Even verbal contracts must be respected

DEATH is horrible, but humanity has universally mourned death. We are social beings, and capable of love for others, especially those closest to us. It would be unreasonable to expect ourselves not to mourn the loss of our loved ones or our heroes. Death often reminds us of our own mortality.

Zimbabwe was last week robbed of one of its iconic artistes – Dr Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi.

He was 66.

He was unanimously declared a national hero and his body was interred at his rural home in Madziwa village, Mashonaland Central Province.

His death has taught us that relationships do not end at death.

We can continue those relationships.

We are a society that doesn’t usually dance with joy when someone dies simply because we enjoyed their presence and also don’t wish to die ourselves. Funerals I have attended have all been very much the same. Relatives and friends arrive in all black and take seats in the church for a sombre ceremony where prayers are said, memories are shared and tears are shed. The attendees walk slowly out to their cars and form a single file line a behind the hearse, arriving at the graveyard where they place roses on the casket just before it’s lowered into the ground. Then, they proceed to the immediate family’s home, where the doorbell rings with a steady stream of loved ones — casserole dishes in hand — since, in the days ahead, people often forget to eat.

We celebrate Tuku.

When you have a funeral of Tuku’s nature you can celebrate. We celebrate the life that was and can mourn the lack of that life in the future — both are valid and good. And every funeral I have been has been a mix of both, with a bit of crying, smiling and laughing.

Funerals are for the living, to remember the person is now gone and at Tuku’s funeral, one person deserves special mention — the undertaker.

Philip Mataranyika, the owner of Nyaradzo Group, had a unique way to honour his verbal contract with Tuku. He elected to drive the hearse and be the undertaker himself. Though this was the first time Nyaradzo Funeral Services was directly involved in the burial of a national hero, Mataranyika’s gesture exudes what happens when your deeds are not deceitful.

You attract nothing, but love from everyone! Such is servant leadership. Mataranyika’s offer to drive the hearse and to be the undertaker in line with the late Tuku’s wish was not easy to grant or comprehend, but he had to find a way to honour his verbal contract with the hale national hero.

Where there is a will there is always a way, they say. “Mai Mtukudzi respected Tuku’s wish and she insisted that I should do it for Tuku. Tuku made his choice while he was alive, he chose Nyaradzo and that ought to be respected,” he said.

“He was a man of style and as such it was important for us to ensure that his funeral and burial was conducted in a manner synonymous with the late Tuku’s high standards,” he said.

Mourning is exhausting, and this was Mataranyika’s price to pay for loving Tuku. If he did not have strong feelings for Tuku, he probably would not have gone through this. But he wanted the relationship to continue beyond death. It was important for him to do it.

With love comes the pain of loss, and Mataranyika was not willing to have superficial relationships to avoid the pain. His life is rich in relationships. Relationships are so special to him that he will always pay his dues.

He did the same to Sam Mtukudzi and Paul Chingoka.

It is within him to honour verbal contracts, and many he will.

Tuku was our hero, and deserved the best.

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself and it was important for Mataranyika to recognise and celebrate our hero in this unique way.

I asked why he was taking the trouble to be the undertaker driver when their many hearse drivers could have done it, he had this to say:

“Because he had requested that in the event that he predeceases me, I must wash and dress him and also be the undertaker or hearse driver, I was following through on our verbal contract”.

“He literally looked down at me and said, young man, will you do that for me should I predecease you. I looked up at him and I said, big man, I will and we had a deal. When I heard the news that he had breathed his last, I knew I had work to do and I did as we had agreed. I was sad to learn about his passing. I am happy, however that I was able to respect our verbal contract”.

Mtukudzi was of the Samanyanga totem from Dande and Mataranyika is a Nyati totem from Makoni. Both are of totems that belong to the Big Five and also the largest land animal in the world.

Elephants (Samanyanga) are chilled and calm, as long as you leave them alone, but if threatened, it is a terrifying sight; flapping its ears, trumpeting and sprinting its weight towards you. Can you outrun an elephant?

Not many people have and it’s best not to annoy them. The buffalo (Nyati) is one of Africa’s most dangerous animals as it has killed more hunters than any other animal. Even a lion would not dare to attack a buffalo without the help of his buddies.

Mtukudzi was a great singer-songwriter, actor, writer, film director and entrepreneur. With over 66 albums to his name, he was one of Zimbabwe’s top musicians. His career spanned decades, having started around 1975.

He played a great role during the liberation struggle as his music inspired many people to join and wage a war against Ian Smith’s colonial regime.

With the Wagon Wheels, Mtukudzi recorded Dzandimomotera, a song inspired directly by the Second Chimurenga. Dzandimomotera depicted the black man’s life struggles under the white minority Government. With the Black Spirits, Mtukudzi recorded many albums including Africa which was done at the country’s Independence in 1980 and included hit song Zimbabwe.

Mataranyika’s family liberation war credentials are as clear as day. He is a great grandson of the late Chief Chingaira Makoni, whose head was decapitated during the First Chimurenga, and allegedly taken to London as a hunting trophy. He belongs to the Zendera house, which currently holds the Makoni chieftainship. So the greatest story is that Tuku got a royal send-off from Mataranyika, the proud great grandson of the First Chimurenga hero, Chingaira Makoni and current holder of the Makoni chieftainship.

Nyati, you did the dynasty proud by interring the national hero. Zvaitwa Dzimbahwe, thank you for great royal send-off! Difference Muchemwa