The Champane family in Mahalapye bid their father a final goodbye after struggling with an ailment until he succumbed to it on March 16, 2024, at a hospital in his home village. He was buried last week Saturday at the village cemetery. The family gave him their last love in a fitting send-off reminiscent of a king. Larger than life himself, Oabile ‘The Big Champ’ Champane, had brought the village to a halt as thousands had braved the chilly Saturday morning to bid the man of the people farewell. The street in front of his house was almost impassable due to motor traffic congestion with all the parking space even in the neighbourhood diametrically taken up.
Kitted in khaki uniform and green berets, complemented with green cardigans, the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) (of the star version) female choir had come in numbers just like their male counterparts attired on khaki suits and white large shoes known as Manyanyatha; they had coloured the large marquee tent draped in black and white that housed the mourners with their khaki theme. On the left side of their chests, they wore a metallic star sitting on a green and black badge emblazoned ZCC, which completed the church uniform and identity. They dominated the stage with their songs and dance in reverence to the church senior pastor, the late Champane, who had for a long time been at the helm of the church in Mahalapye, Gaborone and other areas. For the longest time, since the advent of COVID-19 in 2020, the church choirs were not allowed to do what they love the most - singing and dancing. To some, the funeral was akin to a church service as momentarily, the church had taken over in remembrance of a man who had guided many of them from a young age to adulthood. As a deacon, one of his chief duties was baptising new converts, a task he was hailed to have executed with aplomb.
‘The Big Champ’ as Champane was fondly called, was the glue that held his family together. At 91-years-old, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who seemingly gave him support and gratification for life, always surrounded him. He was a loving character who valued family life. Like a big tree that provided the requisite shade, ‘The Big Champ’ has fallen. Speaking about the condition that took the life of their father, his two children, Mompati Champane and Bonolo Champane took turns to tell the mourners how their father’s health deteriorated to the moment he breathed last recently. Mompati was amongst those who got the shock of their lives at the Mahalapye Hospital when they found his father’s hospital bed empty hoping he was possibly moved to another room or ward only to learn that he had met his maker. To them, they had thought in the state he was at the time, he was recuperating, albeit with challenges. God had other plans for him. Bonolo presented her father as a strong man who had displayed his strength as the head of the family even against a monster that ate up his health culminating in his passing on. She told mourners how her father, who was one of the senior pastors at the ZCC, shared his life with the family and the church besides his auto mechanic job that followed him to even his house. She considers her family to have been so lucky to have ‘The Big Champ’ as their father. It was also the last message from the wife, Mma Champane, with whom the late was in marriage for 57 years and read by daughter Keneilwe Champane that touched the mourners. She hoped that God had destined to give them many more years together. She, however, gathered solace that ‘The Big Champ’ had properly walked his mile and was there for his family in good and bad times. He was present throughout their marriage life.
It was Katlego Champane, representing grandchildren, who left mourners in stitches of laughter when she told them that her grandfather did not like the grey hair at all and forced them to dye the hair every time the grey hair sprouted. “One day after dying the hair it became apparent that ‘The Big Champ’s hair had turned purple instead of the usual black. We were worried wondering how he was going to look like especially on Sunday as he was the leader of the church,” Katlego said leaving the mourners in endless laughter. But, the hair would turn black after washing it. She described how the grandfather was loving to all and sundry and he also liked finer things in life to the extent that he abhorred appearing shabby in public and even when he was home. Peter Siele, speaking as a former colleague of ‘The Big Champ’ at Sebele, reminisced about the time they spent together at work and outside.
He particularly remembered the late as a hard worker and an easy person to have worked with. He also remembered the late as a church-loving person who was so dextrous, especially as a dancer of mokhukhu, which is a section of the ZCC where males come together to sing and dance as part of prayers. He remembered how the late used to dance and sing hymns showing a lot of dedication to his church, saying that he was not even surprised that he rose through the church ranks to lead a branch of the church in Mahalapye and his sojourn in Gaborone. He also remembered the late as an accomplished auto mechanic who practised the trade openly and ran public transport to various destinations. His dedication to the ZCC was demonstrated by both the male and female choirs that serenaded the mourners with hymns as a way of bidding their deacon farewell with honour. Even the church pastors confirmed the role their leader played in giving service to the church at both the church premises and even at his house where he could help in emergencies. “Batho ba ne ba hola (He even healed the sick through the church)”, it was said. One way or the other, the long-lasting impression in his family is that their old man is not ‘The Big Champ’ for nothing. They feel he fought so hard even when he saw he was losing the battle against his health as it was on an accelerated downward trajectory. His life story was a true story of ‘from rags to riches’. He started as a handyman at the Botswana Police whereupon he was able to enrol for his lower classes at Sub A, Sub B and then Standard One to Three. The rest is history.
He would then cross the border to work in South Africa as a security officer. During his stay in South Africa, he learnt several languages, which he was fond of speaking depending on various situations of life. It was this ability to speak many languages that in a way opened up opportunities for him. In 1966, ‘The Big Champ’ returned home whereupon Agric Products in Lobatse employed him. His multi-linguist abilities and loyalty saw him poached from his employment to serve at the Research Unit in Sebele. He took up short courses that enabled him to be redesignated as a Central Transport Organisation fleet officer between 1967 and 1980. Before this, ‘The Big Champ’ was trained as an auto mechanic instructor in 1974, training which accelerated his fortunes at the workplace. This is where his life completely changed. From handyman at the Botswana Police to auto mechanic instructor was not an easy walk but it took focus, perseverance and resilience to turn his life around. His focus was mainly to provide for his family as he also encouraged them to educate themselves so that they can make it in life. Amongst his children, there is an Air Botswana Captain, educationist, nurse, teacher and successful entrepreneurs from across the disciplines. To ensure he provided for his eight children, ‘The Big Champ’ ran public transport alongside his full-time employment. Besides being a farmer, he also worked at Phuti Scrap Metals. He has also had stints at Engine Exchange and Adima Hire. Apart from his spouse, eight children, 13 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren survive him. May your soul rest in peace, Phuti!
