Farewell Bon: Do we really care for national heroes?

The coffin bearing the remains of pioneer Olympian Naftali Bon during his burial in Kapsabet on November 12, 2018. PHOTO | TOM MATOKE |

What you need to know:

  • Sadly, even after that monumental achievement, these legends have gone largely unnoticed in their lives as seniors, Sang having passed on in 2004
  • Only Sh60,000 had been raised by Wednesday towards settling this bill
  • For all his achievements for Kenya, at the time of his death from the curable pneumonia, Bon, a father of seven, had not even accessed the monthly stipend the government doles out to seniors over 70 years of age due to red tape

Naftali Bon, along with Daniel Rudisha, Hezekiah Nyamao and Charles Asati, placed Kenya firmly on the global athletics map in 1968 when they struck silver in the 4x400 metres relay at the Mexico Olympic Games.

A firm foundation laid, Asati and Nyamao teamed up with Robert Ouko and Julius Sang four years later in Munich to elevate the title to gold, Kenya’s and Africa’s only Olympic gold medal ever in the 4x400m relay.

Sadly, even after that monumental achievement, these legends have gone largely unnoticed in their lives as seniors, Sang having passed on in 2004.

Ouko, ailing and relying on contributions from friends, was recently discharged from hospital leaving a bill of Sh350,000.

Only Sh60,000 had been raised by Wednesday towards settling this bill.

Olympic legend Naftali Bon participates in a race during his heydays. PHOTO | FILE

Bon, 73, died on November 2 at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital and was buried at his Nandi home last Sunday, without any ceremony befitting a global athletics trailblazer.

The former policeman died a poor man after living a desolate life at Kapng’etuny Village, with only his medals to show.

No national government official attended his burial. Not the Sports and Heritage Cabinet Secretary, not the Principal Secretary. Not their representative… No one!

Yet Kenya’s founding father, President Jomo Kenyatta, decorated Bon for his exploits, rightly elevating him to national hero status in his heyday.

Thankfully, the Nandi County Government, led by sports executive Elly Kurgat and chief officer Kennedy Tanui, joined past and present athletes and Bon’s family to give him a warm send-off on Sunday.

Veteran athletes (from left) Billy Kosgei, Bethuel Kimaiyo and Ibrahim Hussein during the burial of Olympic legend Naftali Bon in Kapsabet on November 11, 2018. PHOTO | TOM MATOKE |

The legends included Mike Boit, Ibrahim Hussein, Daniel Komen and Sammy Koskei along with Bethwel Kimaiyo and Billy Kosgei.

For all his achievements for Kenya, at the time of his death from the curable pneumonia, Bon, a father of seven, had not even accessed the monthly stipend the government doles out to seniors over 70 years of age due to red tape. “He represented the country, not for monetary gain, which partly explains the poor conditions he lived in. We should really look again at how we treat our heroes,” Tanui said.