Group spreads gospel through imbube

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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
SEVEN-member imbube group Men of Influence are on a mission to spread the gospel to the masses through their genre and are even performing in bars.

Last weekend, the Lobengula-based group comprising Mlindeli Moyo (lead vocalist) Mthandazo Nyoni (alto) Polite Ntini (tenor), Desmond Tshele (bass), Ricardo Mhunga (bass), Obvious Ncube (bass) and Wishes Madondo (bass) sang their melodious tunes during the Rise Up Chothoza Mfana Imbube Expo much to the delight of a packed Bulawayo Theatre.

The group is a product of Lobengula Brethren in Christ Church youth choir under the leadership of Reverend Albert Gegana Ndlovu.

Nyoni, who is the group’s spokesperson said Men of Influence was formed in 2010 as a way to minister the gospel through Imbube music.

“We started the group in 2010 because we realised that there were many people who liked imbube music, but not many groups sang gospel hymns. The people from church were starved of this kind of music as they enjoyed it so we decided to form the group,” said,” Nyoni.

He said they sing at any platform they are presented with.

“We’re called to perform in a lot of places such as Nkayi, Silobela, Kezi and the like. Sometimes, we even perform in bars in and around the city which for some people isn’t good. But for us, the target is that we want to perpetuate the gospel.

“So in the bars, there’ll be unsaved people . . . we can’t preach the gospel to the converted,” said Nyoni.

The group has a six-track album, Ngomhla Wenjabulo that was released in 2016, but its DVD was released this year.

Those who follow closely, talent search programme StarBrite, will remember Men of Influence from the 2015 competition. They were unfortunately knocked out by Ijongosi who were also part of the Rise Up Chothoza Mfana Imbube Expo.

Asked how they have managed to keep the group intact for eight years, Nyoni said they have a constitution that guides them.

“With any group, there are problems that arise. But, we use a constitution to guide our behaviour as members. It also governs how we handle money that comes into our coffers. More importantly for us, we prioritise treating each other as brothers in Christ,” he said.

The group practises twice a week at their church.

Moyo, the lead vocalist is a self-employed carpenter while Nyoni is a journalist. Ntini is a self-employed welder and Ncube works at a local company.

Madondo is a hotel and catering student while Tshele and Mhunga are both students at Lupane State University.

Nyoni said the attendance at last Saturday’s event gave him hope that the genre of imbube was alive.

“If you compare when we started the expo in 2016 to the attendance last Saturday, you can see that there has been a vast improvement. What I know is that the hunger for imbube  out there is palpable.

“The only problem is that there were no platforms like this one for people to come and watch us perform,” said Nyoni.

This year, Nyoni said people should look forward to their second album.

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