Fashion Receives Thunderous Welcome in his Kawele village
By Staff Reporter
There was jubilation and pomp among the inhabitants Kawele village in the outskirts of Chipata district when former Zambia Under-20 international Fashion Sakala arrived in his home village on Sunday afternoon.
And in an exclusive interview with NewsDayZambia.com, Fashon who is on a two week Christmas break said he was overwhelmed and appreciative of the warmth exhibited by his kinsmen.
When word went round that Fashon, plying his professional soccer in Russia was arriving around 15:00 hours in Kawele village situated in Senior Chief Nzamane’s chiefdom, more than 500 villagers travelled to his father’s place as early as 13:00 hours to give him a thunderous welcome.
And Fashon’s father said it was difficult to control the crowds that arrived as early 13:00 hours and stayed on until 18:00 hrs when they got an assurance an exhibition soccer match would be organised where his son would play.
Most people said they are happy to see their star in person since he became a professional footballer as they have just been watching him on television.
And Fashion said he was so excited to be back to his homeland and see how people welcomed him at the village he was born and bred.
“Am happy to be back to my village and to meet my old friends, more on how people have welcomed me here, and I am assuring them that I will be coming here every year,” he said. “It was great to meet people who changed my life, and that is the only thing I miss when I go out, because they tried by all means to give me good games, encourage me, and I am appealing to friends not to lose hope just because they stay in a village, they can still make it.”
Some of Fashon’s fans had insisted that they would not return to their homes but rather sleep outside the house just to make sure that they see him and shake hands with the player, who made an impact at the Under-20 Africa championship and the world cup played earlier this year.
Sakala senior and other family members later assured to organise an exhibition which would feature Fashion. At this point the scores of fans who were not withered by long hours of waiting agreed to return to their homes.
Sakala said the Zambian National Soccer Team striker was a guest player at a tournament in Mbenjele in Chief Chikuwe’s area of the Chewa people.
And business came to a standstill at Mbanyane bus station and Chipata’s town centre when Fashon showed up later in the day.
Many people abandoned their chores in order to take some photos with him.
Fashion who is currently playing professional football at Spartak 2 Moscow in Russia is returning to his village for the first since he left for Europe.
