Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
AUTHOR and motivational speaker, Njabulo Moyo has for the past 10 years been uplifting fellow artistes, in some cases, helping them win awards.
He has just won one himself – a Roil Bulawayo Art Award (RoilBAA) in the Outstanding nonfiction category.
The Bulawayo based writer’s book Self Starters was the toast of the night.
Moyo said the award cemented his hard work for the past 10 years.
“The award simply cements and gives credit to the effort I’ve put in the creative industry. There’s a need to emphasise that this has been a collective effort and therefore I didn’t win an award but we were rewarded.
It has been a decade long writing career of which most of it has been an investment in the uplifting of others. This has seen me utilising my business venture, African Sketches Publishers to facilitate success for others. I’ve produced award winning artistes and it was about time something came my way,” said Moyo.
He edited National Art Merit Award winning children’s book Nyaminyami by Fortune Tazvivinga.
In the RoilBAA, Moyo was nominated with the likes of political stalwarts, Dr Obert Mpofu and Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, with their books, On The Shadows Of Struggle and Quiet Flows The Zambezi respectively.
Moyo said he was confident that he would bag the gong.
“I was very much confident knowing that in terms of literature I’ve been very much in the game and have matured with time. It was after all a great challenge, one that encourages me to work harder,” said Moyo.
“There’s certainly no champion without a challenge. In this life we are here to take over and never to fit in. It doesn’t matter where one comes from, but the primary thing is hinged on how we define ourselves beyond societal expectations, mental and physical barriers.”
Moyo said budding and fellow artistes should not try to impress people or bootlick those perceived to be in authority or positions of influence.
“It’s better to seek to inspire people and to work on perfecting your art. The rest will follow. Another key lesson is that sometimes, second chances work out even better than the first simply because you’ve learnt from your mistakes.
People shouldn’t be afraid to make mistakes. Just this year alone I’ve ventured into several sectors including trying out music, TV show hosting and being a fashion model,” said Moyo.
Speaking about being a fashion model, Moyo revealed he was the brand ambassador for City of Kings Apparel.
“I must say that I’ve always supported a lot of local brands and in the last 10 years there are very few local designers who haven’t dressed me including some that’ve won regional and international accolades.
“I’ve always seen fashion, design and style as key aspects of the arts. Resultantly, there was no way I could resist the brand City of Kings Apparel because they’ve come of age, represent an idea of identity, growth and innovation.
Thus, having rocked some of their top-notch t-shirts the idea of brand ambassadoring was inevitable. It was one of those things which I gave a try and fortunately the founder Mthokozisi Ndlovu gave me the chance.
In the end it is all about embracing local brands and products for if we as a people don’t support our own then who are we,” said Moyo.
He said he was already working on releasing a book and working on being on television.
“I’m already almost done completing my eighth book to be released early next year and should also do a double launch of both a book and a brand-new TV show. Hopefully I get supporting partnerships in good time especially for the TV show,” said Moyo. — @bonganinkunzi
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