Zimpapers Logo

Lovemore Dube
MAKING your derby surrounded by talents such as Peter Nkomo, Mercedes Sibanda, Alexander Maseko, Douglas Mloyi, Titus Majola, Tito Paketh and Willard Khumalo would just be what the doctor ordered.

One such Highlanders FC junior was Lovejoy Mugadza of the famous Nguboyenja footballing family which has Abisha, Abedi, Charles, Brian and Rosemary.

An injury to Dumisani Nyoni the club’s regular leftback since 1984 threw an opportunity for Lovejoy to make his long-awaited debut after two years with the club’s reserve team which was teeming with great talents.

It was against Arcadia United at Rufaro Stadium in 1987.

“I got great encouragement from the senior players, they were happy for the great show. I had a great team around me Alexander, British, Peter, Titus, Tito, Tobias Mudyambanje, they were all supportive,” said Lovejoy.

Asked what the instruction was from Barry Daka the club head coach and his assistant Cosmas Zulu, Lovejoy said he was told: “Play your usual game.”

With the competitive Reserve v First Team games played on Thursdays, where he would face Madinda Ndlovu and Tanny Banda on the wing, Lovejoy had an idea about what to expect against Arcadia.

“Thursdays were days I would shut out Madinda Ndlovu, Dumisani Nyoni was injured and on the Thursday, I was drafted into the first team.

“When we arrived in Harare, I found myself coming up against Carlos Max of Arcadia who I had seen play as a defender, so that gave me confidence to shut him out,” said Lovejoy.

Lovejoy had come from a reserve team that had inherited part of the residue of the great junior team club faithful had nicknamed Liverpool for its flawless football from 1982-83. They were a dominant force within the Under-18s and gave First Division sides like Monarch and Red Seal a good run for their money as curtain-raisers.

He had played with the likes of former Young Warriors goalkeeper Sydney Zimunya.

He says his family was very supportive to him playing football as his dada also was a footballer who had played in Bulawayo, Marondera and Wankie amateur football leagues in the 1960s.

“Out of the eight boys and one girl, Abisha, Abedi, Brian, Rosemary and myself, we all played at the highest level of Zimbabwe football,” said Mabhekaphansi, as Bosso fans called him as he used to run facing the turf while in attack or defence.

He is full of praise for his sister Rosemary whose honours include several medals with New Orleans and coaching the Mighty Warriors.

She is now coach of the Young Mighty Warriors.

For the former footie who was born 55 years ago in Nguboyenja, still the family home, the football journey started with the national Chibuku Trophy Under-14s medal in 1980 as Bulawayo registered its presence in a newly independent Zimbabwe as Highlanders too won the seniors Chibuku Trophy 4-0 over Rio Tinto.

Years later he would cross the dividing line and join Highlanders captaining the Under-18s in 1984 with the likes of Willard Khumalo, Mercedes Sibanda, Abraham Senda, Babsy Ncube, Oliver Ncube, Netsai Moyo, Hagai Moyo, Summer Ncube and Themba Lunga having either been promoted to the first team or left for greener pastures in Division One.

The left back who could also play as a central defender, had Zimbabwe and Rhodesia midfield maestro William Sibanda a Saints legend as his childhood football hero.

His biggest influence in the game was none other than his own brother Abisha who made his mark at Black Mambas.

“My elder brother, the late Abisha Cosby Taurai, a humble and football loving soul, I remember him encouraging me to join Highlanders Football Club in 1981 after a fall out with Saints junior coach Jani Gwede.

“Secondly when we were living together at Morris Depot in 1989, I quit semi-professional football and played for Jikele a University of Zimbabwe based Boozers team after a fall out with Grawboski at Darryn T. He rebuked me over the decision and sought help from Stephen Kwashi to persuade me back to football and he took me to Black Aces the 1992 league winners,” said Lovejoy a winner of two Independence Cup tournaments.

His dance with Saints had in earnest kicked off in 1977 with the Under-12s.

Lovejoy said Chikwata was a family team with his dad offering the club his 20-seater Morris mini bus.

“In the early 1970s Saints coach Paul Kruger and Herbert Ushewokunze were regular visitors home looking for the keys and the vehicle.

“Neighbour Tapuwa Nyamudyambanje was already in the Saints set up and that made me and my elder brother join Zimbabwe Saints in 1977 straight from my rural home,” said Lovejoy.

During his Under-12 days, Lobengula Primary School with Mercedes Sibanda, Dumisani Nyoni and Sydney Zimunya were a formidable force with Mzilikazi weighing in with Willard Khumalo, John Maseko, Thamsanqa Nne Ndlovu and Nqobizitha Maenzanise according to Lovejoy.

Lozikeyi had Mpumelelo Dzowa, Tobias Mudyambanje, Phillip Munawa, Patrick Mpala, Samuel Dlamini, Sam Mudyambanje, John Chari, Claudius Chinyama and Antony Majola.

Natural progression for lads from the greater Mzilikazi picture-Barbourfields, Makokoba, Mzilikazi, Nguboyenja and Thorngrove was that the lads go to Mzilikazi High School, St Columbas and Sobukhazi for their secondary school education.

So for his development, despite playing for Saints and Highlanders juniors, he was guaranteed competitiveness at secondary school while turning out for Mzilikazi (Mgandane).

Sobukhazi boasted of Obey Sova, Taurai Murozwi, Dumisani Ngulube, Norman Gumbo, Phillip Munawa, John Maseko, Mgcini Silongwe and Thamsanqa Nne Ndlovu.

St Columbas had Tanny Banda, Tamburike and Rudolf Ndiweni with other schools like Mpopoma having Ronnie Jowa and Lloyd Munhanga. Gifford High School had Antony Sibanda, Msitheli’s John Sibanda, Ben Nzelengwe, Garikayi Rwodzi, Dumisani Nyoni, Francis Moyo, Allan Ndlovu and Collet Dube.

His Mzilikazi was not short of talent too, Nkululeko Dzowa, Mpumelelo Dzowa, Tobias Mudyambanje, Joseph Dube, Jabulani Dube, Thando Dube, Sydney Nyathi, Chris Masiyandima, Nicholas Mathonsi (now a Zimbabwe High Court Judge), Bongani Khumalo and Mbuso Jubane.

These players were dominant too in juniors clubs in the city.

“’The dominant juniors were Rambo, Nhlanhla Ncube, Pedzisai Mugabe, Hussein Phiri, Abraham Mbambo, Nkululeko Dlodlo, Arnold Mhlanga, Fungai Mawoko, Garikayi Rwodzi, Ben Nzelengwe and Joe Masawa.”

A player nicknamed Curfew Area at Saints 1978-80, Mabhekaphansi at Bosso 1985-87, Melusi at Black Aces and Mark Fish/Bohlingers at Chikwata 1995 to 1999, could also play as a defensive link and even at rightback as he did at Highlanders juniors.

He has as many names as nicknames as he is officially Lovejoy James Rangarirai Vinya.

After a year with Black Aces, he joined ZRP Tomlinson and played with the likes of Boniface Achimwene Kabwe.

He has no regrets leaving Highlanders to train as an instrument technician under Dairibord in 1988.

“It was one of the most difficulty decisions I ever made in my life choosing a profession over football, I had to part with Bosso and Bulawayo life to live in Harare which turned not to be just a good decision but a wise one,” said Mugadza.

Many stars of the past had nothing to fall on once they retired.

The star who attended Dumba Primary School in Rusape and Losikeyi, credits the once popular Bulawayo Youth Centre scene as having contributed to his football development.

His was Mthwakazi in Nguboyenja.

Lovejoy returned to Bulawayo in 1995 and did a four-year shift with Zimbabwe Saints before retiring.

He recalls a 2-0 over Highlanders while at Chikwata as one of his most memorable matches in 1995 a year he described as probably his best as he ended the season with 14 goals for Zimbabwe Saints.

“It was an honour to lead Saints out of the dressing room and inflict a 2-0 defeat on my childhood team Highlanders,” he said.

One incident he remembers at Saints is when coaches Philemon Dangarembwa and Andrew Kadengu were fired on a Thursday and he took over as coach.

“John Sibanda was appointed coach but did not come. So I appointed myself and took the boys through their paces and on the weekend we beat Black Rhinos 2-1,” said Lovejoy.

He strongly believes that a number of players of his generation and earlier were good enough that had they played today they would have made it in South Africa and overseas.

Mugadza also spoke about tribalism. He said during his time it was there but had little effect on the players at Bosso as he arrived in the first team when there had been generations of Shona players and officials who had served the club well before.

He said players like Builder Nyaruwata, Nhamo Shambira and Godfrey Paradza had motivated him when he moved to Highlanders.

Bosso has always had a cosmopolitan outlook with players from around Zimbabwe, neighbouring countries and some from as far as Europe and America hence it is known as iTeam Yezwelonke.

Lovejoy is now living and working in the UK with his wife and children where he is also a pastor.