Online Reporter
Andile Tshuma, Sunday News Reporter
FAMILY, friends, church leaders and former broadcasting colleagues gathered in Bulawayo on Saturday to celebrate the remarkable life of Abbie Dube-Tebele, affectionately known as Gogo Abbie, who marked her 100th birthday in a dignified ceremony reflecting a century of faith, service and community leadership.
The celebration brought together generations of the Dube and Moyo families alongside guests from across the country who came to honour a woman whose life story spans church leadership, early broadcasting and decades of community service.
Born at a time when opportunities for women were limited, Gogo Abbie built a life defined by discipline, resilience and dedication to uplifting others.
Her journey in Bulawayo began in the early 1950s when she helped lay the foundation for what would become the Brethren in Christ Church in Mpopoma, working alongside missionaries to build a vibrant church community, before leading in the establishment of the Brethren in Christ Church in the centre.
She later became a respected figure in broadcasting after joining the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation in 1968, initially as a part-time contributor at the Montrose studios.
At a time when female voices in Ndebele-language radio were rare, Gogo Abbie emerged as one of the most recognisable voices on air, presenting programmes such as Isikhathi Sabafazi, Abancane Qha, Isikhathi Sezigulane and Inhlupho Zanamuhla.
Through these broadcasts she addressed issues ranging from women’s empowerment and family wellbeing to health and everyday social challenges, earning the affectionate title uGogo weNhlupho Zanamuhla among listeners.
Her eldest daughter, Mrs Jerelyne Ndlovu described the centenarian as a selfless giver, who devoted her life to service in the family, church, and her community.
“Umama was loving, not just to us or the family, but to all. She seemed to always have the ability to make time for everyone, from all walks of life as long as she was needed. We have learnt a lot from watching her handle life, ageing and all. Her secret to a healthy long life has been in her kitchen, healthy traditional foods were her staple and regular exercise, even I her later days,” she said.
Beyond the microphone, she also mentored younger broadcasters and later extended her community service into the health sector as one of the founding directors of the Hope for Mtshabezi Trust, established in 2005 to support Mtshabezi Mission Hospital and surrounding rural communities.
Brethren in Christ Central pastor, Reverend Ndabezinhle Nyathi said the centenarian had spent most of her adult life in service to the church in various projects.
“We are honoured to have been blessed with such a hardworking and humble woman who has walked with God and brought many to the faith because of her deeds. She has often worked hard, quietly often behind scenes, but effectively in advancing the mission and our gospel.
It is a joy to be celebrating 100 years and she has been a fountain of knowledge about our church heritage, even as the founder of where I am serving my pastoral duties, at Brethren in Christ Central church,” he said.
For many in attendance, Saturday’s gathering was more than a birthday celebration.
It was a tribute to a matriarch whose voice educated communities, whose faith helped build churches and whose home nurtured generations.
At 100 years old, Gogo Abbie’s story is not simply about longevity, but about the countless lives she has touched along the way.
