Paidha Black Angels recently launched a compulsory membership fee of 20,000 shillings to all their fans, with a good number already having sent in their payments. This fee is split into two equal parts: 10,000 shillings covers membership, and the other 10,000 shillings covers the season's subscription.
However, many still look at the development as 'just another way of soliciting money from the poor fans,' because why is everyone supposed to pay 20,000 shillings per season yet again be required to pay an entry fee or buy a ticket to attend games?
We have sat down and brought some light, weighing in on the good and bad of the said compulsory membership fee.
The Blacks watching a home fixture at Bar Okoro Stadium. (Credit: PBA SC Media)
Let's get started with the conversation from an awkward point of view.
Think about saying you love your child, and when he gets sick, you don't give money for treatment, or show responsibility. Are you a loving parent or just a parent by say?
Okay, let me change to another perspective. For the ladies; if a guy called daily and texted you that he loved you for three months straight without taking you out for a drink or ice-cream or buying you some sort of a gift, would you still believe in the said love?
Men, please don't come after me; that was for ladies to understand.
As for the men, probably we all have that group of guys we hang around with; how would you in particular feel, if this one guy is always saying "my G, my G," and the day you need some little assistance from him, he's gone mute on you, leave you on blue ticks.
Enough of the perspectives.
Now, let's bring it back to the context of the said compulsory membership and subscription; Paidha Black Angels, has been doing a serious housekeeping ahead of the new season, and as part, checking club finances has been a key priority.
A fan-filled Piribinega Stand at the fortress, Bar Okoro Stadium in Paidha Town. (Credit: PBA SC Media)
It's absolute shame for a club of the magnitude of Paidha Black Angels, said to have the most fans in the whole of Northern Uganda (obviously true,) not to know who the real fans actually are.
How do you know the real fans; simple, just as you would know a caring parent, or a really loving man, or a friend who is there to bail you some urgent 10K when you run out of fuel. (From the examples mentioned prior.)
I think it's clear now.
The club will only know the real fans who love it by their actions, and most especially giving, inform of the annual membership and subscription. You cannot be a fan that you think you are, if you can't spare a 20K for a whole season's membership and subscription which you'd drink to zero before even first half ends on a matchday.
The membership fee, isn't only a test of loyalty to the fanbase; it also comes with some special fan rights.
A subscribed member of the fanbase has access to all sanctioned club activities, such as the AGM (2026 which is coming in a few days.) You don't only attend, but also have voting rights, unlike an unsubscibed vocal fan who will have to wait to hear partial reports from the proceedings later and with no voting obligations.
The 20,000 shilling compulsory membership and subscription fee also guarantees you a place to be among the first to receive insider information from the official club channels. You get yourself a seat among the few fans, of the thousands; is't that interesting?
Is getting information just enough? I think no.
A decent turn up at the Acer Community Stadium during one of the pre-season "Greater Nebbi Tour" friendlies against Owilo FC. (Credit: @Paidha1979 on X)
By being a subscribed member of the club, you have all rights to question certain decision and have a say when deemed appropriate; but remember, this doesn't guarantee you absolute powers to decide or question every decision (especially technical ones.)
Sometimes, people don't ask the hard questions when need arise for fear of being screwed against the wall and one of them, "what happens if I don't pay the 20,000 shillings membership and subscription?"
Much as it's optional to either or not pay the memebership and subscription on your side, it's a compulsory first unifying step on the club's side; and by not paying, you have already cut yourself out, degrading from being a fan to being a regular spectator of Paidha Black Angels.
You risk removal or staying out of the official subscribed fans WhatsApp group, where most club activities are first announced and discussed before being fed to the public eye, which now includes you the unsubscribed 'fan.'
You are naturally cut away from the greater family by just failing to pay the 20,000 shillings.
It will all not make sense if I wrote for tens of minutes and you read for a few, probably lesser but precious time without telling you how to pay for the membership and subscription.
All payments are sent to the Treasury, via MTN MoMo 0772930682 or still MoMo Pay with the merchant code 797406 in the names Adebu Jerry.
Make a difference, your single contribution is enough to buy water for the players on a matchday.
