Gomo a ‘self-made individual’

person’.
“Basically I am what you might term a self-made individual. From my early years I always had ambitions of becoming a success and I took every initiative to improve myself at every turn,” he said.
Not only is he passionate about his own success, but also about the success of the community that surrounds him.
This streak can be perceived even in his every day role as the AAG’s executive director.
“What we are trying to do here at the Affirmative Action Group is to raise the level of entrepreneurship in Zimbabweans regardless of background or present dispensation.
“All individuals, I believe, have an innate capacity for success but sometimes there is need for mentorship,” he said.
The AAG is indigenous empowerment lobby organisation that is perceived as controversial in some circles due to their radical approach to some issues.
“When I came back from England and joined the AAG I never imagined I would be in this role for this long.
“I suppose my prolonged stay can be viewed as a vote of confidence for what the AAG is trying to achieve, and at a broader level the indigenisation and empowerment drive that the Government is spearheading,” said Dr Gomo.
The somewhat reclusive but very passionate Dr Gomo was born in Gweru in a family of seven.
He believes that every individual has the capacity to live their ambitions if given enough training and exposure.
“What we strive for here at AAG is to engender the entrepreneurial spirit in the upcoming generation through training, coaching, counselling and exposure to methods that have proved successful,” he says.
Dr Gomo perceives himself as “very sombre and very private”.
He has three daughters who are currently based in England.
“These are some of the challenges of the global community. We now live in a ‘portfolio society’ where there is need to configure one’s relations to best suit one’s circumstances,” he says.
His weekends are best spent reflecting and relaxing. He is not really a sports fanatic.
Strange for a man who spent so many years in England, a country that is crazy about most sports, not least soccer, rugby and cricket.
Dr Gomo has hinted that he could soon be enrolling for his second PhD, so he really is Mr self-actualisation.
He started his primary education in Gweru at Vengu Primary School, before moving to Dimbamiwa Primary School and finished off his early schooling at St Mark’s Mission.
He then went to Mambo Secondary School where he completed both his ordinary and advanced level education.
Straight after completing his secondary education Dr Gomo’s first job was as an accounts clerk at some retail concern.
From there he joined Amalgamated Motor Corporation in a similar position. During this period he acquired a qualification as chartered bookkeeper from the Institute of Chartered Bookkeepers. At the same time he studied theology for “interest’s sake”.
In 1977, while he was staying in Chitungwiza the young Dr Gomo established a college at his house, which he named the Manyame School of Commerce that was aimed at empowering school dropouts during those turbulent years.
“During that time there were a lot of displaced youngsters that were coming into my area, and the purpose of establishing the college was to give them a chance to complete their ordinary and advanced level studies,” said Dr Gomo.
The college was eventually moved to Dublin House in the city centre, and closed down in 1982.
Dr Gomo says he never envisioned making the college into a commercial entity because its ultimate purpose had been communitarian.
In early 1979, the St Mary’s Township Board employed him as an administration officer.
He later moved to the Institute of Business Development, which was established by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Small Enterprises Development Corporation and an arm of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, where he was engaged as a consultant trainer.
He later joined Air Zimbabwe as a trainee administrator in 1989, where he did not stay for long because the environment was not conducive for his aspirations.
“I did not stay at the airliner for too long because I had objections to the training that was being offered to black people, which was patronising to say the least.
“The training was not taking us anywhere, I needed a focused programme that was in line with my huge aspirations, and stamping tickets for weeks on end was just not it,” he said.
From there he joined the airline trade union where he was heavily involved in activism work.
He also managed to get a number of jobs from that time, right until he left for London on a self-actualising mission.
“My leaving the country was basically a strategic retreat to study and refocus. My plan was to go to the United States of America but fate landed me in London where I re-commenced my education with a post graduate diploma in management studies at City Business College.
“I then proceeded to do a Masters of Business Administration with the City University,” he said.
Dr Gomo then went to London South University, where he did a Masters in Development Economics.
He then proceeded to London Metropolitan University, where he undertook a Masters in Marketing.
After completing that programme he went on to do a Master of Science in Education Management at Greenwich University.
He later enrolled with the University of East London for a Master of Law in International Legal Studies.
He then registered for a second Master of Law program with the same University, but this time focusing on International Trade Law. He completed his PhD in 2002.
Dr Gomo became the director of studies at Kingsbridge College of Technology, a position he left in 2003 to become principal of the Cranbrook Business College.
He left that position in August 2008 to become executive director of St Martins Business School.
In London he was also the chairman of the Association for the Advancement of Management Education, a position he still holds to this day.
He then retraced his steps back to Zimbabwe last year and became the executive director of the AAG.
But what is also clear is that he has an eye for the greener pasture, so is he already tying his laces with eyes on the road? Only time will tell.