Chronicle EditorBruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
FAMILY, friends and colleagues yesterday described renowned academic and founding Midlands State University (MSU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Ngwabi Bhebe as a titan in the field of education whose academic achievements could only be trumped by his spirit of generosity and unparalleled leadership qualities. Surrounded by those closest and dearest to him, Prof Bhebe celebrated his 80th birthday in style at a lodge in Bulawayo, with family and colleagues going down memory lane as they recollected their fondest memories of one of Zimbabwe’s academic giants.
Prof Bhebe is the founding Vice-Chancellor of MSU, an institution he guided from its birth in 1999 when it only had 400 students to 2016, when it had grown to be the largest tertiary institution in the country in terms of enrolment.
In a light-hearted speech in which Prof Bhebe shared fond and humorous recollections of some of his close relations, the veteran academic thanked his family for honouring him and celebrating his life while he is still around to witness their joy and gratitude. Prof Bhebe has five children and two surviving siblings.
“I am touched because all this was organised by my sister and my children. I am particularly happy because it is happening while I am alive. They have had an opportunity, each one of them, to tell me how much they hate me or how much I mean to them. It means quite a lot to me,” he said.
Going down memory lane, Prof Bhebe gave credit to his mother for shaping him into the man he would eventually become. “If you want to know what defines us, you have to look at our mothers and not our fathers. Our fathers were quite different altogether but our mothers are the ones that put a stamp on characters. I am what I am today and I have achieved what I have achieved today because of my mother,” he said.
Speaking during the birthday celebrations, Prof Bhebe’s first-born child, Ms Rangarirai Bhebe said while the country celebrated Prof Bhebe’s academic achievements, as children they had over the years been overawed by his generous and kind-hearted nature.
“He is someone that has a big heart. He has always taken care of people and I remember when we were living in Swaziland, our house was always filled up because he would never turn his back on anyone in need. For me personally, growing up that was eye opening and it also taught me the value of being someone that people can always look up to when in need of a helping hand. I want to acknowledge the great job that my mother has played in his life. There have been ups and downs in his life because when you reach such an age, it’s inevitable that there will be highs and lows. Through it, she has been right there by his side,” she said.
His last-born daughter Ms Ropafadzo Bhebe said the veteran academic was a reliable pillar of emotional support, bringing calm to those in turmoil.
“In our house, between my mother and father, you would think that I would reach out to my mother when I was low. But that was not the case because whenever I had personal strife, my father would be the first person that I would turn to. When I get overwhelmed in life and start to get emotional, my mother always says go speak to your father. His temperament as a parent is one I would describe as being similar to water because he is so calming,” she said.
Dr Samuel Chinyoka, a senior lecturer in Management at the University of Botswana, said Prof Bhebe had a rare ability to inspire those around him to aim high and maximise their potential.
“When my wife and I talk of a brother, we speak of him because of his big heart. His success has been of great benefit to all of us, especially me. I remember when I was young, he made an impression on me when he taught me history. I had never seen anyone teach history the way he did and it inspired me to be the best version of myself and make progress in the field of education. He lit a spark in me that has guided me since that time and I am grateful for it,” he said.
Great Zimbabwe University Vice-Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvogbo said when one counted the number of protégés Prof Bhebe had guided to the top, they would realise the immense value he brought into the lives of people around him.
“One of the good signs that shows that one has succeeded is the number of people you helped along the way. My brother here was never happy with mere support if he could not count the number of people he had helped succeed on their own. There are not a lot of people that are happy to see people follow behind them because they think that you might start to challenge their achievements and reputations. Prof Ngwabi is the opposite of that,” he said.
Professor Wiseman Magwa, said it was through the guidance and help of Prof Bhebe that he had become the founding Vice-Chancellor of the Reformed Church University (RCU) at a tender age.
“I am here today because of him. When I first arrived at MSU I was a very raw and unpolished young man so I am one of those people that can bear testimony and say that my success can be attributed to his work. It was because of him that I became the youngest Vice-Chancellor at RCU,” he said.
Prof Bhebe obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Geography from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS) in 1967. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Imperial History from the University of London in 1972.
In 1974, he started lecturing history at Faurah Bay College in Sierra Leone, and later at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS) as well as at the University of Zimbabwe from 1982.
He served as Professor of History at the University of Zimbabwe from 1988 to 1999, and also as external examiner at the universities of Botswana, Malawi and Zambia. Prof Bhebe is a researcher who has published extensively and has to his name several books as well as articles in international journals.
He also served as chairperson of the University of Zimbabwe’s History Department from 1989 to 1992, and in the Research Board from 1984 to 1991. He also served as senior proctor and ultimately Pro Vice-Chancellor of the same university from 1992 to 1995.
Bongani Ndlovu