Everything he did as a young boy was driven by that dream, and sport became one of the paths he believed could get him to Europe. “To be honest, I never had a strong interest in volleyball at first. It was more of a ‘let’s give it a try and see what happens’; an opportunity introduced by my teacher, Omaatla Maretlwaneng. At the time, I was a full-time track and field athlete, competing in high jump, triple jump, long jump, and 110m hurdles,” he tells MmegiSport.The 32-year-old says when he first tried volleyball in 2011, it exposed his weaknesses. Sikuku explains that he was not strong enough to hit the ball as hard as he wanted, and that frustrated him. He says because of that, he stepped away from volleyball and focused on track and field again. “Everything changed when I met Odirile 'Driller' Sibanda whilst I was doing Form Five. He introduced me to volleyball on a much deeper level and showed me that there were opportunities to play professionally abroad. “That is when my passion for the sport truly began. He mentored me, believed in me, and registered me to play in the local league in 2014,” he says. Sikuku played his first competitive international tournament at the end of 2015 during the Zone VI Championship. Although he came off the bench, the volleyball player says it was an incredible feeling. He says that moment made him believe that becoming Botswana’s first male professional volleyball player was possible. “I received my first national team call-up in 2015 for the Under 23 team and later earned a place in the senior national team. The journey was not always smooth. My passion and determination often pushed me to take on more than I was ready for, and at times that was misunderstood as a lack of discipline, leading to several setbacks, like being dropped from the national team six times, to be precise,” states Sikuku. Sikuku reveals that at some point, Cuban national team coach Manuel Torres told him during one camp that he brought him to learn not to compete.“However, those experiences helped shape my character and strengthened my commitment to becoming a better athlete and person, making me the first male professional volleyballer in Botswana,” he adds. Currently Sikuku is a free agent, waiting to sign a contract for the 2026-2027 season. The right-handed hitter says he has received a few offers and that it is now up to his agent; he will decide which opportunity is the best fit for his career.When asked about the state of volleyball in Botswana, Sikuku responds by saying it is ‘deeply concerning.’ “When I started playing, Botswana was a powerhouse in Southern Africa. We consistently competed at the highest level, and both clubs and national teams earned respect across the region,” he says. “If we had continued investing in the sport and built on that success, I believe Botswana could have produced many more professional players competing around the world today.” Sikuku said in the past, representing Botswana was every player’s dream.He said there was healthy competition because everyone wanted to earn a place in the national team. He says that ambition motivated players to train harder, improve their skills, and push themselves to the highest level. “Today, however, the situation is very different. Our clubs rarely reach the finals of the Zone VI Championships, and the last national team call-up was in 2019. When there are no regular national team activities or major competitions to strive for, players naturally lose motivation and interest because there is little to work towards.” He observes that the national team is more than just representing the country as it provides valuable exposure and allows players to compete against stronger opposition. Sikuku adds that this creates opportunities to be noticed by professional clubs, adding that experience is essential for player development and career growth. “Another major challenge is the lack of indoor training facilities. Volleyball is an indoor sport, yet many players in Botswana train outdoors and are then expected to compete indoors.This has a significant impact on player development,” he says. “Important skills, especially defensive techniques such as diving and floor defence, cannot be practised effectively on outdoor courts because of the hard surface and safety concerns. As a result, players struggle to develop complete technical skills and are placed at a disadvantage when competing internationally.” Sikuku advises that if Botswana wants to return to the top of Southern Africa volleyball and produce more professional players, there is a need to invest in player development, revive regular national team programmes, improve competitions, and provide access to proper indoor training facilities. He points out that the talent has always been there; we simply need the right structures and support to allow that talent to flourish. “My role models are Matthew Anderson and Wilfredo Leon.I admire Anderson because of his exceptional technique and the fact that he is a complete, well-rounded player. He has excellent ball control and a high volleyball IQ. I always encourage young players to watch and learn from his style of play because there is so much they can gain from it,” Sikuku says. As for Leon, he inspires Sikuku because of his incredible physical dominance. He noted that Leon’s ball control might not always be perfect, but he has an amazing ability to overcome difficult situations and still make a positive impact on the game. He added that he is also exciting to watch and holds the record for the fastest serve in volleyball. “My final word is that always prepare for an opportunity you do not have, rather than having an opportunity you are not prepared for,” Sikuku says.FACT FILE: Full names: Igobe 'Igo' Sikuku Date of birth: October 21, 1994 Place of birth: Tutume Profession: Professional Volleyball Player Volleyball Experience: NAS volleyball tournament (2025–2026), Mongolian league (2025–2026), Lebanese league (2024–2025), Japanese V League (2023–2024), Greek Hellenic league (2022–2023), Israel Premier League (2021–2022), Kuwait league (2019–2020), African Championships 2017, Africa Senior and National Team Championships 2017. An active member of the Botswana senior national team since 2016 Height: 204cm Clubs: Dominant hand: Right-handed Position: Opposite Spike Reach: 365cm Block: 343cm Awards: Top scorer of the Mongolian league, ranked number two best Opposite in the Japanese V league D2, Israel pre-season tournament MVP 2021, ranked number three best attacker in the Israel Premier League, best attacker at KZN tournament 2018 and Silver medalist during JB Sport tournament Favourite food: Traditional Tswana Cuisine
