A lot has been said about Jonah Otim’s transfer from Ndejje University Angels to three time champions City Oilers.
The transfer left many souls and especially suspended Ndejje Angels coach Walker Obedi Mwesige unhappy and the guard’s loyalty to Ndejje questioned but Otim had made up his mind and chose to look for greener pastures.
Nevertheless, there is no love lost between Otim and Walker Obedi Mwesige, the man behind his rise and the new Oilers’ signing told his story to Kawowo Sports.
“Ndejje is in my heart and that will never change,” he said in an exclusive interview with this website.
The guard will forever be grateful to one man for all he has managed to achieve in the game so far and that man is Walker Obedi Mwesige, the man who groomed him from his days at Lubiri SS.
“He (Walker) is special to me and I can’t thank him enough, I met him in my S.1 and little did i know he would turn out to be one of the pillars of not only my basketball career but my life as well,” the reigning Friday Night Lights champions revealed.
Otim’s love for the game attracted the attention of the then Lubiri SS basketball coach and from that point, he has been one of the players with abit of steady progress.
“He really pushed me to work hard and he called me to join the school team in my S.2. That was the start of the player I am right now,” he recollects.
Otim started featuring for his school team in S.2 regardless of his size then, he played with the likes of Syrus Kiviri, Ivan Lumanyika and Solomon Ssali among others.
In his S.3, Obedi secured him a full bursary at the school and that was the start of free education for for the now national team player, he went on to get a scholarship at Ndejje University and finished University without spending a single penny.
Otim was selected to represent Uganda in the Basketball Without Boarders Africa Camp in South Africa organised by NBA and from there he started his University studies at the Luweero campus.
Obedi the Guardian
In his first year at University, Otim lost his mother and that’s when Otim realised the guardian in Obedi.
“It was tough for me to handle but coach was really there for me, he became my dad and basically everything to me,” the nearly teary Otim remembers.
“He helped me get through the trying moment. He checked on me everytime to make sure I was doing my work in school and encouraged me to work hard for good grades. He called me early morning to be in class and ensured I attended all classes, he helped me with all clearance for the examination period,”
Soro the best Friend
During his time at Ndejje, Otim met yet another soul, Geoffrey Soro and he became his best friend. He was the team captain and guided him in the game.
“We became brothers and he really pushed me and gave me confidence on court,”
With Soro, Otim helped Ndejje to two Zuku University Basketball League Championships as they edged Uganda Christian University to the silverware before the former left for KIU Titans.
Otim the Captain
With Soro departing for KIU, Obedi handed Otim the captaincy of the team despite having more senior players on the team.
“It was a huge task but i was ready for it despite my age”
Under his leadership, Ndejje won the 3×3 University League and represented the Uganda in the World University 3×3 Championships in China.
National team call up
In 2013, Otim’s efforts were recognized as he got a call up to the national team.
“It is an honour to play for the Silverbacks and I am waiting for my moment to shine,” Otim, who was dropped from the team to play in the Afrobasket championship in Tunisia last year, revealed to Kawowo Sports.