adminBEING a public figure has its own advantages and indeed disadvantages which need to be well managed, yes well managed. It’s something which one has to be careful in terms of handling because failure to do so can be catastrophic to one’s standing in society. There’s also that reality of those people who would want to spite you just for the sake of it, knowing that even if you retaliate, it’s you who would be on the receiving end. People would just wrong you with the intention of embarrassing you.
That is the price public figures and indeed celebrities have to pay. Sometimes you have to look and behave like a fool or let people say you are a fool.
In the last couple of weeks, there have been two incidents involving Highlanders assistant coach Amini Soma-Phiri. Both bust-ups were widely reported by the papers.
It first began with a verbal confrontation between the temperamental Highlanders second-in-charge and a senior police officer Chief Superintendent Alberto Mashingaidze over a parking bay. Soma-Phiri is alleged to have later called the cop “stupid idiot”, according to the court papers as the two sought to outwit each other. Soma-Phiri denies the allegations but Mashingaidze maintains that he was called an idiot.
The second and more recent incident occurred at the Highlanders Sports Club, Soma-Phiri’s favourite drinking place. A nasty fight ensured there between him and a patron, well known for his violent character.
Not trying to defend Soma-Phiri, I honestly believe that my good friend is a victim of his status or rather his failure to manage his status. Soma-Phiri seems to be failing to handle his new found status, which to me is now much bigger than that during his close to 20 years of his playing career at Highlanders.
His status is far bigger than what it was then and he must know that. He is no longer the same Amini Soma-Phiri that he was before. He must know as I tell him now that by virtue of his position and status in the society there are things that he would have done yesterday and got away with but now that can no longer be the same. He should know that there are people who love him, that there are people who pretend to love him and also that there are people who don’t like him and always take satisfaction in his misery.
Such people normally use every opportunity to provoke him, knowing his weakness and if you fall for it, it’s victory for them.
So it’s prudent for you, Soma-Phiri to exercise restraint all the time. You lose nothing but gain respect, that you are assured.
The generality of people might view Soma-Phiri as a violent character but I want to believe that the man is a victim of his status, people are abusing this man.
People are taking advantage of Soma-Phiri’s emotional weakness and my worry is that he is falling for it.
What I know is that Soma-Phiri is not a violent character. What I know is that Soma-Phiri speaks his mind. What I know is that Soma-Phiri loves Highlanders unconditionally. What I know is that Soma-Phiri is being abused. What I know is that Soma-Phiri restored Highlanders’ pride and standing in the footballing society last year. What I know is that Soma-Phiri used to have a deadly header. What I know is that Soma-Phiri is a Chelsea fan. What I know is that Soma-Phiri must exercise restraint in all this relentless and unnecessary attack on his person. It goes with the trade Khazeni.
What do you know about Soma-Phiri?
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Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter