Tribute to the Origi-nal Austin 'Makamu' Oduor

Former Gor Mahia player Austin Oduor during the unveiling of Gor Mahia team Bus in Nov. 2023 [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Kenya woke up on Wednesday October 21 to the news that Austin Oduor Origi died on Tuesday night.  Oduor is one of the unsung heroes of Kenyan football. To captain a talented Gor Mahia side that beat Esperance de Tunis to the 1987 CAF Cup Winners Cup is just an icing on the cake to an illustrious football career.

Many players who shared the pitch and dressing room with him have kind words about him.

Nahashon Oluoch Lule was a good sprinter in high school until Oduor convinced him to concentrate on football. Mike Otieno owes his soft landing at Gor Mahia in 1988 straight from Musingu High School to Oduor’s leadership. He was a natural leader with high intellectual and emotional intelligence.  

Popularly known as “Makamu” - the deputy, for serving as the vice-captain to Peter Otieno Bassanga for a good number of years. Oduor was born in Nairobi to parents who resided in Ziwani Estate in a family where four sons played in the Kenyan top flight league. Anthony Origi, Gerald Origi and Mike Okoth were great footballers. He attended Nairobi South Primary School and Highway Secondary School where he was a football captain in both schools. Austin Oduor’s discipline on and off the pitch was exemplary.

Back in the day, Ziwani was a poor neighbourhood but well maintained. The houses did not have electricity but the estate had street lights so children could play football made from polythene papers late into the night. That is how Oduor began playing football before shifting with the bigger boys to the nearby Umeme Grounds. He joined Umeme FC in 1976 while still a student where he played with Sammy Owino Kempes.  

In 1979, Oduor who was Oluoch Lule’s captain at Highway Secondary School, joined Luo Union (later Re-Union) as Lule and Kempes went to Gor Mahia. Gor Mahia had defenders like Oduor Cobra and Ogolla Kadir with Bobby Ogolla as an understudy. Owino Kempes and Lule were needed in midfield and attack but defence was full for Oduor. Nevertheless, he joined Gor in 1980 and decided to fight for space. He also got a job with the Ministry of Works as it was common for players back in the day.

He was kept in the bench for some time until he had to be used as the anchorman just in front of the defence in the midfield. This is how he picked jersey number six despite being a defender. Back then players kept to the number representing their position as they did not have their name on the jersey. This did not guarantee him a position as Gor had a horde of talented players, so he played only when the regulars were absent. Nevertheless, he bid his time and worked hard.

His determination came out in Nigeria when Gor Mahia faced Bendel Insurance FC away. Oduor missed the first round tie against Horseed FC of Somalia but for some reason, he was played ahead of Gideon Hamisi in midfield. Gor Mahia won 2-1 and Oduor scored the second goal. In 1981, he began to get more matches but still the talent pool meant he missed some matches. Fullback Paul Oduor Cobra and sweeper Mike Ogolla Machine left in 1982 and Oduor moved back to defence as a sweeper.

The sweeper played as cover for the other defenders what some people referred to as “libero”. Oduor was suited for this role because he was more tactical than the required physicality of defence. He also had an eye for a good pass, a trait picked from his stint in midfield. He got his first call up to the national team in 1985 when several caretaker coaches coached the national team after German tactician Bernard Zgoll left in 1984. That is also the same year Murila began to fade from the national team and Oduor was more than ready to step in but coaches had other plans.

Oduor was the Gor Mahia captain as of 1987 when the club won a treble; league, Moi Golden Cup and CAF Cup Winners Cup. It is good to note that John Bobby Ogolla was the national team captain.

Oduor was the captain although there were senior players in the squad. Bobby Ogolla joined Gor in 1979 and by 1980 he had proved himself and even got call ups to the national team.

He partnered Josephat Murila so well, Oduor could not get a chance in the national team until the mid-1980s. When Murila left, his partnership with Ogolla was an extension of their chemistry at club level.  

He retired from football in 1993 after featuring for Kenya in three Afcon finals, between 1988 and 1992. He coached Gor Mahia briefly in 1994 but resigned due to frustration. He slowly eased out to concentrate on his career and family where he raised Arnold Origi. The junior Origi played as goalkeeper for Mathare United and later featured for clubs in Europe as well as national team. Oduor is an uncle to Divok Origi, Mike Okoth’s son who plays for Belgium.

The family hails from Ugenya but they had moved to and settled in Makunga, Mumias in Kakamega County.