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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS legend Barry Daka, who died at his Barbourfields home last Thursday morning after a short illness, was buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo yesterday.
In an emotionally charged tribute to him at a funeral service held at the Amphitheatre yesterday, his last-born daughter Marcelene:
“I might be a medical doctor, but it never occurred to me that one day I will certify my own parent dead. I did just that last Thursday to my own father, who is lying motionless in front of us today. I am young, not married and have no children of my own, and wanted dad to be part of all that when it finally happens, but he decided to leave us.
“The pain I felt seeing that he was indeed gone that day was excruciating as you may all imagine and so personally, I am angry at Barry. I am angry that he could just go before he could see his own grandchildren mature.”
The service was attended by the who is who of football from the Southern Region and thousands of mourners.
Marcelene’s eulogy touched a number of mourners, who also started sobbing as she spoke.
The service went on for more than four hours, as speaker after speaker spoke glowingly about the man, who won a massive 23 trophies with Highlanders.
Speaking earlier, Highlanders’ president Ndumiso Gumede said Daka was a mentor to many people in football.
“He was soft-spoken, highly unlikely of a football coach, but one thing I know about him is that he was a mentor to many of these boys you call legends today, not only at Highlanders, but everywhere he went. At Bosso I feel sad that someone with the club’s institutional memory is gone,” said Gumede.
Highlanders legend and Daka’s childhood friend Lawrence Phiri described him as a meticulous planner who took particular attention to detail.
Former Highlanders chairman and PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele described Daka as a national hero in football whose legacy will live forever.
Among the football greats in attendance that were coached by Daka was Madinda Ndlovu, who came from Botswana to bid farewell to his coach despite still recuperating from a stroke.
Bulawayo mayor Solomon Mguni was also in attendance, with Chicken Inn the only club from Bulawayo not in attendance.
Online Reporter