The ManicaPost
MUTARE Teachers’ College principal, Jason Njodzi Mutwayo Muwandi died on Thursday afternoon 2 February 2017.
He was 63 turning 64 on 25 March 2017.
For three days after his death and before his hero’s burial at the Yeovil cemetery on 4 February 2017, a dark sinister cloud hung over the teacher education college, MTC, with lecturers and students failing to come to terms with the reality of the passing on of the father of the MTC Jewel of Excellence brand.
Speaking as friends, relatives, workmates, loved ones, students and colleagues in education, speaker after speaker repeated the same words of appreciation for Mr Muwandi’s achievements in life and admirable personality: promoted from height to height, ever studying further, studying for PhD at the time of death, humble, generous, tolerant and accommodative, serious in purpose, calm on the mind, good listener, intelligent, diplomatic. The list of adjectives is endless.
Seniour lecturer at MTC, Mrs Kwari, had this to say about the late Mr Muwandi at the college prayer send-off:
“As an academic guru and principal, Mr Muwandi was our mentor from whose leadership style we learnt a lot.
“Mr Muwandi was a result – oriented principal and was easily accessible to all his staff. He maintained an open-door policy for us all. As our steward he would always tell us not to bring him problems but solutions.”
Mrs Kwari said the father of the Jewel of Excellence brand was a very innovative principal, who promoted professional growth within and outside the college.“He would always encourage us to acquire higher degrees and other various relevant qualifications in order to remain relevant within the system.”
Representing the entire teaching staff, Mrs Kwari added that Mr Muwandi believed in team-work and his MOTTO was: NO ONE IS STRONGER THAN ALL OF US.She ended her speech on a very sad note: “As Mutare Teachers’ Academic staff, we have lost a good shepherd, an honest and upright principal. May His Soul Rest In Peace.”
Speaking on the same occasion, the Students’ Representative Council president- Finalist Students, Moses Mukonowatsauka paid a short and moving tribute to the father of the Jewel of Excellence brand:
“We have lost a father. I was elected to become SRC president at 19. Yet Mr Muwandi had a lot of confidence in me despite my age. He was accommodative to all students irrespective of our diverse backgrounds. Mr Muwandi was a pillar and blanket to us…making us feel safe, warm and comfortable. He was the voice of voiceless students. He was a father who wanted to see justice, fairness, done for students. Allow me to say the following before I leave the podium: “ Makarwa kurwa kwakanaka baba. Zororai murugare!”
Chirisa Victor (28), SRC president –Students on Teaching Practice quoted a lot from Mr Muwandi: “God never created junk; neither did he create a perfect human being,” our father used to say encouraging us to accommodate everyone regardless of their size, shape, strengths or weaknesses.
Mr Muwandi taught us to love the Lord. We sang “Thank You Lord” during every assembly.
“Rest in peace baba, our teacher, mentor, motivator and a great leader. You will be sorely missed,” ended the obituary by Victor.
Former MTC product, now St Dominic’s High School headmaster, Mr Francis Mukoyi recalled his days in the late Mr Muwandi’s hands with numbing sorrow.“To us Mr Muwandi was a guiding light. He set an excellent example of what standards are in education. In the whole of his life journey, we heard a voice that spoke standards,” said Mr Mukoyi.“He would always tell us, ‘Leave a mark in whatever you do.’” He was a legacy builder. He was selfless. He was generous with his wisdom and the community of Mutare benefitted enormously from having him in its midst.”
Seniour Lecturer Mutidzawanda who worked longest with Mr Muwandi at MTC (28 years), chronicled his colleague’s rise from a simple and ordinary teacher at Sakubva High in Mutare and Luveve High in Bulawayo between 1974 and 79; Senior teacher at Sakubva High and Chikore High-Chipinge between 1978 and 81; Lecturer (Science and Mathematics) at Marymount Teachers’ College in 1981; Senior Lecturer-Mutare Teachers’ College (1987); Principal Lecturer-MTC (1987); Head of Division- Curriculum Development, Research, Examination processing, Student Recruitment, Supervision of staff and acted as Vice Principal (1996); Vice Principal-Marymount Teachers’ College (2000-2003) and Principal-Mutare Teachers’ College for 14 long years (Dec 2003 to February 2017).
“Mr Jason Muwandi assumed uncountable offices of duty and responsibility in his lifetime,” said Mr Mutidzawanda. “We can spend the whole day listing his college achievements in his term of office, his special work and competencies, and his special skills. Mr Muwandi’s leadership legacy can fill pages of achievement. Mr Muwandi had a passion for ornamental landscaping and horticulture and a mere look at the college entrance and the college grounds today will give anyone visual testimony of his ability to recreate artistic and natural beauty.”
When everything was said, heard and done, one could not help recall Oliver Mtukudzi’s song “Tiri Mubindu”-We Are in A Horticulturalist’s Garden. The lyrics are telling, deeply penetrating and as true as every day: “Ruva rakanaka harirami-Tinoritanha rangoyevedza… A beautiful flower does not live long. Why? As soon as it blooms we cut it, harvest it, to beautify our rooms, houses and celebrated occasions. The same way God harvests good flowers (good people) at will in His Garden of many flowers (the Earth).
Some of us who obsessively see life through Literature, which is an exploration of real life, cannot help recall William Shakespeare’s definition of Life, “…a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets upon stage and heard no more/ A tale told by an idiot/ Full of sound and fury signifying nothing/ It creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time.”
And above it all it is the Bible that says the whole truth: People who die don’t die. They lie there each in his or her narrow cell waiting for Jesus to come back and give those who passed the test of salvation through obedience and conquering sin, resurrection and everlasting life.
We are all neither God nor angels-and all fall short of the power of judgment. But we have no reason to doubt that Jason Njodzi Mutwayo Muwandi will see his Creator in Heaven when the Day of Judgment comes.
Go well father of the Jewel of Excellence! Go well, our hero in the education sector! Hamba kahle qhawe lamaquawe! May your successors follow your path of humility, love and selflessness; May your successors shun both social snobbishness and intellectual arrogance, power corruption and executive primitiveness! Fare thee well Mr Muwandi! You will be sorely missed.
