The ManicaPost
Freedom Mutanda
Correspondent
THERE is a time for everything as the wise King of Israel, Solomon, writes in the Holy Book.
For the multitudes who knew the Religious Studies guru, Professor Tapiwa Praise Mapuranga, news of her demise in the early hours of Monday morning, came as a huge shock to them.
How cruel fate parachuted her from their midst!
She passed on in Harare.
She was 43.
Taita wekwa Gaza, as Dr Tenson Mabuya called her, was a prolific writer on gender issues and the Ndau culture from a religious angle.
“She was a Phenomenology of Religion scholar and had established herself as a religion and gender guru,’’ Dr Mabuya, a lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University said.
Hers is a story of hard work and single mindedness, nurtured from a young age after her uncle, Mr Cansee Mapuranga, a retired educationist himself and his wife, Mrs Tecklar Mapuranga, took her and her siblings under their care following the death of her parents.
Those who interacted with her at Mount Selinda High School from 1991 to 1996 attest to her being a bookworm who always strove to be the best in the academic field.
A classmate and trusted friend, Mr Robert Mangaiso, spoke of how the duo would compete to be in the top 10.
That friendly rivalry went on until Robert went to Chikore for his Advanced Level studies.
“Prof Mapuranga was not involved in sports, but revelled in UCCZ activities as she was a committed Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) member. She was absorbed in her books and hardly had time to engage in serious playing. We would meet again at the University of Zimbabwe and our friendship never waned,’’ said Mr Mangaiso.
The late Associate Professor was an ambassador of Chipinge, hence the moniker Taita wekwa Gaza, coined by fellow academics who saw her as an embodiment of self-effacement and intelligence.
Her PhD thesis titled ‘A Phenomenological investigation into the effects of traditional beliefs and practices on women and HIV & AIDS with special reference to Chipinge District, Zimbabwe’, is a scholarly work that is consulted by many researchers who want to appreciate the Ndau culture from a gender perspective.
Prof Fortune Sibanda, a GZU academic, was full of praise for the departed scholar and writer.
He said she obtained a number of grants for research over the years.
“The late Prof Mapuranga was diligent and received numerous grants since she obtained her Master’s degree to pursue research on African Traditional Religion, the Sociology of Religion and Gender Studies where she became the kingpin at the University of Zimbabwe in her department.
“As GZU, the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy, we have lost an external examiner whose shoes will be very difficult to fill,” said Prof Sibanda.
Her predisposition for matters related to religion made her hold fast what she was taught as a young cadre in the CYF, a youth wing of the UCCZ and she was approached by leaders of the church to come up with strategies to forward the direction of the church.
Mr Ganyani Khosa, the current United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe, moderator and Information Communication Technology (ICT) for Development consultant, interacted with the late academic on several occasions and was awestruck by her down-to-earth demeanour. He says she was also very professional in her dealings, notwithstanding her youthfulness.
“I was a teacher of Biology and other sciences when Tapiwa was at Mt Selinda High School as a student. Three years ago when I was elected moderator of the UCCZ, I asked her to help me do a SWOT analysis of the UCCZ in order to give me a quasi outsider opinion that could guide me in my leadership of the church.
“Indeed, her help was invaluable for she was a great educator, humble and very professional as a university professor,’’ said Mr Khosa.
Fittingly, Martin Rio Tendayi Mapuranga, her cousin, posted on his Facebook Page a moving statement: “Mwatisiira gomba rakakura Professor Tapuwa Mapuranga. Zororai murugare taita. RIP Dziya.”
ln a family of four, Prof Mapuranga was born on May 14, 1978 and lost her parents at an early age.
However, she did not let that deter her meteoric rise in the academic circles.
She remained rooted in her background as she found time in her busy schedule to visit her relatives at Rimayi in Chipinge District.
Prof Mapuranga had been complaining about a headache for some days before passing away on Monday morning.
The post mortem report said the cause of her death was heart failure.
She was buried at Rimayi Village under Chief Musikavanhu in Chipinge on Wednesday.
She is survived by her two sisters.
Rest in peace MaSiziba, Taita wekwa Gaza!
