02 Mar 2017

The country owes a debt of gratitude to national pioneers such as Mr Bias Mookodi, described as ‘a developmental catalyst’ in changing Bechuanaland into Botswana.”

Former president, Sir Ketumile Masire expressed this tribute in a wide-ranging interview about the life of his recently departed lifelong friend.

Sir Ketumile noted that Botswana’s quantum leap from being a developmental backwater at independence into the modern middle income state was due, in no small measure, to the contribution of pioneers of Mr Mookodi’s caliber.

“Mr Mookodi contributed his service to this country at a point when we were building the nation at independence. We were development oriented, the sight of hunger expressed in the bare belly of a little child moved us to work harder for a better tomorrow, and Mr Mookodi distinguished himself in national service,” Sir Ketumile said.

The veteran statesman cited education and agriculture as some of the sectors that benefited from the largesse of Mr Mookodi’s selfless contribution to national development. Sir Ketumile also described his departed friend as a man friendly in disposition.

“I have known him for most of my life; we were friends at first sight, from our primary school days until we were elderly citizens. He was a cheerful, happy go lucky  person, kindhearted; in all these years I don’t ever remember us quarrelling, he had an amiable character,” Sir Ketumile said.

Born on February 29, 1928 in Moshupa, Mr Mookodi began his studies at St Theresa Mission School, a Catholic seminary in Lobatse. He met Sir Ketumile after relocating to Kanye, where he completed his primary schooling. The two became lifelong friends, best men at each other’s weddings, and fellow contributors to national development.

“We were among the three I recall earning a bursary to do our secondary schooling at Tiger Kloof in South Africa. When I proceeded to a teacher training college, Mr Mookodi went to study an Advanced Agricultural Diploma and then a full degree at Fort Hare also in South Africa,” Sir Ketumile said.

Mr Mookodi served as an instructor in Animal Husbandry at the Ramatlabama Veterinary School, and would later work at the Ministry of Agriculture headquarters in 1965.

Thereafter, Mr Mookodi became the country’s first Motswana permanent secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education (MoE), before serving as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in 1969, before a second stint as PS in the then MoE.

He also served as the assistant permanent secretary in the Office of the President, before a third tenure at MoE PS.

Mr Mookodi served for three years as the ambassador to the United States of America in Washington, before being the PS in the Ministry of Labour, where he retired from the civil service in the 1980s. He is the recipient of the Presidential Order of Honour (2000) and a Golden Jubilee medal for being an independence-era pioneer.

Survived by his wife and three daughters, Mr Mookodi will be laid to rest on March 3 in Gaborone. ENDS