The ManicaPost
Morris Mtisi Post Correspondent
IF someone requested me to write a book, its title would be THE EAGLE HAS LANDED. Moses Mukoyi marked the end of his road in style on 15 February 2019 when his friends, former students, current students, parents, local community and his foot soldiers (staff) of 28 years… many more, poured glowing tributes on the hero who turned Egypt into Canaan.
As each attendee entered the school, he or she was greeted by a screaming banner: THE LEGEND HAS RETIRED. The emotional celebration started right there at the gate. Then as one walked further into the school there were more banners eulogising their illustrious hero; a real Moses whom God loved and chose to lead His people. It was an emotional moment of introspection and retrospection.
This reporter attended several functions where Moses Mukoyi was the centre of attraction before….NASH Indabas, parents days, AGMs…the list is long. I never saw the small man as big as he was on the day. It can only be sensible to thank everyone who came to make Mr Mukoyi’s farewell, not only fascinating, but emotionally befitting.
Speaker after speaker repeated exactly the same words in different languages and dialects to describe the same man: a humble man, intelligent, wise, calculating, diplomatic, focused, energetic, insightful leader. Only a few adjectives in the dictionary escaped the mouth of every fundi and admirer around.
The farewell was clearly reminiscent of a celebrity’s wedding with friends and loved ones presenting and pledging gifts. A former St Faith’s student, Collin Chiwanza, representing the alumni and him, presented more than 1700 US dollars sterling, emphasising, ‘The hero is worth US dollars…not any other currency.’ The interlink director and owner, promised the alumni was mobilising more funds to expand the school library. Rumour wafted through the air at the function that the former students were raising funds to buy a vehicle for the retiring legend.
The MP for Makoni, Honourable David Tekeshe pledged two heifers to the retiring education veteran, saying Moses Mukoyi had done not only the school and Manicaland province proud, but the whole nation. “He put Manicaland on the top when it came to examination results and stubbornly remained there despite the enemies’ suspicions of cheating,” the MP said. “That is what people do when they see heroes making history.”
The NASH president was there with his national team, in full force. What an honour and what a gesture of respect for one of your own! “Ladies and gentlemen… allow me to be very brief, lest I cry if I talk more, for I should celebrate because my brother is not dead, but retiring from a well executed reign of duty,” started Mr Maposa. Like everybody else he used the most apt adjectives to describe a colleague who served in NASH for seven years as its Secretary General. He wrapped up his accolade for Moses Mukoyi…most appropriately of course, in four simple letters spelling GOAT — Greatest of All Times!
The Milestone Group of Schools director, Dr Tsitsi Mupfunya, presented a flaming poetic tribute to the retiring legend describing him as “…short though, but powered by atomic energy…a backbone of inner resilience, the key with which to unlock doors of opportunities to success…a great visionary best at nurturing the minds of young boys and girls into geniuses.”
How sweet and humbling it was from nowhere to see from the highest echelon of Primary and Secondary School in Harare, Mr Peter Muzawazi, an education director in the office of the relevant Minister. Like everyone else there was no space for him to create new adjectives to define Mukoyi’s heroism and legacy. It was Mr Muzawazi’s brief appearance at the farewell function, despite his terribly busy schedule, that spoke more about how some people, even from the highest offices, are humble enough and genuinely appreciative of other people’s successes and achievements. No matter how busy they may be! Mr Muzawazi was frantically hitting the ground on a run of duty, he said, but found it impossible to pass by without wishing the educational legend a happy and prosperous retirement he deserved. Talking about humility in high office!
It was Anglican Diocesan bishop-Manicaland, Lord Bishop Erick Ruwona’s maiden speech that was brief but penetrating: “I stand here with mixed emotions,” started the man of God. “On one hand there is a sense of sadness that our Head, whose leadership produced results, is leaving St Faith’s High School. On the other hand, we are excited that he is leaving without incident. One of the eminent scholars, Stephen Covey, argues that good leaders ‘begin with the end in mind.’ We are surprised when retirement comes. We are angry and make desperate attempts to hold on. Politicians begin sponsoring people and they argue that, ‘vanhu vachirikundida.’ Leaving office is viewed or has been likened by someone to a captain ‘abandoning a sinking ship.’ If a ship is sinking when it has a captain, the best solution is to change the captain. Today we are gathered here to see a captain who retires when the ship is sailing smooth and travellers are enjoying and actually tempted to ask him to stay on,” said the Lord Bishop in emphatic extended metaphor.
“We are gathered here for something different. We gather to bid farewell to a captain who is leaving immediately after producing the best ZimSec ‘A’ level results in Zimbabwe (43 students with 15 points apiece and above.)”
Bishop Ruwona ended his pointed speech directly addressing the retiring legend: “Look around you. There is not a life around this gathering that you have not touched, and each one of us is a better person because of you. I feel sorry for those who take over from you. What new history are they going to write? What new things are they going to achieve which have not been achieved already?” Indeed everyone else’s question!
Indeed everyone else’s question and cause for anxiety! Where to from here St Faith’s? That is the question on every mouth.
A critical suggestion from the Bishop’s conclusion: “May be improving on infrastructure and vocationalisation’ of this school! Future graduands to come out of here with professional skills and diplomas over and above excellent ‘A’ level results!” Perfect food for thought from the Bishop!
The most touching part of this function that resembled, in various ways, both a huge colourful celebrity’s wedding and a great hero’s funeral, were Moses Mukoyi’s last words to his teachers, his students, both former and current and to everybody around: With his beautiful wife by his side he looked and must have felt St Faith’s was remaining with part of his heart. At one point this reporter got caught up in the emotional flame engulfing the legendary retiree and could not take the camera shot that he hungrily wanted to take for the last time before Mukoyi left this oasis of academic glory, they say in colloquial language, “…for good.” It was a heart-rending moment!
Moses Mukoyi’s eyes welled with tears as he read his sweet but stabbing valediction to a school of teachers and learners that made him a hero and a legend…a school he made the bastion of academic glory not only of Zimbabwe, but the Southern African region and beyond: “My high school teacher, principal and mentor at St Augustine’s where I was both student and administrator, Hugh Kebble Prosser-someone I absolutely adored-once said in passing: “You don’t know what it means to leave a school until you walk down the road for the last time.”
Literally confessing, Moses Mukoyi acknowledged, “I find myself confronted with that stark reality, faced with the final moment of realisation that I am bidding goodbye to St Faith’s and Ministry of Education.”
He had a sweet final word for everyone. These included the parents he loved and praised for support and cooperation, NASH for which he was Secretary General for seven wonderful years with a great team of thinkers and energetic leaders, the Fisco Bulls (learners), the staff, the world of education whose corridors of power he said he was privileged to have walked, the local community and beyond the school boundary, the Bishop and entire Anglican Fellowship and last but not least, his family and relatives. Everyone!
“On a personal note I shall retire to a world of reading and writing, some educational consultancy, horticulture and floriculture, and try to follow anything that gives ‘joie de vivre!’…the joy of life.” Typical of Moses-a man who loves the English Language and speaks it with a voracious verbal appetite but never listens when this reporter and intellectual friend of his tells him to become an established writer.
In conclusion the retiring legend had this to say: “I‘m happy for St Faith’s and leave with a high sense of fulfilment. God bless you all, God bless this great school and good bye!” It was at this last word “good bye” accompanied by a desolate hand wave to his students and everyone, that the heart stab was deepest. With eyes full of tears, it was brave…very brave of him not to succumb to an unstoppable open breakdown.
The Manica Post, and in particular this reporter, wish the locust that has finally flown away, a peaceful and restful new beginning in its life. Its eggs are safely buried there in the ground at St Faith’s. Long after it has flown away, they will soon hatch…we all hope, to restart a new cycle of life… a new dawn… a new lease of life.
Heroes do not leave or die. For their eggs soon hatch to regenerate exactly the same lifestyle…a rebirth of oneself silhouetted in one’s own legacy. A future determined for others by a legend and hero long gone; a hero retired but not tired!
