Let’s reward, not exploit, our legends

PLEASE Editor kindly allow me to highlight and share with the readers details of a plan to resuscitate the fortunes of the legendary George Shaya.

Efforts to re-establish George Shaya as a propelling retail and marketing brand, managed from Zimbabwe, have emerged lately.

This plan comes at a juncture where a stunning realisation that a milling company was trading mealie-meal using the trademark “Shaya”, bearing a soccer ball without the consent of the former soccer star.

The company’s passion and appreciation to celebrate Shaya’s great talent is deeply acknowledged.

However, many people, including myself, feel it needs to be done with due procedure without prejudice and intellectual contempt.

This must not be done at the expense of the fullness of life and privilege in another.

George Shaya earned undisputed fame in the soccer circles that the commercial market can harness to push merchandising returns.

It is, therefore, opportune to advise producers in various domains ranging from food and beverages, sports outfits, electronics, clothing and stationery that are able to envision this trend to come forward and broker agreements.

While some brands have restricted themselves to one specific area of merchandise, we have also realised that any product can earn iconic drive through his home-grown popularity.

Bottled water can also get mileage and scale quantum gains to his lot.

This gesture is expected to atone and appease the aggrieved character.

In my honest opinion, talent must translate into a fat wallet because money holds a big purpose in our lives.

I hope this initiative will strike an awakening chord of consciousness in my fellow countrymen that we need to celebrate each other as living legends.

In Zimbabwe, more emphasis is put on post-life charades yet we sideline the famous people as they grapple with the grey odds of life, such as the loss of his precious leg.

Lest we forget, these sportsmen and women invest in our leisure and social gap inclinations. As it were, there is need to transform and start to attach value to all zones of the body of life.

Why is it that we prefer foreign colourants and stickers than, for example, Peter Ndlovu in marketing our brands. Patrick Katsura, Glen Norah A, Harare