Emotional tribute to Chenjerai Hove Jairos Chabvonga
Jairos Chabvonga

Jairos Chabvonga

Lovemore Meya Arts Correspondent
Hoards of influential writers, musicians, poets and a cross section of art enthusiasts thronged Queensdale Sports Club on Saturday for an emotional tribute to the late author Chenjerai Hove. Hove who was born on February 9 in 1956 succumbed to liver failure in Norway and breathed his last on July 12 this year.

The commemorations saw speaker after speaker taking to the stage chronicling Chenjerai’s moments with them. Chenjerai’s widow, Tecla who was the guest of honour at the event described her husband as a resourceful person.

“I do not know how much I can thank you for being here and it shows great love. It can be nothing but love and care for your colleague. I wrote something for my husband.

“Thank you God for giving me such a great man, he was a great lover, the best of all in all ways, he was my husband, my only love. The love of my life, I had everything a woman could wish in a marriage, nothing could lack as long as he was alive, I had comfort and all the best in life.

“He taught me how to love, appreciate people, love everyone no matter the age and made me have friends, aunts, uncles, sons-in-law, mothers and fathers, he was ‘Maunganidze’ I still miss that,” she said.

“I had friends in the country and abroad because of him, I had love. I will always love and cherish him forever.”

Shimmer Chinodya who spoke on behalf of artists said ,“We used to refer to Chenjerai as Thathekile meaning someone who love stories. I want to thank the whole family for inviting us as writers to commemorate the works and life of one of our colleagues.

“Chenjerai did a lot for the writing and reading community in this country after 1980 there was much happening including the Book Fair, the Zimbabwe Writers Union and Zimbabwe Women Writers,” said Chinodya.

“Thathekile as I call him was at the forefront of these changes and these events. We feel honoured to come to read and talk since writing is a very lonely profession, unlike musicians who collaborate and come out in numbers on the stage.

“Writing is a lonely venue, you sit there, and scribble away the night and you do not know what is going to happen to your work. It is important for us to do this for each other”

Chenjerai’s young brother, Richard described him as a unifier.

“Tonight it is a night with a difference to me. On behalf of the Hove family, I would like to thank you very much for being with us in our times of grief. You were with us from the beginning till the end.

“You saw Chenjerai as a relative in the writing world, to us he was a brother and father. I appreciate that my brother was a unifier bringing you and us together, even though he is gone, we are still happy that we have you and you are with us,” he said.

Chenjerai’s daughter Tafadzwa also took the opportunity to wow the crowd throwing jokes as to what her father used to do during his lifetime.

One of the show organisers Ray Mawerera said the commemorations were oversubscribed.

“The event was well attended and it was a good gesture to see artists coming to support their own kind. We really appreciate all those who came and supported us through music with Mbira players also performing,” he said.

Players from other genres also graced the commemorations including Daves Guzha and Cont Mhlanga.

The tribute was spiced with music performances and Jairos Chabvonga put out an outstanding performance.

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