Being Babongilea��s bride

Bruce Ndlovu
On Saturday during the frenzied celebrations of his 40th birthday, stand-up comedian, socialite and MC Babongile Sikhonjwa took all by surprise when he bent the knee and proposed to his long-time girlfriend Nanji-Taswa Banda.

It was a proposal befitting a man who has shocked, pleased and bewildered Bulawayo in equal measure over the years, thus living up to his reputation as one of Bulawayoa��s most colourful celebrities.

For those that have followed the socialite over the years the proposal was remarkable for another reason, as it probably signals the end of an era. While he has stressed in the last few years that he can no longer be counted as one of Bulawayoa��s eligible bachelors as he was attached, the marriage proposal sealed the deal.

Sikhonjwa is now officially a taken man. One person who will be absolutely delighted at this development is Sikhonjwaa��s bride-to-be, Nanji. The question uppermost in the mind of many observers will be how the damsel managed to tame Sikhonjwa who, despite still being an outspoken funnyman, has mellowed down over the last few years.

a�?During his wild days I would worry about him because I am a normal woman but at the end of the day trust plays a big role in the survival of a relationship,a�? said Nanji when quizzed about how she coped with Sikhonjwa in the earlier parts of their six-and-a-half-year-old relationship.

a�?Babo has really simmered down in the last few years but my secret has always been to take a deep breath and remind myself that a�?ngithethwe luhlanyaa��. Ita��s all about trusting him and allowing him to trust me too. A lot of these lessons were learnt the hard way and this relationship has changed both of us for the better,a�? she said.

According to Nanji she had no idea Sikhonjwa would propose on Saturday which made her admire him even more because it was clear he had been planning it for a long time. She, however, concedes that the funnyman is not the most romantic person around.

a�?Babo is an original Ndebele man and romance is not his strongest suit. However, when he has been romantic he has definitely outdone himself. For instance, on my birthday he told me to get ready, picked me up in his limo, didna��t tell me where we were going and everything went perfectly,a�? she said.

While her man is a self-confessed a�?vampirea�? who sucks every drop of enjoyment from the citya��s nightlife, Nanji says partying is not her thing.

a�?He is an amazing entertainer and although I dona��t frequently go out I am his biggest fan. That title is also taken by my son who plays his fathera��s music everyday and sings along to every lyric,a�? she said.

Sikhonjwa has earned a reputation as one of the citya��s most enterprising entertainers, being an MC at both showbiz and corporate events, running his own business while also being an active musician and comedian. With so many eggs in different buckets Nanji has no doubt that her husband will provide efficiently for his family.

a�?My favourite trait about him is that he is a realist. He is always calm and his mind is always thinking ahead on his next move. He is definitely a strong man and Ia��m at peace knowing that he will be the head of our family,a�? she said.