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Langalakhe Mabena
On 6 January, local creatives and celebrities gathered at Lobengula West — the home of the late socialite NguFidelis Mdluli real name Trust Fidelis Nyathi, as they celebrated his life through a memorial service filled with music, dance, poetry and comedy.
It was a joyous occasion that reverberated throughout the neighbourhood and was not your typical sombre memorial service.
NguFidelis — a champion of mental health and depression — died last year on 2 October, with the cause of his death being suicide.
He is the mastermind who coined a movement called #15SecondsCulture which was crafted to drive and inspire arts creators to engage with their fans. The initiative led to the discovery of some previously unknown artistes.
Artistes who attended the memorial include Mzoe 7, Mzistozz Mfanafuthi, Umnikazi Wempuphu, Chichi, Msiz’Kay, Poet Lethu, Majoer Prodi, Mawiza, Skhumz Moonwalker (Michael Jackson), Nkosana Mazibisa, Asante Mo, Miss Dee, among others.
The function was organised by the late Nyathi’s young brother Ishmael Jayden Mdluli, who is also the family’s spokesperson.
He said it was all about remembering his brother who was an arts enthusiast who contributed to the growth of urban and new artistes in Bulawayo through his engagements on social media either pushing their brands or through social criticism.
“This memorial service started on the day of NguFidelis’s burial. In my speech at his funeral, I promised and dedicated myself to work hard and continue his legacy.
“NguFidelis was an arts enthusiast. He is the man behind the #15SecondsCulture which uplifted a lot of artistes be it musicians, actors, poets and even comedians.
“We celebrated his life through things that he loved the most, that is why we abolished a memorial that is characterised by a church service, and we settled for spicing things up and having performances from different artistes including musicians, comedians, dancers as well as poets,” said Ishmael Mdluli.
NguFidelis was a persona who was loved by many. His death shocked a lot of people from different walks of life be it family, close friends, or total strangers.
“His death touched a lot of people, those we knew, his friends and family, as well as total strangers. We all shared Fidelis’ life with him because he was an approachable guy.
“He was a mental health and depression champion, as he would help many suffering from these ailments and give them a reason to see the importance of overcoming their struggles and living a happy life again.
“Personally, he is a brother I will never forget. He was selfless. He dropped out of school at Lupane State University and went on to look for a job to sponsor my Diploma studies. We will all remember him with his open heart,” said Jayden Mdluli.
By the time of his death, NguFidelis was on the verge of upgrading his arts and media knowledge as he was in his final year at the Zimbabwe Open University, studying towards an Honours Degree in Media.
His brother confirmed that the late was an author who left a lot of content and books unpublished.
Online Reporter