As a young man growing up in the town of Palapye, it never crossed my mind that one day I would be chasing Professor Sheila Tlou, Moiseraele Master Goya and Isaac Maforaga for their comment in a political story.We grew up admiring Tlou and Goya because their parents never stopped talking about their successes and contributions. Maforaga was not born at the time. Tlou's parents, in particular her mother, would simply lecture to a misbehaving child and compel such a person to change their behaviour or face the consequences of life. Goya's father would model a well behaved child who cared for his parents through his son. "O nkagetse ntlo ya maratagolejwa - My son has built me an enviable house".
He encouraged children to be responsible and look after their parents. Where do the three BDP candidates really come from and who are their parents? Can their parents' names and backgrounds really help them win tomorrow? Tlou's names, Sheila and Dinotshe, are more popular here than her surname. This is because Sheila's mother is commonly known as MmaDinotshe rather than Mrs. Morake. At some stage, MmaDinotshe was known for her business acumen after establishing a small general dealer that she named after Las Vegas, a city in the United States. Perhaps, this was because her daughter, a professor of nursing currently on leave of absence at the University of Botswana, studied in America. She read for her Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing up to PhD in Nursing Sciences. Sheila also once lived with her husband, Prof. Thomas Tlou, in Washington, whilst he was a diplomat there. The Morakes, who had an illustrious service during their tenure as civil servants, are still known today for their high level of discipline. Perhaps, this is what makes the family so popular in town. The fact that the Morake home is only a stone's throw from the Palapye main Kgotla also has assisted the pensioners to be regulars at the meetings where important announcements are made. By invitation or not, they would find their way there, more so that they have now rented out their businesses.
