Last Saturday was a memorable day for a resident of Thohoyandou, Mr Mbulaheni Aaron Thidiela. He celebrated his 69th birthday during a ceremony held at the Vhufuli branch of the United African Apostolic Church (UAAC). During the ceremony, he also celebrated the doctorate in theology he had completed at the Zambian Gideon Robert University.
The executive mayor of Vhembe District Municipality, Dowelani Nenguda, delivered a keynote address during the ceremony. He encouraged the other members of the church to follow in Mr Thidiela's footsteps.
Aaron Thidiela's elder brother, Mr David Thidiela, who is chairman of Black Leopards Football Club and leader of the Vhufuli branch of the UAAC, said that Aaron had done both the Thidiela clan and the church proud.
When addressing the congregation, Mr Aaron Thidiela said that his achievement was the result of his dedication and perseverance over the past years. Apart from the fact that he grew up in a Christian family, Thidiela was an athlete in his younger days. Hans Coetzee, as he was known during his heydays, started to play football in the streets of Vhufuli village at the age of 10. His school mates from Vhufuli Primary School know him as one of the best athletes in the area. He carried the school's hopes for several years when it came to the 100-metre and 400-metre sprints during athletics meetings.
After completing his primary education, Thidiela left athletics and focused more on his favourite sport, football. He played for several teams, including Gooldville Young Tigers, before he retired in 1977 after sustaining a serious knee injury. He worked as an administrator at several football clubs, including Phungo All Stars and Black Leopards before he said goodbye to the sport to become a full-time pastor of the UAAC at the Vhufuli branch.