Cde Chinx award : The Chairman’s long dream

02 Nov, 2014 - 06:11 0 Views
Cde Chinx award : The Chairman’s long dream Zima chairman Joseph Nyadzayo on stage with Cde Chinx Chingaira at the Zimbabwe Music Awards held at the Harare International Conference Centre last week

The Sunday Mail

Zima chairman Joseph Nyadzayo on stage with Cde Chinx Chingaira at the Zimbabwe Music Awards held at the Harare International Conference Centre last week

Zima chairman Joseph Nyadzayo on stage with Cde Chinx Chingaira at the Zimbabwe Music Awards held at the Harare International Conference Centre last week

Joseph Nyadzayo is a good friend of mine. Once in a while we have drinks together and it was during one of these drinking sessions some years back that he mooted the idea to honour Cde Chinx “in a very special way.”

At that time I didn’t take him serious because ZIMA (his brainchild) was in limbo but he spoke passionately about it. As he spoke, I was tempted to laugh, ‘thinking ooohh, there he goes, maybe the drinks are taking their toll.’

Then sometime in 2013, while on our way to Rome, Italy, Nyadzayo repeated his dream and this being a long flight, he took time to explain what he exactly wanted. He explained that Cde Chinx had contributed immensely to the music industry in Zimbabwe by composing songs that oiled the liberation struggle. And after independence, he carried on composing songs that called for unity, peace and love.

Nyadzayo said despite this contribution, there were high chances that this living hero would not be honoured for his never-to-be-matched-again contribution to the music industry. Nyadzayo said this was unfair and it pained him a lot.

Before this trip to Rome, I had interviewed Cde Chinx about twice and I had full appreciation of Cde Chinx – the musician. The man is easy going, humble but his passion for music runs too deep in his veins. He took me down memory lane to the days of the liberation struggle saying “music was my gun to fight the liberation struggle.”

Show hosts (from left) DJ Mox, Tich Mataz, Ruvheneko and Napster

Show hosts (from left) DJ Mox, Tich Mataz, Ruvheneko and Napster

After these interviews, Cde Chinx became a big brother to me, but I need to confess here that after the second interview, I promised to take him out for drinks and up to now I haven’t fulfilled that promise. He is a patient comrade and I know he will understand. The good thing is that now we have a much bigger and better reason to go for those drinks. Nyadzayo will have to come along. Nyadzayo explained that he had no money, but his dream was to build Cde Chinx a house big enough to accommodate his two wives. I laughed at first but Nyadzayo was stone serious. He said he would do “whatever it takes” to turn this dream into reality. Though a good idea, at the time I thought my good friend was aiming too high.

After this trip from Rome, Nyadzayo would constantly talk about this dream whenever we met and as time passed on, I thought he would abandon the idea. Then early this year, while traveling to South Africa, he told me that he had good news to share with me.

“Munya, shamwari, I have done it. I finally got the housing stand to build Cde Chinx a house. The plan for the house has already been designed and I tell you when we hold the ZIMA awards this year, I want to hand over the keys to the house to Cde Chinx.” He went on and on explaining how he had spoken to different authorities and knocked on the doors of several ministers until he got the stand. The man was clearly relieved.

Then, he said something that made me think he was still living in dreamland. He said although he had secured the stand, he had no money to buy even a single brick to build the house. I looked straight into his eyes and without blinking he gave me assurance that he would source the building materials. “Don’t worry, Munya, ndichapemha kusvika my dream becomes reality. I will hand over this house to Cde Chinx when we hold ZIMA. I want Cde Chinx to shed tears of joy on stage.” I discovered that arguing with him would be a waste of time. He stared at me with that kind of an eye which says “don’t you dare doubt me.”

An artistic impression of the four-bedroomed house that Zima is building for Cde Chinx in Mabelreign

An artistic impression of the four-bedroomed house that Zima is building for Cde Chinx in Mabelreign

At that time ZIMA was about five months away and I thought my good friend was hallucinating. Maybe he saw that I was doubting him and thought I would give him negative energy so for about two months he disappeared from my radar. Then one day he called me sounding just too excited. “Imba yava kuvakwa, sahwira,” he said. He went on to explain how he had sourced the materials adding that he was now rushing against time to finish the house before the ZIMA awards that at that time were scheduled for October 3.

He said although he had not yet sourced the roofing materials, he was sure something would come up soon. He even went further saying he wanted to source furniture for the house. I had learnt my lessons not to doubt him so I said to him “nothing is impossible, comrade. Go for it.”

Time ticked on and once in a while Nyadzayo would update me on the progress. At the beginning of September he called me sounding a bit subdued. He said “Munya, I don’t think the house will be ready for handover at the beginning of October. I still have to source some materials and time is fast running out.” I could feel that he was depressed and I said to him “don’t worry things will fall into place.”

A few days later, ZIMA announced that the awards had been postponed to October 29. Reasons that were given were that Nyadzayo had commitments elsewhere on the planned date. I called Nyadzayo laughing about it and he insisted that “Munya, it’s not about the house. Honestly I will be busy elsewhere on that date.” I continued laughing because I am not a fool. And so ZIMA was postponed and the construction of the house continued. On Tuesday, I called Nyadzayo to catch up on the progress and he said although the roofing of the house had not yet been completed he was happy that the main structure was complete. Just like anyone organising an event like ZIMA, Nyadzayo was still a bit uneasy and I urged him to loosen up. He said he was a little bit worried because some people who had pledged to assist him in putting final touches to the awards night were reneging on their promises.

He then told me that he had booked Cde Chinx’s mother at the Rainbow Towers adding that, “Cde Chinx is not even aware of this and like I told you, Munya, I want Cde Chinx to cry as I hand over the keys to him.”

I spoke to Nyadzayo on Wednesday morning just to give him words of encouragement as this was the day he had been waiting for. He still sounded a bit uneasy but I told him to stop worrying and enjoy the day. I cracked a few jokes and we laughed.

Nyadzayo then said: “Munya, after the awards we should find time for drinks. We should go somewhere and drink like fish such that tinodzoka kumba rumwe, rumwe tichiita zvekutsvagana kuti sahwira aripi.” I think Cde Chinx should come along. Well, congrats Nyadzayo – I know what that award to Cde Chinx means to you. I know how much you sweated running around to make ZIMA a success. I am sure you still have some bills to settle. I know how much you troubled our Councillor at home as you woke up in the middle of the night, scratching your head about ZIMA. It was worth it. We learnt so many lessons. That picture of you with the Chinx family on stage last Wednesday night is one for the archives. But then, who was photographing the photographer? I saw several missed calls as you made frantic efforts to hook up with me just before you went on stage on Wednesday night to make the presentation to Cde Chinx. Due to other commitments, I couldn’t be there to pat you on the back but I watched it all on ZBC TV. I was so proud of you, so happy for you.

God will bless you for proving that even if you don’t have much, you still can make a difference in someone’s life. Cde Chinx will never forget! Zimbabwe will never forget!

Now the drinks can start flowing!

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