It is Well with Our Soul: Once Upon a Time Albert Tubilandu Ndimbu, The Clever Cat

Tirelessly shaken to their limits by Musona and Gould, V Club was beaten 2-0 by Kaizer Cheifs on the return leg of the 2014 CAF Champions League, on March 29, 2014, at Soccer City in the outskirts of Soweto (South West Town). The Greens and Blacks would eventually qualify thanks to Firmin Mubele’s hat-trick (triplet) at the Tata Raphaël Stadium in the first leg. In charge of the team logistics department, Tubilandu Ndimbu was at work, preparing the team jerseys for a light training session due to take place at Balfour Park in Johannesburg, on the evening of March 26, 2014. Prior to that, I was privileged, for the very first time in my life, to have a one on one talk with the smiling and reserved Tubi about his lush career at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Eastgate Shopping Center. At the end of our tête-à-tête, I realized how beneficial and meritorious that in the face of concealment from sometimes criminal accountabilities on behalf of local sport authorities, the total absence of the slightest reflection signal on the role played by internationally renowned footballers like Albert Tubilandu Ndimbu, a natural feeling of frustration and indignation has already and necessarily arisen, and it is developing in a latent way towards a debacle of football management holistic system in DRC; without a “Hall of Fame” in front of which ordinary people would bow to recap the luxuriance of Congolese football which has offered so much to the country, and immortalizing its glorious past.

Sadly, the news came in! Tubilandu, the Clever Niawu (Cat) has gone forever on June 16, 2021. He is dead! One of the best goalkeepers of his time in the ’70s and’ 80s, Vieux Tubi was part of the Leopards’ campaign in Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund for the unprecedented 1974 World Cup, representing Zaire, even though he would have conceded 6 goals against Yugoslavia to replace first choicer Kazadi of TP Englebert. He remains one of the pillars of the V Club team which won the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1973, becoming the African Champions League, alongside Kibonge Mafu, Lobilo Boba, Luyeye, Kondi, Ricky Mavuba, Maufranc Mambwene, Garry Ngasebe, Adélar Mayanga Maku, and others Jean Kembo Uba Kembo Tumba Pouce, Mavuba, Mayanga, Kembo, Ndaye Mutumbula. The Bana Veya only continental trophy ever.

Tubilandu was in goals during the 1981 CACC final between JET (Jeune Electronique de Tizi-Ouzou – JS Kabylie) and V club, which they lost irrespective of some devastating upheavals, but magnificently infinitesimal by a certain Katshimuka. V Club lost both legs 5-0 (4-0, 0-1) against the club that furnish the Fennec national Team (Algeria) with some players, featuring among the backbone of the Algeria national Team at the 1982 FIFA World Cup, such as the capitain Ali Fergani, Larbes and the two goalkeepers Mehdi Cerban and Mourad Amara. Elsewhere Ngoma, Mbuya, Kama Mundweni, Mobwa, Kipulu, Baku, Bobo Bobutaka and Temo made up the hard core of this 1981 generation of V Club in the African campaign, including Vieux Tubi too. Clever Cat “Tubilandu” took part in two other inter club finals; in the Champions League against Sétif in 2014 and in the 2018 Confederation Cup-CAF Cup against Raja Casablanca. Not as a player but an important member of the technical staff as goalkeeper coach and in charge of the team logistics department respectively. Unfortunately V club had bitten the dust, losing each time these last two finals, thus reducing their chances to expand their continental trophy cabinet.

Vieux Tubi had accustomed V Club fanatics as well as the Leopards’ to his phantasmagorical jumps, dives, famously known as “zonplons” which earned him the pseudonym of the Clever Niawu (Cat). Memories will not slip away as long as the country keeps in mind March 31, 1985 in the afternoon. That day, at the Stade de la Révolution (now Massamba Debbah) in Brazzaville, Zaire with Tubilandu as goalkeeper, bloodied the Red Devils of Congo Brazzaville’s hell by 2-5. The history new pages have been added to football archives. As of that day, all games between the DRC and Congo Brazzaville are labeled as “The Pool (Malebo) Derbies”, even at clubs level. Bolaseke and Ngapy who will argue against this assertiveness that at the end of the game at the Stade de la Révolution in Brazzaville with high stakes Champions League game, opposing FC CARA (Club Athlétique Renaissance Aiglons) and AS Bilim /Dragons (DRC).

Still in his Super Sub role in the national team during Congolese football heyday, the Clever “Niawu” is also African champion with the Leopards in 1974 in Egypt, a continental recital with strikers Ndaye Mulamba, top scorer of all the times in one edition of the AFCON with 9 goals in 6 games during this epic 1974 edition, Emmanuel Kakoko Etepe “Dieu de Ballon- The God of the ball”, Adelard Mayanga Maku “Good Year”, Joseph Kibonge, Raoul Kidumu but also defenders Raymond Buanga Tshimenu, the only one DRC African Ballon d’Or in 1973, Lobilo Boba known as “Docta”, Jean Mana and Albert Mukombo. Vieux (Elder) Tubi takes a never-before-seen feat of exploits to the afterlife. This final against Zambia is the only game in the history of the Confederation of African Football -CAF to be replayed. After a 2-2 draw between the two neighbours, south side of the Republic of Zaire, the match was replayed 48 hours later, Zaire won by 2-0 (Ndaye) thus winning their second continental title, and Tubilandu was among the happy ambassadors who lifted the cup that the whole country named Moseka to this day, notwithstanding the varied DRC names change. 10 times Zaire champion, Tubilandu has enjoyed two Challenge Papa Kalala Trophies (1982 and 1983), 3 Zaire Cups in 1981, 1982 and 1983.

Who else would brighten up some mornings in the Mai-Ndombe suburb in the Municipality of Matete, the cradle of Albert Tubi where he was born? Nobody! The question is worth of asking in order to recall the heroic attitude by then Congolese footballers who threw out all they had without financial compensation proportional to their dedication, honouring the DRC, nothing is abundantly said about the role played by the 1968 and 1974 Leopards. A wisp like Bobutaka-Bobo is not known by many but whereas he was the thorn in the flesh of defenders; worse still with Kama, Ndefubule, Tovo, Mobua, Mbala, Yaba, Mangala, Bondali Swing etc… The reasons for this reluctance are negatively multiple. Tubilandu was a self-taught man who taught the history of Congolese, African and world football for free, without adequate teaching materials, for having taken part in the unfolding of football history, as he lived it and not as he learned it or heard about it. The consequences of a falsified history are firstly due to the existence of partial memories. They are also due to the lack of reflection on experiences that are certainly traumatic, but with high educational value. The image of the Congolese public authorities and their relationship to sport in general and football in particular, would undoubtedly come out of a reflection and a debate in which democracy itself would have everything to lose. How to avert the fate of this tragedy for memory absence?

For us in the DRC, we have lost such a dear being, Albert Tubilandu Ndimbu, there are sorrows that are very difficult to overcome when one as important as Vieux Tubi passes on. When the pain has eased a little, there will remain in our hearts the Most Beautiful Memories of his radiant and glorious life on earth, full of souvenirs. This is not the end of the story, Clever Cat -Niawu! One morning will unite us in new happiness. Here or elsewhere, Better days will come. You will be there, living in our Memory. You will be in our dreams at night, during the day and you will strengthen us with the dimension that is missing from now on.

It is through the editorial ink of frustration, of deep questioning that I vociferate these incongruities by leaders and plead with them to erase the oblivion and speculation that characterize their intellect. Many great Congolese footballers are never recognized by the country, alive or dead. At this hour the veins of many Bana Ya Changu are getting emptied of their blood – their football blood. The DRC is getting stripped of their legends, these great ambassadors who enhance DRC image and put the country on the pedestal of continental and global chessboard. In a story that will be told differently, events will not be the same. To tell the story of this football differently, or being told by others, is already setting out on the path of reconciliation with lost souls and those alive, steeped in love and hate.

Farewell My Brother – Goodbye Champ!