Royalty and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church

THE President of the Seventh-Day Adventist World Church (EmaSabatha), Elder Ted N.C. Wilson and his wife Nancy will this morning, Tuesday 14th, touch down at King Mswati III International Airport, on a one day visit. The Adventists Church is one of the leading truly Christian and humanitarian churches in the world,operating seven thousand two hundred plus (7 200+) Schools worldwide with nearly 1.5 million students. They also run 168 hospitals worldwide, 138 nursing homes and retirement centres, 442 clinics and dispensaries, and 34 orphanages and children’s homes. It is the policy of the Seventh-Day Adventist that when they establish a church, they strive to open a primary school or some kind of community centre to serve that local community as soon as possible. That is what Jesus Christ did, taught the word, healed the sick and helped the poor and vulnerable.

Eswatini Royalty and SDA church

The history of the Seventh-day Adventist church and Eswatini royal family date back to the times of King Sobhuza 11. It was at the baptism of Prince Ngangabani of the royal house KaPhunga that we got to understand the position of the royal household, particularly during the time of King Sobhuza II. The late Prince Tjekedi was narrating how he was preached to by his father the King about joining the Adventist Church.

He said it was an ordinary day and the King called him and asked his what he considered a strange question.

He asked his father if he had ever seriously considered his life in terms of true religion and God? While he was fumbling through, trying to think of the best answer, he asked a follow-up question. What do you think of EmaSabatha? No way, were the thoughts going through his mind, those people don’t eat on Saturday, (as he has been wrongly told) don’t eat pork ,go to church on the wrong day and generally he knew little or nothing about them. His body language gave his away, even before he could finish his sentence. He did not like them.

The King cut him off very fast. His father, the King’s whole demeanour suddenly changed, seemly became angered by how he was taking lightly such an important life-changing discussion. However , The King would over time guide him toward greater wisdom about the Seventh-Day Adventist Church as he had been taught by two friends, an army Chaplin Richard Basini and Pastor Joseph Hlubi.

Pastor Joseph Hlubi used by God

Prior to 1920, Joseph Metcalf Hlubi converted to Adventism together, with his wife Alice (nee Nxumalo) in 1918, through the preaching of Mr. Smith from Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. Both Joseph and Alice were teachers in Ermelo, but originally from Swaziland (Eswatini), at Makhosini area. Hlubi, by then a lay member, seized the challenge to trek back to his native Swaziland with his devoted wife, Alice, and family to launch the Adventist work.

Little did he know that he would eventually preach to his old Lovedale school mate now the King and the whole royal family.

Previously Mr Joseph Hlubi, a devout Methodist in a predominantly Methodist community, had worked hard to share his newfound light in South Africa. According to Dr. Phetsile Dlamini, the Hlubis arrived in Swaziland (Eswatini) in September 1920.

The prince in charge of KaDlovunga, Prince Hlubi of Prince Makhahleleka, grandfather to Dr. Phetsile and Sipho Dlamini, gave them land at Mbukwane. This followed extensive consultations with King Sobhuza II, with whom Joseph Hlubi had been acquainted while studying at Lovedale College, in the Eastern Cape as already mentioned.

The land was granted with the assurance that it would always remain under the Chiefdom of KaDlovunga and not be sold. Following the success of the establishment of Adventism at KaDlovunga, with Mbukwane becoming a mission station, there was ardent need for infrastructural development, and the first school was eventually built.

Pastor Joseph Hlubi the Kings Advisor

Pastor Joseph Hlubi was to be posted back into South Africa and eventually returned from the KwaZulu-Natal field in 1957, following his retirement. He settled in Manzini. The emissary for his return was Norman Elias Nxumalo (father to both Brother Rhodes Nxumalo and Pastor Cyril P. Nxumalo). The king appointed Pastor Hlubi as one of his senior, close advisors as he was a personal friend. He studied the Bible with him to such an extent that the king confessed to be converted to Adventism, although he could not publicly proclaim it so as not to alienate his other subjects from other denominations. His Majesty King Sobhuza II allowed Pastor Hlubi to preach freely in the royal house, secretly hoping more of his family would accept this truth. As a result, many were actually converted to be Adventist including the mother of the present Zulu King the late Princess Mantfombi.

Gogo Dubana

Ms. Eleanor Dube (Dubazana), who originated from KaLanga, and at that time was working in Manzini as a Bible worker. She had commenced preaching to Emakhosikati of King Sobhuza II at Lozitha under the leadership of Pastor Hlubi. She worked with the full blessing of King Sobhuza II. Eleanor Dube was a remarkable evangelist who did a tremendous work. Affectionately referred to as ‘Gogo Dubana’, she converted many people at Kwaluseni and Lozitha, some members of the royal family, including late Inkhosikati LaMasuku, mother to Princess Dlalisile and Princess Msindvose, who are current church members in good and regular standing.

Inkhosikati LaHlophe of Lozitha was the mother to the late Prince Tjekedi, who was also a member in good and regular standing. The current Queen Mother Her Majesty Indlovukazi, mother to the current King, Mswati III, was among those converted to the Adventist faith at the time. His Majesty the King was never baptised into the church because at the time anticipated for his baptism, as he was crowned, Crown Prince and relocated to the United Kingdom for studies. All these people were won into the faith through the courageous effort of the late sister Eleanor Dube.

It is no wonder that King Sobhuza II led emaSwati through turbulent time post- independence without any bloodshed or political tensions, when there was so much senseless death in Africa. Comment septembereswatini@gmail.com.