NOS Football•
He stands tall, stiff, with one hand in the air for almost the entire match. Like a statue, amid an exuberant sea of specially dressed football supporters.
That is also the intention. Michel Kuka Mboladena based his pose on a famous statue of freedom fighter Patrice Lumumba in the center of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This week, ‘Lumumba’ went viral on social media with his striking pose at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Tonight he will be present again when DR Congo plays its last group match, against Botswana.
The African news agency ZOA went looking for the living statue and discovered that the performer also has the necessary dance moves.
When it comes to his idol, he is dead serious. “There is a great similarity between me and Patrice Émery Lumumba,” says Kuka Mboladena. “I am his grandson, his kinsman.”
The latter is not true, but it is a convincing lie. Just as he confidently steps into the shoes of the famous revolutionary from his country. “It’s an inspiration,” said Kuka Mboladena. “I do it with all my heart.”
“He remains completely silent for 90 minutes, sometimes 120 minutes,” says Mundele Ndundu, the leader of the supporter group that follows the Congolese football team. “For us, that’s something incredible.”
For many Congolese – not all – Lumumba is a national hero. His body was dissolved in acid after his death, but a gold-crowned tooth was seized by a Belgian police officer.
In 2022, the tooth was returned to the former prime minister’s family. After traveling through the country for several days, the tooth was buried at the foot of Lumumba’s statue in Kinshasa.
Several Lumumba lookalikes were photographed at the ceremony. Among them: Michel Kuka Mboladena.
Yet we should not see this as a major political gesture, says Kuka Mboladena. “It inspires. All Congolese are happy to see me. It also gives strength to the national team. When the players see that I am there, they want to play well and give us the victory.”
‘Lumumba’ at the World Cup?
After a win over Benin (1-0) and a draw against Senegal (1-1), the Democratic Republic of Congo is already assured of the eighth finals of the Africa Cup.
We may also see ‘Lumumba’ next summer at the World Cup in the United States. The Democratic Republic of Congo still has a chance of qualifying through the intercontinental play-offs.
On May 31, Congo will play the winner of the match between New Caledonia and Jamaica for a ticket. In 1974, the country – then still known as Zaire – was present at the World Cup for the first and only time.
That performance went down in history mainly because of the 9-0 defeat against Yugoslavia and the curious yellow card of defender Mwepu Ilunga against Brazil.
Only later did it become clear how great the pressure on the players had been from the regime of dictator Mobutu.
Worth a look
