Philo’s Quest

This is the war any warrior shouldn’t be absent from. Since I really hated my literature, I will revenge by butchering Homer and his timeless masterpiece The Iliad. In what will never be forgotten, the princess with a face to launch a thousand ships immortalized many including Amsterdam, Paris for his cheekiness being crowned the prince of love. Pick a book, we are here to discuss rugby. This is the Rugby Aafrica Cup for the greatest players minus Ogetta and Magomu. 2025. Every country is picking her best for this war, the war to end all wars. 

South Africa, Morocco, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Uganda are the only countries to ever lift the gold standard of African rugby. Ivory Coast, Namibia and Zimbabwe are the others to play at the World Cup. 

Since 2007, Uganda made it once to the final in 2012 and have been in the wilderness ever since, toying with the savannas of lower reaches of the continental showpiece. 

Around that time, Philo known to the world as Wokorach now so much that the other person by that name had to have his cut by one letter to Okorach, to those who played with or against as Ojuus and to those he is affectionate with as Philo. Was a young boy around Kyadi, it was never in doubt that his exploits would lead him that far.  The journey Ojuus has taken to this tournament has been long, riddled with exploits that would make poets run out of ballads and yet still create stories. For all this, the class of 2007, have the grail – the one – he doesn’t have. 

No one has broader shoulders than he does, most incredibly no one has the mental fortitude he has built, starting off in Kololo SS, fresh from his first tour of the UK, could have made the school a powerhouse but Hanna came calling. That is where the Legend of the golden goose began. What was meant to be a simple scholarship, changed rugby forever, the boy with his rag tag step dazzled Hanna into a different atmosphere. Breaking the three-way race in the school boy’s game wasn’t enough, he took the fabled Kakamega School to rugby school in what was to become the shock in the swamps of Kakyeka. Getting out of school, Ojuus wasn’t a minnow, he was HIM, we were ready to receive him, the Kenyans had an idea of a school boy sensation but fate had other plans. For almost a year we had to watch him re-align his leg, one fracturing. It was painful and almost ridiculous but there he was back in Glasgow, a very lukewarm attendance, a false start as we had to watch again the other leg being cast. After having both his cheeks clapped, the demons had sailed away. He was ready. 

2016, already doing business with Kabras the world got to know, Ojuus you must understand, this player exists in three alternate realities, Philo where he is laidback with friends and acquaintances, Wokorach to the world out there and how they see him, Ojuus, the ugliest player any opponent can face, totally beast mode, that guy who does the job himself be it against Kakamega in the last game minutes with seven future Kenya national team players, he diced them and delivered the grail of school boy rugby or Zimbabwe last year in the second half with their star dust couldn’t contain the OJUUS. That is when it started taking shape, in a relative space of 9 years, Ojuus has played 2 sevens World Cups, 2 Commonwealth Games, won the Africa Sevens 4 times. All this was with his hand at play. The sevens made a bold statement, before him, 0 titles, a decade later 4. His job is done on that front.

You feel it, he wants to be where all stars go to shine, the Rugby World Cup, his is talent so cursed it is impossible to explain, you see it you know it. This is his realistic chance to make it to what we know was a childhood dream, I know Uganda are considered dark horses on the continent, a very good team but can they cross the threshold into greatness. Of course, we still have a Union so hell bent on mismanaging rugby that they are clownish villains at this point.

This team, is so experienced with global campaigners on the sevens scene focusing the whole season entirely at the longer game. It is without a doubt the closest Uganda has ever come to assembling the Avengers. It is still Philo’s quest, as has always been the case, this is the war that immortalizes him and delivers us our delusions.

Of course, with him are people so familiar he has seen them his whole life but we will send them greetings next time.