The Sunday Mail
TEARS rolled down the cheeks of the thousands of mourners as Joel Nhodza sang in a voice full of emotion, grief, sadness and pain.
How he gathered the energy, strength and composure to stand before the stunned mourners, no one really knows.
It was heartrending, but Joel had to be strong and he sang on to give his father a befitting send-off.
Earlier on, Joel’s sister, Grace, had delivered a speech loaded with sorrow, quoting relevant and comforting verses from the Bible while the other sister, Mercy, had given her father the kind of send-off that must have made angels smile.
To cap it all, Mrs Priscilla Nhodza nee Ndasaka — clearly in excruciating pain gathered the energy and fought back stubborn tears to bid his dear husband farewell. Psalm 34: 18 quickly comes to mind. “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.”
These were the sorrowful scenes as thousands of people gathered in Harare to bid farewell to Dr Eric Nhodza who passed away on November 10, 2014.
His death was so sudden it left many relatives, friends, church members and business associates paralyzed with grief and pain.
Indeed, death is a thief! A stupid thief at it!
But who was Dr Eric Nhodza? Who was this man who at just 52 years brought the leafy low-density suburb of Hogerty Hill to a standstill as thousands of mourners gathered in preparation for his burial at Glen Forest?
Well, some might have forgotten but Dr Nhodza was the owner of Gope Investments, a property development company that built thousands of houses in Harare and he was also the owner of Wedzera Petroleum, that fuel company which served the country so well during those difficult and chaotic days of the severe fuel crisis that almost brought the country to its knees.
Dr Nhodza, who grew up in Mufakose, was among the few indigenous businessmen who after the attainment of independence ventured into the white-dominated property and energy sectors, paving the way for other black businessmen to follow.
No wonder why he was friends with the late Peter “Boss Pams” Pamire and the flamboyant business mogul Dr Philip Chiyangwa.
One cannot talk about the pioneers of black empowerment and the indigenisation programme without talking about this trio.
Dr Chiyangwa attended the funeral together with the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, another close friend of Dr Nhodza.
The grief printed boldly on their faces told the story of close friends who had lost a dear friend.
“My friendship with Eric started way back in 1985 and to be honest with you, since then he has been my inspiration. I copied most of his business models. He started Royal Car Hire and I started Glory Car Hire. He started Gope Investments, a property developing company and I started Pinnacle Holdings to do the same.
“He built a nice house near the President’s residence in Borrowdale and I built my White House mansion. Eric knew that whatever he did in terms of business, I would copy him. He was my inspiration, a trend-setter and a visionary of note,” said Dr Chiyangwa.
He added that although they were friends, “I am flamboyant and Eric was the opposite. He was very reserved. It’s like that in any society. People are different.
“As for me, you see, it’s my style. You know, kuita mari kunenge kushaina. You have to make lots of money kuti vanhu vanyarare. That’s me for you.”
Dr Chiyangwa said Dr Nhodza, as one of the pioneers in property development after independence, had built houses for most of the top officials in the country in suburbs such as Borrowdale Brook, Hogerty Hill and Glen Lorne.
“He also built thousands of houses for the middle and low-income earners across the country. Eric was like someone akatumwa naMwari to serve the people. Always he was your background guy. phone call from Masimirembwa on Monday night (10 November) telling me that Eric was no more, I could not believe it. I was devastated. By the way, Eric was still very young. His death really pained me.
“I will always remember Eric for giving me the inspiration and giving me a permanent way of life. Remember now I survive mainly from property development after getting notes and advice from Eric.
“Eric was indeed a good man. Instead of giving me fish, he gave me the fishing rod and here I am, Boss Phidza still going strong and making lots of money,” said Dr Chiyangwa.
Minister Kasukuwere said he knew Dr Nhodza from the early 1990s when he was one of the leading black businesspeople in the transport, construction and health sectors.
“Nhodza was committed to his country and during the fuel crisis he went out of his way to ensure that the country had fuel through Wedzera Petroleum. Nhodza was one of a kind — very simple, humble and easy going.
“He would not pick up a fight unnecessarily and when he wronged you, he would accept and say let’s move on. When he gave his commitment to support you, he would do just that.
“I vividly remember he assisted me so much in 1999 to campaign in my constituency. He provided me with vehicles and he assisted me to construct a lot of schools in the constituency.
“The country has lost one of its sharp backgrounders. His sudden death left me quite shaken but maybe the Lord called him because he had done his bit,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
Of course, Dr Nhodza had his fair share of problems and challenges in running his businesses, but that’s the nature of any business and the most important thing is that despite the odds, he stood up after falling and soldiered on.
The Chief of Protocol in the President’s Office, Ambassador Munyaradzi Kajese, another close friend of Dr Nhodza, lightened up the funeral procession when he told mourners that “this is not the time to cry but rejoice in the works of Dr Nhodza.”
“I want to tell everyone here that’s this is not the time to cry. Amai Nhodza and family, I know it’s painful, but Nhodza did a lot and let’s rejoice because of his wonderful works . . . As you know, it’s not the number of years that really matters but the impact of one’s life on others. Jesus was only 33 years old when he died, but up to this day, we still talk about him.
“Nhodza played his part and the thousands of people gathered here are a testimony of his good works,” said Ambassador Kajese before bursting into a gospel song that lifted the grief-load off the shoulders of many.
Dr Nhodza, who was a devout Christian (he moved from End Time Messages to form his own church, Another Touch) must have smiled wherever he was to see one of his close friends not crying but praising his good works.
With such friends, death is ashamed and death is weakened!
The Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Cde Webster Shamu, was also there to bid farewell to a dear friend.
As Dr Nhodza lay motionless in his casket, the minister for the last time greeted him as he always did whenever they met.
“Who is the boss? Eric, who is the boss?” Well, the good friend was no more and he could not respond.
For me, Dr Nhodza was my “kule.” Whenever we met, he encouraged me to further my studies and remain professional in executing my job. He spoke softly and walked softly – only Joel can imitate his departed and dear father.
I know many journalists who interacted with Dr Nhodza who were devastated by his sudden death.
My good friend Chris Goko, the executive deputy editor at the Daily News, called me expressing disbelief.
Such was kule’s effect on people.
Dr Nhodza’s two sisters Mai Takundwa or Nyawo and Mai Motsi cried uncontrollably at the funeral — their beloved brother, the family’s breadwinner was gone.
For Mai Takundwa, the pain was unbearable. Death is killing her softly – for just over a year ago, she lost her dear husband – a gentle giant called George Takundwa Nyawo and a lovely daughter called Vimbai. What exactly is death?
Dr Nhodza is gone.
Some called him “mudavanhu,” because he assisted hundreds of people in many ways, yet he never asked anything in return.
Dr Nhodza ran his race and as Isaiah 57:2 says: “Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.”
Rest in peace, kule!
