Gogo, 87, vividly recollects her school days in President’s class Gogo Lillian Ndlovu
Gogo Lillian Ndlovu

Gogo Lillian Ndlovu

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
SHE is age-worn and frail with scanty pure white hair. Her skin is wrinkly dark leather and the eyes look dull and weak.

Amazingly, at the age of 87, her memory is still very sharp.

Meet Gogo Lillian Ndlovu, one of President Mugabe’s most favourite and intelligent pupils at Hope Fountain Mission.

She was taught by President Mugabe at the then London Missionary Society (LMS) run school now known as the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA).

The Chronicle yesterday caught up with Gogo Ndlovu at her home in Bulawayo’s Pelandaba suburb. Gogo MaNdlo, as she is affectionately known in her neighbourhood, radiates a stunning and brilliant recollection of her heydays at Hope Fountain Mission where she was a headgirl between 1949 and 1950.

She fondly remembers how President Mugabe would intermittently crack jokes during lessons.

“I was taught by President Mugabe between 1949 and 1950 at Hope Fountain Mission and he was a brilliant teacher whose teaching skills cannot be surpassed. In fact, he loved teaching and was so passionate about the profession. I remember him well for his penchant love for cracking jokes during lessons and we would all laugh our lungs out,” said Gogo Ndlovu.

She added: “However, when it was time for real school work he would put those jokes aside and get down to serious business.”

Gogo Ndlovu was quick to reveal to The Chronicle how President Mugabe turned her into her favourite pupil in her class because of her outstanding academic performance.

“I loved my school work and worked very hard to attain good results and I believe that’s why my teacher (President Mugabe) loved me so much. In fact, I was his favourite pupil in my class because of my outstanding performance in school as well as being the best netball player at school,” she said.

Gogo Ndlovu speaks fluent English and attributes her prowess to President Mugabe who taught her the language.

“President Mugabe was a very good English teacher and no wonder why even up to today there’re few African leaders who can effectively communicate in English with ease like the way he does. You would be forgiven for thinking that English was his first language.

“I’m a good English speaker because of President Mugabe who taught me the language at Hope Fountain Mission and I’m grateful for the privilege of having been his pupil,” she said.

Unfortunately, Gogo Ndlovu did not proceed to secondary school. She left Hope Fountain Mission in 1950 and got married to her long time sweetheart, the late Mr Samson Kesi Ndebele who was a teacher at the Salvation Army-run school, Usher Girls’ High.

Born on April 20, 1930 in Bazha village, Figtree, Gogo Ndlovu has seven children, four girls and three boys and several grandchildren.

President Mugabe attended Catholic mission schools and worked as a primary school teacher at Kutama until 1943 followed by stints at Empandeni and Hope Fountain Mission schools until 1950.

Hope Fountain Mission is the second oldest in the country after Inyathi Mission, which was established by Dr Robert Moffat of the then LMS on December 26, 1859.

 

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