Work on Bathoen II statue begins

CHIPPA LEGODIMO &
GASEBALWE SERETSE | Friday August 1, 2008 00:00

Bathoen II, who ruled from 1928 to 1969 when he abdicated, is one of the celebrated political icons in Botswana history, having been actively involved in both traditional and contemporary politics. Bathoen II was thrust into the political arena when his father, Seepapitso III, was assassinated by his jealous brother, Moepapitso, when he was still a child. The kgosi, who some historians describe as 'stubborn, authoritarian, but hard working' was formally installed as a kgosi in 1928. In the 1930s, he and Kgosi Tshekedi Khama of the Bangwato were regarded as the most influential chiefs in Botswana who  worked tirelessly to oppose Resident Commissioner, Charles Rey's proclamations that sought to greatly reduce the powers of the Dikgosi. Initially, Kgari Sechele of the Bakwena (then, a senior morafe among Tswana-speaking merafe) was supposed to support the duo in this enterprise, but backtracked.

Although at first it seemed Bathoen II's and Tshekedi Khama's efforts were all in vain when Charles Arden-Clark took over as Resident Commissioner in 1937, he would agree that the proclamations were ill - conceived.

Bathoen II also worked with Tshekedi Khama to fight off any attempts to incorporate the then Bechuanaland into either South Africa or Rhodesia, the battle that they inherited from their ancestors (Bathoen I and Khama III).

In 1969, Bathoen II abdicated and joined the Botswana National Front (BNF) becoming the first kgosi to contest an election. Although some might argue to the contrary, the other kgosi, Sir Seretse Khama, the rightful heir to the Bangwato throne, was never formally installed. He died in July 1980. Contesting the Ngwaketse constituency, he trounced Quett Ketumile Masire of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Masire would much later become the second president of Botswana and get knighted. Seepapitso IV, along with members of the committee, which has been selected to prepare the monument, visited the site where it is being sculptured at Goora Montshiwa in Kanye yesterday, and despite the few changes that they need done on the clay, he expressed satisfaction at the progress.

'This is my father, yes, it is him. But his left shoulder should be a little lower because that is how he looked. He always wore a pair of trousers with a turn-up, but I can see you have given him a straight type that he did not like at all,' Seepapitso IV modestly told the sculptor, Masilonyana Radinoga.

Radinoga is a renowned artist who tendered for the Three Dikgosi monument erected at the Gaborone Central Business District (CBD), but lost out to a foreign company.

The other thing that Seepapitso IV would like to see changed is the right hand, which has been designed to hold a stick, but according to him his father never used a walking stick.

'You should lower it a little bit because that is how he walked and I also walk with my hand half open and raised a little bit,' he said.

He also took a walk to demonstrate the posture to Radinoga. The committee had instructed Radinoga not to create a hat for the statue, but Seepapitso IV insisted that his father always put a hat 'twisted a little 'and that he should appear like that in the monument. One of the things missing from the statue according to Seepapitso IV was the sun glasses, which, he said, his father always put on.

'I knew him very well, it was rare to see him without them. It will be easier for those who knew him to identify him if he has them on,' he emphasised.

'But, otherwise, this is him, the features in the face are real, only if you can work on the hand, put on that hat and make a turn-up then you will get it right,' he said.

The meeting was meant to give the committee as well as Seepapitso IV a chance to inspect the progress before embarking on another stage where changes might be hard to make. In a separate interview, Radinoga said that it was a blessing to work on such a project closer to the owners because their ideas will help him produce a statue they are looking for.

'I have been working on it for the past two weeks and it has been very helpful that people come here with various comments. The committee has been able to see if I am moving in the right direction and it helps in the sense that changes can be made before we put harder materials, which are difficult to remove and remould.'

For Radinoga, this is a chance to prove himself and he promises to produce an immaculate piece. He believes he had not been given the chance, especially with the three Dikgosi statues and now he wants to leave a lasting impression.

'I have not charged the committee too much money, maybe just enough to cover the costs because I really appreciate that they have given me a chance to work on a project of this magnitude. I am not much into making money but to prove myself to everybody that I am capable,' he said.

Radinoga said after making the recommended changes he would again invite the committee to assess and that if they approved he will then proceed to the next stage where he intends to use fibreglass.

He has already booked space at a factory in Pretoria, South Africa, for the final stage where the statue will be coated into a bronze effigy. He said that he expected the statue to be ready for erection before the end of next month (September).

'I do not see any delays because after making all the needed finishing touches, what I will remain with will be much easier because it (the process) is like photo-copying the clay mould,' he said.