For what seemed like an eternity, the main stand at City Stadium was silent like a graveyard.
You could even hear a pin drop at the opposite ‘Tok Komwanda’ stand that is usually loud, feverish and intimidating.
Gor Mahia’s normally reliable goalkeeper Jerim Onyango had misjudged the flight of a cross allowing Kennedy Otieno to equalise for Thika United in the final game of the 2012 Kenyan Premier League campaign.
The implication of the result would reverberate across the country. Zdravko Logarusic’s league leaders had broken the pot at the door allowing Tusker to sneak through and claim the league title.
It was the trigger of chaos that reigned outside the stadium moments later, leaving scores injured and property damaged as the mourning Green Army took out their frustrations on anything for missing out on a first league title in 17 years.
“It was one of the worst moment for me especially being a player, a goalkeeper and a captain for Gor Mahia,” conceded Jerim, nicknamed 'Jagoal' by the K’Ogalo faithful.
“This is especially having had a very impressive run all season until things went wrong in our last match against Thika United.
“You know by that time, Gor Mahia had gone for 17 years without winning the prestigious league title and expectations were high and everyone was anxious. Conceding a goal which looked easy made them see as if I had denied them a chance to clinch the title,” rued Onyango.
He added: “The match ended in a 1-1 draw enabling Tusker to be crowned champions. It was a difficult time for me and at the same time, it motivated me to work even extra harder the coming season.”
“For sure it wasn’t easy coping with the situation at hand. It was difficult to overcome but we had to encourage each other that there was the second time and what we needed was to work harder and this eventually bore fruits the following seasons,” he said.
Logarusic had been livid the entire match, throwing his file to the turf in disgust. Even as a foreigner Logarusic knew what the league entailed.
“He felt really bad because we had lost the league by a whisker. There were some moments in the changing room where everyone was just quiet and meditating. We thank God that as a team, no one blamed one another for the draw but encouraged each other never to look down,” he revealed.
They stuck together as a team, working hard the following season and results for the next three campaigns put Jerry’s name among the pantheon of great players to have captained Gor to a league title.
Other captains who had steered Gor to the title included Bobby Ogolla, Austin Oduor and prior to the 2013 romp, Zedekiah Otieno ‘Zico’ in 1995. From a pariah 12 months earlier, ‘Jagoal’ was now a bonafide club legend.
“Hard work, prayers and teamwork worked for us the coming season that is 2013, where we won the league and at the same time, I was named as the best goalkeeper in KPL. We swore to win it again the coming season, which we did three times in a row, thanks to hard work, determination, teamwork. Having quality players also played a vital role and above all prayers,” noted the now-retired shot-stopper.
Jerim was born in Siaya County, Ugunja Constituency on November 18, 1984. He was enrolled at Kibera Primary School then later joined Rambula Mixed Secondary School in Ugunja, where he did his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCSE) exams in 2004.
“I come from a family of seven—four boys and three girls. Sadly, I have lost two of my sisters and a brother. May they continue resting in perfect peace. My elder brother, Dennis Otieno is a teacher by profession and the younger one, an Engineer by profession,” revealed Jerim, who is married to a lady from Maralal Town, Samburu County. Their union has been blessed with three boys, firstborn being 11years, second (six years) and third (three years).
Jerry grew in a family, where everyone loved watching football and whenever there was a match everyone sat down and was glued to the television.
Their favourite teams apart from Gor Mahia and Harambee Stars were the indomitable Lions of Cameroon and Brazil.
“My late dad and mum played a vital role in encouraging me to not only work hard but smart. Watching the likes of Tafarel from Brazil motivated me a lot with the kind of saves he made. It was fun and challenging at the same time when I started my footballing career as one would wish to have the best equipment for the job. I needed boots and gloves but the situation at hand won’t allow as there was no money to buy,” he recounted.
His breakthrough as a footballer came when he was in his twenties. The tax collectors with billions to spare felt they had to give back to the community. So the idea of forming a football club was made true.
“My opening came when I joined Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) now known as Ushuru, then the biggest breakthrough came when I joined Gor Mahia in 2008. I remember playing for a team called Recimianto from Kibera. We went for a friendly match against KRA whose coach by then was Ken Kenyatta. I will always thank him for giving me an opportunity to sign with his team. I was there for only two years. I had a good season with KRA, we met Gor Mahia in the now Betway Cup, where I was so impressive making them go after my signature. I signed for Gor in 2008 though during that time they were not doing so well in the league,” recalled Jerry.
Though he was the number one keeper for the best team in the country, that never translated into a run in as the Kenya One for the national team. However, after making his international debut in the Cosafa Cup against Swaziland, he was always among the three goalkeepers called up for the Harambee Stars.
“It was a great experience as you know every player’s dream is to play for the national team and representing his country which brings joy. Being part of the team that won the Cecafa in 2013 was a great joy as the country had for years gone without winning the regional tournament,” he reminisced.
After retiring from football, Jerry gave a try in politics for the seat of Member of County Assembly in 2017 but fared poorly, losing at the nomination stage in spite of his instant face and name recognition in his home town of Ugunja, Siaya County. “Though I didn’t make it, I was happy with my self for a good try especially being a first timer and young.”
After that, he came back and did courses in goalkeeping and general coaching where he attained CAF C licence.
Currently, he is handling Kenya national under-16 team as the goalkeeping coach and at the same time working as Gor Mahia Youth FC goalkeeping coach and team manager.
