and apprehended,’’ Jaro further advises.

Jared’s support has not been futile; he was last year awarded for being the most popular fan by KFF Secretary General Sam Nyamweya, which allows him to watch all the matches in the city free of charge. He says through his job, he has been able to meet great people like Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero among many others who have even paid for him air tickets and accommodation in case of a match that is being played outside the country.

The lowest moment for Jaro in the recent past was last year, when Thika United won the Kenya Premier League.

‘‘I had made a clothes box worthSh11, 000 to award Gor Mahia defender, Serenguma if K’Ogallo would have won the league. I was really saddened and traumatised that I was the last to leave the City Stadium at 9pm yet the game ended at 5pm,” he recalls. It’s the day he says he will not forget because he saw the title slip from his club.

Expensive affair

However, being a diehard supporterof the team has not been rosy.

‘‘Whenever we go to play awaygames from the city, I have to buyGor Mahia merchants like arm

bands, caps, among others to distributeto my fans which I sometimesdig deep in my pocket to buysince many fans think that I am givenfree of charge.

Asked about family, he says he isnot married but engaged and in seriousrelationship.

‘‘I am in love with a beautiful andlovely lady white lady from WestGermany called Shalyn whom wemet last year in Uganda during theCECAFA tournaments after she requested for a snap with me and weexchanged numbers.