Last week, we met football legend and community activist Bernard “Dubu” Thomas, a star forward on the Coke Milpros teams of the late 1980’s and later on the over-35 Ebony Lake football team. But for the past 27 years, he has been known for something else: a one-man effort to maintain the Hostel Field, also known as the Albert Hoy Field for the former manager of the Landivar amateur City champions of the 1970’s and informally nicknamed “Dubu Field” for Thomas himself in honor of his efforts to maintain it. He tells us why it is so important for him.

Bernard “Dubu” Thomas:
Everything that I do on this compound is about me.  Whatever I get on the football field goes to a contribution for gas.  It’s a hurt from then till now.  I’m history.
It’s nobody give the title to me.  I create that title myself.
It’s all about an abandoned field, the Government just abandon for many many years.

Bernard Thomas says that it would be a heartbreak for him if the field is sold or otherwise taken over without any input from him.

Bernard “Dubu” Thomas:
I believe if anything do happen in this compound, it’s a be me and I have Farmer community to do it.  Because in all a my time, I was taking nothing for it. So the little money I pass through, why I can’t be supervisor.
Oh yea.  Bring the man from so far, and I’m here. So if I look at money they contribute to the place why I can’t get.
It’s not about money, you know.
I invest physical on this compound that belong to Government, that they may neglect. Today they eyes on it, like a pretty girl walking.
[If this field would be sold] I di cry.  I di hate it. Maybe I di come a monster.  Maybe they di shift me to become a monster.   

Mr Thomas can be contacted for donations and assistance at the Field, next to the Racoon Street police station.

PlusTV