Obama’s surname is synonymous in the world with Barack Obama as the former president of the United States of America, the country’s first African American president.
But there will be Obama playing senior football at AmaZulu after they promoted the right winger.
Thandanani Obama Mhlongo has been promoted to Usuthu’s topflight side and has been handed a pro-contract by the club, which is good news to Usuthu president Sandile Zungu.
Zungu, before the season got underway, lamented at the lack of promoted players to the senior team at the end of last season after the DStv Diski Challenge team and the senior were disappointing, adding that it is useless to have DDC team and it can be a feeder team to the senior side.
Obama is described as a right winger, and he is a good prospect. The transition for Obama to the senior will be easy since AmaZulu promoted coach Vusi Vilakazi to co-coach the club with Arthur Zwane.
Vilakazi was initially appointed as Diski Challenge before the season and replaced Andile Cele, who is now coaching the under-19.
Vilakazi has since been replaced by Mncedisi Dada Sibiya in the DDC, who was unveiled by the club on Wednesday night.
Sibiya’s first game in charge for Usuthu will be against SuperSport United at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Sunday (13:00) when the festival returns to Durban, but he might not count on Obama.
Usuthu currently sits sixth in the table with nine points after six matches.
As DDC started in Durban on 31 August, marking 10 years of existence, the DStv Diski Challenge festival is back in the warmest city in South Africa.
Defending champions Stellenbosch FC will face TS Galaxy at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday (13:00) and that game will be followed by two-time champions Golden Arrows locking horns with Orlando Pirates at 15:00.
As Usuthu will face SuperSport on Sunday, Kaizer Chiefs, who are seeking their first DDC title and sitting on top of the table, will conclude the festival when they collide with Richards Bay (15:00).
Tickets for all DDC games are free and can be collected at the stadium’s ticket office from 1 pm on Friday.
