Chronicle Editor
FORMER Black Rhinos, Buffaloes and Highlanders FC striker Eddie Nyika has described his stay at the Bulawayo giants in 2001 as one of the best of his career.
He is among the most talented players to put on the Highlanders shirt and was so good as a player that he could play in any position, something he did with gusto for Buffaloes where he would even sit at the back as if a defender and move forward to an attacking position.
The 46-year-old who is still playing in the Northern Region Division One for Commando Bullets, and has three goals since his registration in the second transfer window told Zimpapers Sports Hub that: “Playing for Highlanders was great for me. It was the highlight season of my soccer career. I enjoyed every bit of it and I will always love the club and the supporters. They showered me with love and it was a great experience running onto the Barbourfields Stadium turf and be greeted by thousands of loving supporters.”
With Highlanders FC having won two consecutive Castle Lager League championships it became apparent that there was need for the club to strengthen.
Twice Bosso had failed to go beyond the final qualifying round of the Confederation of African Football Champions League.
With the club maintaining a vociferous and expectant support base, the pressure was on chairman James Mangwana-Tshuma, secretary-general Kennedy Ndebele and treasurer Themba Ndlela to bolster the club so that it maintains its hold on the league.
Highlanders had won the title in 1999 and 2000. The club had suffered a heavy blow in 2000 when lethal striker Zenzo Moyo left in August to begin his career at Paphos Athletic Union FC in Cyprus. His departure left a void as his 15-goal a season teammate Thabani Masawi lacked a striker with a similar telepathic understanding like Moyo.
Moyo left with Joel Luphahla who had spent half-a-season at Highlanders following his move from Zimbabwe Saints and this seemed to affect the strikeforce as the top goalscorer’s Zambian replacement Joe Kabemba appeared not to have made no big impact.
Mangwana-Tshuma a retired Colonel of the Zimbabwe National Army, used his military influence to bring in four good players from Buffaloes and Tongogara and that appeared to be the right tonic for the 2001 season.
Nyika and Eddie Dube arrived from Buffaloes and Melody Wafawanaka and Brito Gwere from Tongogara and the team moved a rung higher in terms of strength.
Richard Choruma and Charles Chilufya arrived from Air Zimbabwe and Railstars respectively in one of the club’s biggest swoops of the season likened to Silas Ndlovu’s bolstering buys of 1973 and 1974 which defined Highlanders FC and made it the great institution it is today.
Having come before Rahman Gumbo, Nyika and the Eddie Dube combination with the aid of Thabani Masawi and Sautso Phiri and another hardrunner Darlington Phiri from Black Rhinos, meant new arrival Eddie May had so many options at his disposal to conquer Zimbabwe. Triumph they did. That was with a unique league and cup double, a feat achieved first for Bulawayo by Zimbabwe Saints in 1977 and followed by Amahlolanyama in 1990.
The combinations were so good and Nyika, a skilful holding striker who could even play as a second became an instant hit with a chorus penned around him, Dube and Eddie May as Bosso played before filled-to-the-rafters audiences around the country.
“Those are moments to remember. That was a great team and there was no tribalism from the fans and teammates, we were a family bound together by the love of the game and club. The chairman Mangwana-Tshuma was influential in our transfer to Highlanders as he knew our Brigade Commander Khumalo.
“We played our hearts out for the badge and for the adoring fans,” said Nyika.
He said he dreams of coming back to Bulawayo to play in a legends game in a group of players that have come to be known as the Class of 1998.
“We have not met in a long time. It would be good if a match was organised for the legends so that we come together and reminisce of the good old times at the club. I made lots of friends at the club on and off the pitch and I hung around with the likes of Eddie Dube, Charles Chilufya, Dazzy Kapenya, Blessing Gumiso and Thabani Masawi,” said Nyika, a corporal in the Zimbabwe National Army.
He says he is happy to have won so much at Highlanders, something that he failed with Army teams Buffaloes and Black Rhinos.
“It is every player’s dream to win things at a club. To have come to Bulawayo and won a league and cup double is a unique experience, something that some players can only dream of,” said the 2001 winner of the championship and the Unity FA Cup.
Their exploits for Highlanders could not be ignored by their own employers the Zimbabwe National Army.
All the army players we recalled with Black Rhinos the first port of call as it enjoys holding rights to all players under the army teams.
His best time with Rhinos was winning the Highdon Trophy and runners-up spot in the Madison Trophy won by AmaZulu.
Nyika’s rise to stardom had come after years of labouring as a stand-out star for Rujeko Primary and Secondary Schools in Mazowe.
The September 15, 1977 Mazowe-born and bred star, started his football journey in the Mashonaland Central District of Chiweshe.
He was encouraged on by one of his school coaches a Mr Nherera.
“He saw that I had talent and pushed me along to like and play the game of football. I was able to win a number of accolades as an individual at my schools. Clemence was a small boy learning at Chipindura High School. I played with and against Alisara Kondowe formerly with Motor Action, Cassidy Situ, Ignatius Katapitapi and Stephen Mckenzie from schools like Howard Institute and Howard Institute.
He completed his secondary education in 1995 and two years later left rural life for Harare. An invitation to train with Black Rhinos in Harare did not bear fruits in 1997.
“I was invited to train with Rhinos by my friend Simba Manzungu who was a goalkeeper at the club. I did not impress Stix M’tizwa and Maronga Nyangela who were the coaches. Manzungu moved to Buffaloes in Mutare and invited me over.
“It did not take time for Jerry Chidawa to get impressed and life started for me Buffaloes. Nyangela came later to join Chidawa. I developed my game there and became a regular goalgetter.
In 2000 our debut season in the national elite league I missed the first game for Buffaloes because I was in Angola with the Zimbabwe national Under-23 team,” said Nyika.
Nyika said his impressive showing for Buffaloes must have been what impressed Highlanders to sign him up on loan in the following year.
Nyika remembers missing out on the Peter Ndlovu Youth Festival for Torjan Stars as they were beaten in the qualifiers.
During his time he said Dynamos had several good stars like Memory Mucherahowa, Makwinji Soma-Phiri, Chamu Musanhu, Lovemore Ncube, Lloyd Mutasa and Callisto Pasuwa.
“They were one of the toughest teams in the land. They had very good players,” said Nyika of Dynamos.
He said breaking into the Premiership Highlanders were on a roller-coaster with a galaxy of stars.
“Highlanders whom I would later play for had Zenzo Moyo, Masawi, Gumiso, Kapenya, Thulani Ncube whom I met in the national Under-23 team, Gift Lunga Jnr and Siza Khoza. They were very good as a unit which I discovered when I joined the club,” said Nyika.
He also praised Aces and Caps United for the talent that was at the two teams.
Nyika said he was enjoying himself playing without any pressure at Commando Bullets where at 46 could be the oldest player nationally in Division One and probably behind Innocent Benza of Herentals among stars in the top two divisions.
He reckons that 1999 was probably the best year for him at Buffaloes as he scored over 18 goals with Eddie Dube and Lazarus Muhoni who top scored contributing the bulk of the 115 goals scored by the club on its way to promotion.
The father of Tanatsva (22), Tatenda (17), believes his youngest kid, Tafara Eddie Jnr will be a star.
Nyika is married to Angela and is not hinting on retirement anytime soon.
The former Bosso striker lives in Harare.
Online Reporter