A father’s passion, a daughter’s tribute: The Chiromo-Arsenal connection

RENOWNED educationist and sports doyen Cuthbert Chiromo must be smiling from above, watching his family being honoured by his cherished English Premier League side, Arsenal. Arsenal was a team dear to Chiromo’s heart, and his family shares the same passion, keeping the Arsenal tradition alive after his passing.

For his daughter Mari-Anne, Arsenal is more than just a football club; it’s a symbol of family, legacy, and an enduring connection that transcends generations and continents. At possibly the darkest time of her life, still grappling with the grief of losing her number one fan and super dad in March last year, the love of and for Arsenal keeps her going, constantly reminding her that she is part of one big happy family that will always be there.

Throughout this season, Arsenal will be highlighting the stories behind some of their supporters’ match day rituals. The first to be featured this week was none other than Mari-Anne.

“I grew up in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, and sport — especially football — was always a big part of our family. My dad was a teacher and head teacher for 50 years. He loved football and built a now national methodology to nurture football talent. He was all about building teams, so along with the diverse representation at Arsenal, the love for and affinity with Arsene Wenger was inevitable. When I came to the UK to study Law back in 1998, going to Highbury to watch Arsenal live was top of the wish list,” said Mari-Anne.

She added that watching the team live for the first time was a dream come true. However, the happiest memory she created was when she gave her legendary father what turned out to be his last Father’s Day gift with them. On his last trip to the United Kingdom (UK) and to his beloved club, Chiromo got to watch his Arsenal, together with his grandchildren, creating everlasting memories on that particular day.

“Having watched matches back home 10 000 miles away, I can’t begin to describe how surreal it felt to be walking with thousands of fans going to the Highbury to watch The Arsenal when I went to my first home game. It seemed like the most impossible dream. To then take my dad to a match is one of the proudest and happiest memories I’ll ever have.

“It’s special that for his last Father’s Day this side of heaven, I got tickets for him and all his grandkids to go and watch us play against Sevilla. Little did we know that was dad’s last trip to the UK, our last Father’s Day with him, and his last trip to his club before he passed. And what a game, 6 goals and wonderful memories,” she said.

Despite not being able to watch Arsenal with her favourite person, her father, the legacy and tradition live on for Mari-Anne.

“We celebrated every goal together and supported each other through all the tough results. I organised a football tournament back home in Zimbabwe on the anniversary of his passing as a memorial.

It’s still hard adjusting to not having those 2-hour pre-match and post-match chats.

“But thankfully, the legacy lives on and the next generation of Gooners in our family is secure, with my son being the most dedicated Gooner,” she said.

This season, Arsenal has celebrated the African heritage of many of the club’s fans in London and beyond with their away kit for the 2024-25 season. The jersey was designed in collaboration with Labrum London, an apparel brand with a focus on British African culture, and takes plenty of its design cues from the continent that produced former Gunners stars such as Emmanuel Adebayor, Nwankwo Kanu, and Kolo Touré.

The Gunners’ away kit has brought so much comfort to Mari-Anne, as it is a strong reminder of the inclusive culture that has made Arsenal feel like home even from all the way in Zimbabwe.

“I just wish he’d seen this African fan-inspired shirt because for someone known back home as Mr Arsenal, this 100% would have been his favourite. As a super proud African, at a time when I’m still trying to navigate my grief, it’s surreal how little things like this away kit have come at just the right time in just the right way and brought so much comfort because it’s such a strong reminder of the inclusive culture that’s made Arsenal feel like home even from all the way in Zimbabwe,” said Mari-Anne.

Chiromo was headmaster at Mzilikazi High School in Bulawayo for a solid 19 years before retiring in 2021. He also was head at St Thomas Aquinas, also in the city. In his lifetime, Chiromo is credited with helping blossoming young footballers in the city. Some of the players that came through Chiromo’s hands are legendary Peter Ndlovu, Benjamin Nkonjera, Makheyi Nyathi, Stanford Ncube, the late Adam Ndlovu, Johannes Ngodzo, and Vusa Nyoni.

@innocentskizoe