Mystery behind Vitalis, Claudius surnames solved Vitalis Takawira

Charles Mabika Special Correspondent

What’s in a name?

Well, nothing much until a birth and names registry officer makes an error in entering either your first name or surname, especially if you are a football player.

Such an error might cause confusion amongst fans, refereeing officials and journalists alike.

One such case involved former Dynamos brothers, serial scorer Claudius “Hokoyo” Zviripayi and dribbling ace Vitalis “Digital” Takawira.

During their active years in the 1990s, a lot of fans always wondered why the two siblings carried different surnames with some even doubting that they were, indeed, brothers.

Both players are now retired and are living overseas.

The following is what led to the former Warriors and DeMbare deadly striking duo’s quagmire:

Speaking in the capital recently, “Hokoyo’s’’ and “Digital’s’’ younger brother, Vincent, explained: “When Claudius and Vitalis went to register for their identity cards, they had to take our dad’s identity particulars as is required. The registry clerk at the local issuing office correctly entered Vitalis’ first name with our father’s (Nicholas) surname which is Takawira but wrongly entered Claudius’ surname as Zviripayi which is our father’s middle name.

“So that’s how Vitalis was known as Takawira and Claudius as Zviripayi,’’ said Vincent.

But before the Takawiras’ unfortunate scenario, there was the case of a former top-flight side Arcadia United ‘keeper during the 80s whose first name and surnames were similar.

His full name was Charles Charles.

A couple of months before he joined the then Super League side, he decided to change his full name . . . or just one part… for the sheer fun of it.

That’s how the agile and eccentric ‘keeper became known as Double Charles during his glory days at the Red and White Army.

And another confusing situation in the local game involved former Dynamos striker-turned-defender, Henry “Beefy” Chari . . . or was it Charles?

In fact, the now-retired big player, who also used to turn out as a top-notch striker for the now-defunct Northern Region Division One side BAT Ramblers before joining DeMbare, had a childhood nickname — “Biggie” — because of his heavy build which he got from his schoolmates at Mbare’s Chirodzo Primary School.

But where did the surname Charles come from?

In a recent interview with Canada-based Mad Minox (Godfrey Chafukidza) of Ghetto Crown King on YouTube, Beefy revealed: “My correct surname is Chari, which in Shona means fabric or cloth that is used by most mothers to carry babies on their backs.

“This was the correct surname on my identity particulars since birth. When I got called up for the national Under-20 squad back in the early 80s after I had just joined Ramblers from Division Two side Sunlight Rovers, then our head coach at the Under-20 camp, the late Barry Daka, got my surname mixed up as he went through the squad’s first morning roll call and called me “Henry Charles”. . . I never bothered to correct him and that surname stuck with me for a long time as I later moved to DeMbare.

“After a couple of seasons with the Harare giants, I then informed our club officials and several journalists that my correct surname was Chari and not Charles.

“Luckily, my younger brother William, who had a successful stay at Black Rhinos, never had any confusion with our surname,” chuckled “Beefy’’. Then there is another case of former national Under-23 and CAPS United’s tricky right winger, Tostao Kwashi, who recently rejoined Makepekepe as assistant coach to Lloyd “Lodza’’ Chitembwe.

There are many fans who think that Tostao is his nickname and that his first name is Fungai.

Not at all. Tostao is his first name and Fungai is his middle one.

Tostao was given this name by his late father, legendary Zimbabwe Saints and Dynamos right winger and CAPS United head mentor, Steve “The Dude” Kwashi.

“My dad was a staunch fanatic of all the Brazilian national teams, especially the 1970 World Cup-winning squad that included greats like Pele, Paulo Cesar, Rivelino, Jairzinho and his favourite player, attacking midfielder Tostao,” revealed the former Young Warriors forward.

“When I was born, my dad gave me my first name Tostao and my mom gave me my second — Fungai.

“Since childhood, “The Dude” would follow me to my games and every time I swept past defenders, he would shout: “Yeah Tostao, that’s the way the champions do it sonny’!” Finally, these names “confusion” also caught up with me in rather bizarre fashion during one of my soccer commentaries.

Well here is what happened to me in 2013 when I was covering a Premiership match on national television between CAPS United and How Mine at the National Sports Stadium. Whenever there was a tussle for possession between Makepekepe’s Simba Sithole and Chikurupati’s Simbaba Sithole . . . yes, you guessed it: I was tongue-tied!

So, it was a big relief for me after the ex-CAPS United’s high-flying scorer, Simba Sithole, later changed his surname to Nhivi!

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