admin
Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
ONE of the country’s best football administrators, Ngezi Platinum Stars manager, Andrew Javachava, wanted to pursue a different career path.
Even his only sibling, Portia, never liked football.
Yet, the pair’s mother, Eber Fungwa-Javachava, was an avid football fan.
Along the way, she picked the nickname “Aunt Judy”.
As she was being buried at Glen Forest Cemetery on Monday afternoon, Andrew’s head rested on Dynamos chairman Isaiah Mupfurutsa.
National teams general manager, Wellington Mpandare, Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association president, Chama Mushamaenza, and other football personalities, stood by his side.
Fungwa-Javachava, who played for Dynamos Queens in the 80s, died in an accident at the intersection of Josiah Tongogara and Leopold Takawira Street on Saturday morning.
She was 68.
She was an ardent Dynamos and Warriors fan and, at the time of her death, was the ZNSSA vice-president.
And, Andrew, who built a good reputation as the ZIFA Northern Region Soccer League administrator, said he was tempted to try his hand in football by his late mother.
“I was sitting at home, after writing my ‘A’ Level examinations and, one day, I decided to accompany her to ZIFA offices,” he said.
“Then, coincidentally, the association were looking for young men who would help out in the office. I got an interview and I passed.
“But then, my heart wasn’t with football at all. However, as I was considering to take another route in my life, FIFA brought a Level 2 Football Administration course which I, together with about 10 others, took part in.
“That course changed me. I began to understand the game and immediately fell in love with the game.
“That’s how I was seconded to the Northern Region Soccer League.
“I dedicate everything to my mother. She was very happy to see me pursuing football in my life.
“I am so saddened by her death, especially given that she died in a car accident. Sudden deaths are not easy to take.’’
He revealed how he got to know of the tragedy. “Somebody picked her phone at the accident scene and scrolled and then called me. I was expecting to hear my mother’s voice,’’ he said.
“It was a man and he just said there is a woman, who had been involved in an accident. “Still in shock, I instructed the person to get an ambulance, if it was possible, so that she could be rushed to the hospital, since the person said she was in a critical state.
“As I was saying that, I was getting myself ready to go to the scene but the person said an ambulance had been there earlier but left her.
“I knew it was over . . .”
Javachava described his mother as a humble person who influenced so many women into supporting football. She was one of the 12 female supporters, who accompanied the Warriors, for the 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt.
“I have known so many football supporters in Zimbabwe but Aunt Judy was cut from a special cloth,’’ said Mpandare.
“When we were in Egypt, in 2019, she would move door-by-door, checking for her female companions, counselling them and reiterating the need for them to remain disciplined.
“For her, football was sacred and questionable behaviour was taboo and would bring bad luck to the boys.
“She was down-to-earth and you knew, as a manager, your work became easy whenever she was part of the travelling fans.’’
Melody Kanengoni, who was the youngest female supporter on the plane to Egypt, said she would have quit supporting football had it not been for Aunty Judy.
“I just loved football from my days at primary school. I would ask the authorities to travel with the school football teams,’’ said Kanengoni. “At first, people didn’t quite understand me but eventually they did.
“When I started to attend Dynamos matches, the male counterparts thought I was someone of loose morals, you know the society.
“But, when I was about to quit, I met Aunt Judy who shepherded me till now. You wouldn’t dare to travel, for any purposes, other than that of supporting football, when she was there.
“She also encouraged me to find a female team to rally behind, and play for if possible, and that’s how I got to be with Maningi FC.
“I have lost a pillar of my strength.’’
Mollen Macheme, who first met Aunty Judy over 20 years ago at Dynamos, said she was a rare breed.
“This one (Aunt Judy) was different from supporters,” Mupfurutsa said.
“When we were elected into the new board, Fungwa-Javachava came to me and said, the team is not firing at all.
“But,she said, you don’t have to pressure yourselves, just make sure the team remains afloat and build for the next two to three seasons. “We have built a strong team and it’s a pity she won’t be around to witness what she advocated for.”
Online Reporter