Stephen Bogere

Combines Both Football & The Gospel

Growing up as a young soccer looking kid, every Saturday was always approached by an�cipa�on and excitement.

The an�cipa�on and excitement was orchestrated by the live radio football broadcasts from Nakivubo Staduim that endured every Saturday a�ernoon.

Radio broadcas�ng maestros such as charles Byekwaso and Francis Ojia (both late).

Graced the airwaves of Radio Uganda every Saturday with beau�ful commentaries.

Commentaries that endeared many young kids like myself to the love of ugandan football.

The commentaries in and unto themselves triggered the imagina�on of our young minds to desire football.

And many �mes than not we wondered what it was like to be in the terraces of Nakivubo stadium.

Watching the great Ugandan football players in real �me.

However in one or too many commentaries, there was one football player that stood tall among the so many.

The name of this football player was Steven Bogere.

Of course as a young kid in the early 1990s, you was never aware of the posi�on of any par�cular player on the field of play.

But you was fascinated by the dura�on of �me the commentator spent talking about a par�cular player in ac�on.

Steven Bogere was a unique football player.

And on several live radio commentaries you would hear Charles Byekwaso or Francis Ojia saying," Steven Bogere with the ball, Bogere with the ball, Bogere passes the ball to Bogere, Bogere with the ball......."

And as a kid listening to such a live broadcast you would say to yourself, ‘Bogere must be a unique player and an outstanding player on the field.’

Not only an outstanding player but a wizard of sorts

This was the thinking because how can steven Bogere with ball, make a pass and it goes to Bogere again unless they was some sort of magic at play.

Of course growing up we later realized that it was a dummy pass.

Undoubtedly, Steven Bogere was a master of dummy passes right in the middle of the park.

Arguably the best passer of the ball uganda has ever seen, steven Bogere was an a�acking/ crea�ve midfielder like no other.

Playing his best football at both SC Villa and the uganda na�onal team, the number 8 belonged to no one but steven Bogere.

Re�rement for Steven Bogere came in the mid 1990s.

And while in re�rement, Steven Bogere met our

Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ transformed Steven Bogere from an iconic football player to a preacher of the Gospel.

On the premise of his transforma�on through Christ Jesus, Steven Bogere started preaching the Gospel in a ministry that was based in kawempe.

For years Steven Bogere was in ac�ve ministry un�l God thrust it upon his heart to go back to football and became a light for Jesus Christ.

As a kid i idolized a man: a football player; by just listening to his name being pronounced prominently on a live radio broadcast.

But i never knew how this man looked like in real life.

Interes�ngly enough, i followed up on my football desire and started playing the game.

While playing as a teenager, i came across two youthful men one was named Robert Lutalo and the other James Nyero.

They were brillant football players.

I admired their approach and passion for football.

For that reason , Lutalo and James become my friends and mentors.

A�er enrolling into secondary school, Lutalo and James took me to Tigers football club.

A club they played for even at the �me that i met both of them while i was s�ll in primary school.

And guess what? As des�ny would have it i met Steven Bogere who had just been hired as the new team coach for Tigers club.

Here i was mee�ng my idol and not only that but i was going to be trained by a man i admired.

Just by listening to his Name being pronounced on a live radio broadcast.

With love, passion, integrity, and determina�on, steven Bogere served the Tigers club .

Till he would serve the club no more.

At Tigers club ,Steven Bogere prac�ced his calling in God.

A calling that required Bogere to use football as a pla�orm from which to spread the gospel of Jesus.

Indeed steven Bogere ministered the gospel of Christ to all the members of Tigers club.

Thus using his football compe��ve advantage to lure the lost unto the saving grace of our Lord

Jesus.

Throughout his �me post his playing career, Steven Bogere trusted God in all totality.

Subsequently, Steven Bogere has lived a life earmarked with divine breakthroughs.

Miracle a�er miracle plus last minute saving grace has become part and parcel of the life of steven Bogere..

Without going into details，its been God always making a way where they seemed no way for Steven Bogere.

It so looks like God took Steven Bogere away from football for a given period of �me.

Inorder to prepare him through the gospel of Jesus Christ for a divine assignment far greater than his football talent.

This divine assignment upon the life of Steven Bogere has not been fully realized yet.

But one thing is very certain that the assignment of God upon the life of Steven Bogere is unfolding at each passing day.

And his tes�mony will surely bring many to the realiza�on of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Presently, Steven Bogere is head coach at onduparaka football club.