The Sunday Mail
Desire Ncube
Ebenezer-Tiri Munyasha hit maker Reverend Togarepi Chivaviro has been nominated for the inaugural Trumpet Africa Gospel Music Awards to be held in South Africa at Pretoria State Theatre today.
Rev Chivariro
The awards are being organised by a South African marketing guru, Zanele Mbokazi, and are meant to celebrate the success of African gospel music.
Rev Chivaviro latest album “Mhepo Inoperekedza” is enjoying fair airplay with the title track making it to the top five of the Star FM Gospel Greats.
The Tagma awards have 20 categories and two Zimbabweans — Rev Chivaviro and Celebration Church’s Pr Bonnie Deuschle — have been nominated.
Rev Chivaviro’s hit song Ebenezer-Tiri Munyasha, which he composed with gospel artists Baba Charamba, Kudzie Nyakudya, Baba Mechanic Manyeruke and Noel Zembe among others, was nominated for Best Gospel Collaboration.
He will compete with Pastor Deuschle’s Yahweh.
The two are in the same category with Wumi and Victizzle (Nigeria) and Kenya’s Benachi and Kabere.
Rev Chivaviro was also nominated for the Best Traditional Song Category together with Nigeria’s Enkay, Shongwe and Khuphuka (Swaziland) and Worship House (South Africa).
Speaking from his South African base, Rev Chivaviro said, “We thank God for taking us this far. We believe it is not of our own making, but just the abundance of grace. We were very humbled, being nominated is deeper grace, and this song Ebenezer has opened unlimited doors for us. We believe we are going there representing our country.
“By God’s grace we might bring something home, but we are very satisfied with the recognition itself.” Rev Chivaviro will be a guest performer at the awards ceremony together with other renowned African gospel musicians among them Benjamin Dube (South Africa), James Okon (Nigeria), Mabongi Mabaso (South Africa), Joe Mettle (Ghana) and Uche (Nigeria).
