Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
Award-winning praise poet, Obert Dube is humbled to be nominated for the inaugural Amaqhawanentaba Music Awards taking place in South Africa on a date yet to be advised.
“Being nominated in a foreign land is enough recognition and reward for me. It means I’ve spread wings,” said an elated Dube who is based in Victoria Falls.
Having won numerous awards, both locally and regionally, the poet said he is hoping to clinch this one as well.
“I’ve won an award in Cameroon (2020 Pan African Poet of the year at the 9th Panafes Excellency Awards) where I beat some locals there showing how good I am. However, just being nominated means a lot and winning will be a bonus,” said the Lupane-born poet.
He said he has attracted a huge following in South Africa after recently penning a piece titled Yekani Umsholozi (Leave Zuma alone) where he joined other Pan-Africanists in support of the former President of the neighbouring country.
“The poem Africa and recent Zuma piece made a lot of people in South Africa start following me.”
He said he submitted three poems including Africa for the Amaqhawanentaba Awards. The 2016 National Arts Merit Awards winner is the reigning Bulawayo Arts Awards poet of the year. If Dube clinches this one, it will be his second award in South Africa, third in the region and fourth in Africa.
Dube believes his glory is mostly outside the country where he has gotten much recognition. — @ncubeleon.
Online Reporter