Online Reporter
Sharuko On Saturday
EARLIER this week, the Editor of this newspaper, Victoria Ruzvidzo, told me that she wanted this column back on this page.
We come a long way with Vicky.
We have both invested our entire working life, decades of service, working for this grand old giant of a media group, which started with a handwritten weekly news sheet in 1891.
It was called the Mashonaland Herald and Zambesian Times.
It evolved into a printed weekly newspaper in October 1892 and, 134 years later, it is still going strong.
And, it has transformed itself and ventured into radio and TV.
Vicky is my sister, she is a true Dynamos fan, and it appears the more her Glamour Boys have struggled in the past decade, the stronger their bond has become.
At some point last year, I decided to take a break from writing this column, just to watch events unfold from a distance, without trying to influence them with my pen and opinions.
And, it was quite refreshing, a bit interesting and, to some extent, disappointing.
The disappointment stems from a number of things.
One of them has been Highlanders’ muted celebrations after clocking 100 years of existence, not only as an iconic football club, but as a powerful force of nature.
It’s a remarkable feat.
Of the clubs in Africa, which are still playing top-flight football today, Bosso are just one of four teams in an exclusive group of clubs which were formed before 1930.
CS Constantine of Algeria were the first in 1898, Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly, Africa’s most successful and biggest football club, followed in 1907.
Four years later, Ghana’s Hearts of Oak were formed.
Then, in 1926, Bosso came along and I thought there would be grand and colourful weekly celebrations to mark this milestone.
To say that I have been disappointed, so far, will be an understatement.
There is something special about reaching a century, whether in the life of a human being or in sport, it’s something that has significant value in cricket, because it is a demonstration of defiance.
A celebration of longevity, an expression of resilience, an advertisement of the mastery to defy everything that life would have thrown at you and one would have expected the party to be in full swing in the City of Kings by now.
Of course, that has not been the case.
But I guess if, as leaders, you find yourselves getting a windfall of cars and cash, celebrating something which has its roots in 1926, before even the first World Cup had been played, probably appears a waste of time.
However, for some of us, this landmark milestone has to be celebrated and it is our duty to ensure that we force those in charge of this special club to ensure the work of their founding fathers isn’t forgotten.
It’s our responsibility to ensure that history is respected and the founding fathers are honoured and there is no better way to honour them than celebrating the year their grand project, for the people and by the people, clocked a hundred years.
FOR ME, IT’S QUITE PERSONAL
My father was a true Bosso fan, which was probably natural for a man whose bloodline was in the Ngoni warrior way of life, with his family roots in KwaZulu Natal before war forced their relocation to Chipata in Zambia.
He was born in 1938, just two years after the Red Lions players changed the name of their club to Matabeleland Highlanders, which means that, in a way, his life always had a unique and special connection to Bosso.
He died in 1999, the year that Bosso started their dominance of winning four league titles on the bounce.
Of course, unlike him, I’m a Chakari United fan.
I am detached from the historical links which tied my father to Bosso, but through him, I saw how special this football club is and the reason why its landmark milestones should be respected and celebrated.
The Bosso leaders now have top-of-the-range cars and the reality is that without the institution called Highlanders, they would not have received those top-of-the-range vehicles.
Unlike others, who led this club simply because they loved it, and did not get any personal benefits in return, the guys in charge today have a bigger responsibility to ensure they honour and celebrate Bosso’s legacy. Other true leaders, in the event that they find themselves without the finances needed to celebrate this Bosso milestone, would even have auctioned those vehicles and used the resources to fund celebrations to mark one hundred years of Highlanders golden existence.
Seriously, how will we tell our grandkids that in the year that our domestic football was awash with funding and even wooed Benjani and King Peter back into its arms, we failed to hold year-long celebrations to mark 100 years of Bosso because of financial challenges?
And, how will we tell them that in the same year the Bosso leaders were driving around the City of Kings in brand new top-of-the-range cars, which they never paid a cent for but received simply because of their association with this special club, we failed to celebrate this club’s 100 years of living?
I want Highlanders to win the league championship this year, not because they finally deserve a break after a hundred years of waiting, but because it will be the ultimate honour our game can give to those founding fathers who gave us this iconic club.
When Bosso marked their Golden Jubilee, in 1976, there was a lot of turmoil in the domestic game and the first national league ended in chaos after a contentious DeMbare success in the championship.
A key fixture between the two giants at Barbourfields ended with Dynamos being awarded a walkover, and the points, after the hosts Highlanders claimed they were told the game had been postponed because of waterlogged pitch.
It had rained in Bulawayo all week, but DeMbare turned up at Barbourfields, the hosts didn’t and the visitors were awarded all the points.
When Bosso finished the season just two points behind champions Dynamos, the issue of that walkover was revisited and Highlanders, feeling John Madzima and his Rhodesia National Football League were favouring DeMbare, pulled out of the national top-flight league.
That incident changed everything and transformed DeMbare into Bosso’s biggest rivals, with the Glamour Boys replacing Zimbabwe Saints and, 50 years down the line, that rivalry remains strong.
COME ON BOSSO, YOU CAN DO A LOT MORE
It’s virtually impossible to convince a fan today that Highlanders and Dynamos were close partners at the beginning, they even had a special pact in 1963, when the Glamour Boys were formed.
The agreement was that every player who leaves Dynamos to settle in Bulawayo would join Highlanders and every footballer who moves the other direction from Bosso would join DeMbare.
That’s how Silas Ndlovu moved from Highlanders to Dynamos in 1963 and that is how Colsen Mabeza ended up at Bosso after having left DeMbare.
The chaos in 1976, when Bosso were marking their Golden Jubilee, should provide us with a reason to even ensure that the club’s 100th year anniversary should be celebrated with real pomp and fanfare.
Imagine just how lucky we are that we are alive in the year that one of our football’s flagship clubs celebrated one hundred years of existence.
To try and put this into perspective, just imagine that we have to live another 37 years for us to be there when Dynamos mark a century of existence.
Imagine we have to live another 47 years for us to be there when CAPS United mark a century of existence.
Imagine the Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns fans have to live another 44 years for them to be there when their two clubs, which were both formed in 1970, mark a century of existence.
Even Orlando Pirates, who were formed in 1937, are younger than mighty Bosso.
The celebrations should not only be about roadshows across the country or street parties in the City of Kings.
They should be about things like a weekend reserved for a photo exhibition of the Bosso past and present at the club house, where you can see a picture of Bruce Grobbelaar when he was still part of this team.
They can even release a commemorative jersey like the one they used in 1976.
Today, on eBay, I can buy the commemorative jersey which was released to celebrate Manchester United’s 100th anniversary at the turn of the millennium.
I would love to do the same and buy the jersey which Bosso used in 1976 because I respect history and I think the Highlanders family, especially its leadership, should also do the same.
Come on Bosso, there is so much you can do.
To God Be The Glory
Peace to the GEPA Chief, the Big Fish, George Norton, Daily Service, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and all the Chakariboys still in the struggle.
Come on Warriors!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maswanhiseeeeeeeeeee!
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Peter Tanyanyiwa