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Charles Mabika
Special Correspondent
HIS lifetime boast to anyone who cared to listen was: “When I was a mere 17-year-old, I once played alongside the great Mastermind George Shaya and after the match he told me that I had a bright soccer future.”

That was Tendai “Tindo” Ndemera for you.

The veteran sports journalist, who passed away on Tuesday morning after a long illness and will be buried tomorrow at Zororo Memorial Park along Seke Road, was large-than-life character who always had the house in endless stitches of laughter with his vast story-telling antics.

The tale about Zimbabwe football legend Shaya predicting a bright future for him happened back in 1975 when Ndemera, then a promising Dynamos Under-18 midfielder, was included, together with three other youth players — Edward “Madhobha” Katsvere, Eric “Flashish” Aisam and Boniface “Keegan” Makuruzo — to play together with seasoned players like Shaya, Ernest “Nyamuzihwa” Kamba, Shaw “Kojak” Handriade and Simon “Baba Charle” Sachiti in a charity match against Marondera side Proton Stars at  Rudhaka Stadium.

The Glamour Boys routed the lower division side 4-0 with Ndemera combining well with the ingenious Mastermind in midfield.

After the match, the legendary player — who remained as Tindo’s all-time favourite — apparently told him that he was destined for bigger things on the field of play.

Tindo was also an accomplished footballer  both at Mbare-based schools, Gwinyai Primary and Harare High.

While Katsvere, Makuruzo and Aisam would develop their careers and turn out for the first team later in their lives, Tindo cut short his playing days to enter the world of sports journalism in which he had a colourful career mainly as a freelancer for various media houses including The Herald, The Sunday Mail, Kwayedza, Daily News and Zimbabwe Times.

But it is when he was not behind a typewriter (in the early days) or later a computer  keyboard and was in a sports bar, in his free time, that he always had his fellow journalists and drinking partners in stitches of laughter as he narrated countless and humorous stories and mimicked anyone he could think of at that time.

He could mimic his erstwhile colleague, the late sungura musician Simon “Chopper” Chimbetu’s stammered way of speaking with so much guile and perfection.

He could also “perfect” Oliver “Tuku” M’tukudzi’s artificial cough which was a trademark in many of the late superstar’s songs. He could also impersonate his close friend Michael “King” Kariati’s deep-set voice and keep that accent for as long as he desired!

He could also imitate parts of my soccer commentaries with astute direction . . . oh, Tindo was such delightful company.

Unlike other fellow journalists, he would publicly declare his eternal passion for DeMbare and would really be shattered whenever the Blue Army lost to their two fiercest rivals, CAPS United and Highlanders, and would stop at nothing to blame anyone — from the past or present in the club’s playing or administrative setup — who came to his mind, for the team’s dismal show. Back in the office and without any DeMbare topic to reminisce, Tindo would spring to life as he masterfully narrated events on the sporting field (he was versatile in most disciplines’ activities) although football was his obvious and favourite subject.

He was also a passionate fan of English Premiership giants Liverpool and his lifelong icon was the former Reds and Warriors ’keeper  Bruce “Jungleman” Grobbelaar.

If there is a theatrical stage for stand-up comedy up there, I am pretty certain that Tindo will be one of the audience’s favourites with his rib-tickling tales, laced with facial and body-twisting imitations.

Tindo’s younger brother, Stanley, lamented that the whole family had lost an inspirational, humorous and caring member.

“I am at a loss for words as to how I can describe Tindo’s passing on. Although his illness was for a very long time, we kept on praying that the Almighty would somehow afford us a miraculous turnaround but that didn’t materialise. We will, however, cherish the wonderful and cheerful times that he provided for all his relatives and friends,” he said. True, football and sports journalism, in particular, has lost one of its most iconic figures.

Ndemera is survived by his wife Constance and seven children — two boys and five girls. Mourners are gathered Number 4 Canaan Mhlanga Avenue in National, Mbare.