‘Ga go na bogosi bope jo bo yang Nigeria’
Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday May 16, 2023 06:00
But this did not happen in Thamaga where the royal daughters of the late Kgosi Gobuamang Gobuamang are still seeking answers as to why their father’s death was never officially announced and declared in the kgotla as it is normally done.
The daughters, Pinky, Bone and Tebogo Gobuamang, say they are still shocked that only their father was never accorded that respect following his passing which they said was the first indication of trouble awaiting.
“Following our father’s death we thought the official announcement would be done but we waited in vain and when we enquired we were told it was not necessary since it was done on television and radio,” Pinky said.
Pinky said they were surprised to hear those words wondering what a television and radio announcement had to do with what is traditionally done. She explained that they should have known it was the start of what they are facing now from the tribal elders who want to go against the wishes of the residents and impose their own preferred Kgosi.
Of those resisting their rightful desire to lead the residents of Thamaga, the sisters said the excuses that the bloodline will end when Bone gets married are not legitimate.
The sisters pointed out that their father has always told them that they are the legitimate heirs to the throne but not his grandchildren. “Gore re tla nyalwa a bo re sia ka bogosi ga se nnete le bana ba rona ba itse gore ga e kake ya nna dikgosi, Ga gona bogosi bope jo bo yang Nigeria,” said the trio.
This was in response to concerns that the sisters wanting to take over the throne would end the bloodline of Thamaga or worst dilute it.
Pinky told The Monitor that in their pursuit to reclaim the throne and understand why certain things were not done, she said she took time off to visit Bakwena Kgosikgolo, Kgosi Kgari Sechele who Thamaga village falls under.
She said Kgosi Kgari did listen to her and promised to do follow-ups as to why their father was never announced dead as the tradition requires and why the tribal elders were resisting their approach to the throne. “He did give me hope but those hopes were dashed because to this dayI have not heard from him and I tried doing follow-ups to no avail. It is disappointing, to say the least, but we will keep fighting for what is rightfully ours,” she said.
Enquiring why there seems to be bad blood between them, the tribal elders, and Kgosi Mosielele, the trio said there is no such thing and that they are not sure what could be the problem.
They explained that during the time their parents were alive, they never heard of any bad blood and that they are stunned to see their uncles going against them. “During the time our parents were alive, our uncles hardly set foot in our home and during our father’s illness we took care of him alone, but we did not make anything out of it. We just respected them as our elders, now this,” said the sisters. With Kgosi Mosielele, the sisters said there was nothing they know of that could indicate there is trouble.
The trio said even for him to be at the forefront of bogosi jwa Thamaga and leading the tribal elders was a decision they are not familiar with as they were never informed about him being elected to lead the elders.
The sisters said with so much going on now that’s why they have decided with their lawyer to seek the minister’s intervention of which they are still waiting for a response. But all in all, they are adamant that in the end, the throne remains theirs, that it was not about power and they will fight for it to lead Thamaga to a better tomorrow like their father wished.
Meanwhile, the publication also took a trip to the kgotla to seek more answers about what was going on. Acting Kgosi Segale Gobuamang was present but said he was not in any position to talk.
He briefly explained that they were following protocol and that at the moment things were going according to that protocol. “We are at a stage where we are following protocol being that the issue goes through different people like the residents, Bakwena Kgosikgolo, Director, and finally the Minister for intervention,” he said.
He explained that at the moment the residents have been consulted and that there will be no more consultation with them contrary to the sisters saying the residents are still waiting for a consultation to agree in unison about the chosen name for the throne.