With the clock ticking in the afternoon Nakuru heat, Gor Mahia desperately needed a spark in their attack if they were to get salvage a win from Chemelil. Chemelil had been stubborn in the first half, playing with a dedicated defense which was being Marshalled by a very confident goalkeeper.
Looking on the bench, there was no Jacques Tuyisenge. The lethal Rwandese forward was not even in the match day squad with coach Dylan Kerr stating that he was nursing an injury.
Earlier on, Ivorian import Ephrem Guikan had left the pitch with a horrific injury that prompted him to be rushed to hospital. And just like that, Kerr turned to a little known person, Eliud Lokuwam.
Going by his physical appearance and name, it is easy to guess where he comes from, the northern part of Kenya or even Sudan.
I added a video to a @YouTube playlist https://t.co/0QIZjYp6P0 Gor Mahia FC 1-0 Chemelil Sugar FC | ELIUD LOKUWAM GOAL | Thurs,
— KPL (@TheOfficialKPL) August 16, 2018
Coming into the match, no one new the lanky forward. But he is now the talk of town, a true story of grass to grace.
It took just 10 minutes for the boy from Turkana to do what his teammates had been unable to accomplish in more than 50 minutes, score a goal. And not just a goal but a very important one.
Lokuwam, the first Turkana to score a league goal in the KPL, is also the first one from the pastoral community to play for the mighty K’Ogallo.
Coming from a community little known in sporting circles especially football at higher level, Lokuwam, whose other name is Nanok, is proving that talent is for all – by playing and showing his worth in top club dominating local football and doing well in continental competitions.
And there is more to this kid than just football. He is also a third year Economics and Finance student at Kenyatta university. We all know how hard it is to pursue talent and education in Kenya, but doing so when you come from a pastoral community makes it an even bigger achievement. I think this boy deserves a Head of State Commendation! Yes, Kama Githeriman alipewa, ata huyu anafaa. Someone tell Uhuru.
“I am a student yes, but football is in me. I do train hard and my dream is to do well and achieve more in football alongside my education,” Lokuwam told the official Gor Mahia website after the match in Nakuru.
The speedy and skillfull striker was elated to have scored a goal that made a huge difference and moved Gor Mahia closer to the 17th title.
“It feels good to score a goal in league match. Gor Mahia is a big club and l am lucky to be part of it… my aim is to work hard and l am yearning for more play time. I hope my coach will consider me in more matches because l have what it takes and ready to deliver,” he added.
God above all ? pic.twitter.com/3NYZFm3UR7
— Ogada Olunga (@OgadaOlunga) August 17, 2018
When you talk about education and football, Lokuwam can easily follow in the footsteps of Engineer Michael Olunga, who made his name at Gor Mahia before going to Sweden. The Harambee Stars forward then moved to Spain where he became the first player to score a hat-trick for Girona in La Liga.
He recently moved to Japan’s J-League where he earns more than Ksh 15 million per month.