The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
PARENTS exert a strong influence on how their children choose careers.
There are some parents too who want their children to pursue certain professions so that they could inherit and continue the family business, not minding whether the children have an aptitude for entrepreneurship or not.
They may influence them directly and indirectly, intentionally and inadvertently, consciously and unconsciously.
When a parent is ignorant of God’s purpose for a child, ignorant of the child’s natural interests and inclinations, temperaments, and personality, his or her best subjects in school, prospects of a particular field, such a parent may ultimately misguide their children or even impose their own choice on such a child.
No wonder why we have a story of a popular senior advocate in Nigeria who wanted his boy, Falz to become a lawyer like him, the boy eventually studied law, but he is now one of the top celebrities in the entertainment industry!
Falz was admitted to the bar in 2021, having matriculated from the Nigerian Law School in Abuja with an L.L.B Honours Degree.
Falz laboured for some time in his father’s office before pursuing his dream as an entertainer.
Today, Falz’s entertainment tentacles encompass acting and comedy.
This kind of example abounds in our society today in different forms, and so is current Castle Premier Soccer League log leaders, Ngezi Platinum left winger, Walter Vuwa.
Vuwa (20) confirmed: “At one point when I was enrolled at St John’s Chikwaka Mission, my father refused to pay school fees for me because of my love of football. It was a half scholarship, whereby my parents were supposed to meet half of my school fees requirements and the school meeting the other half.
“This was mainly because he was against the idea of me concentrating too much on football. My mother understood me the most and has always been a pillar of strength in my football career from the early days. However, my dad has turned into one of my strongest fans. He is now proud of my career in football.”
Such are the pleasant, yet unexpected outcomes in this life we live that Vuwa’s fathers’ favourite apparels in his wardrobe have suddenly become his son’s replica jerseys.
Arguably the best of his age, among the very few in the country’s top-flight league, at just 19, Vuwa was already proving to be a hit in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
The Ngezi Platinum Stars prodigy only made his Premiership debut straight from Manicaland Division Two League and scored the fifth goal during a five-nil humiliation of Bulawayo City at Baobab Stadium under ex-Ngezi Platinum coach, Rodwell Dhlakama.
From then on, Vuwa, has not only surprised everyone including himself, but his dad as well with a consistent performance, spiced by blistering pace and a rare dribbling aptitude that defies his age.
In fact, currently, Vuwa is one of the best performers at the Takesure Chiragwi-coached side.
The lightning-quick left footer has caught the attention of many with his raids which have given the platinum miners an edge over their opponents.
He has so far featured in 23 Premier Soccer League matches this season and yet, this is a player who just three years ago, was changing football uniforms under trees playing Division Two football at Mutare’s Teku Teku FC.
Already, Vuwa has moments to treasure in domestic Premiership.
“I remember the match we played against ZPC Kariba. I scored a brace and I enjoyed the match so much as well as the one we played against Manica Diamonds.
“In that match against Manica Diamonds, I came in as a substitute. Many people wondered why the coach was introducing a youngster when we were playing against a team with players gifted with big frames. I surprised everyone with a polished performance that earned the admiration and respect of many,” he said.
Born in Shamva where his father worked for Metallon Gold before being transferred to Arcturus Mine and later setting base at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga just outside Mutare, Vuwa was just an exceptionally talented player who would be enlisted at any team playing social and money-games across Manicaland Province.
“That was my way of life. I could play any outfield position in any team. Several clubs, mostly amateurs would always enlist my services, be it in social matches or money games.
“I would do that with honour as I love the game so much. I was spotted during the Willard Katsande Tournament in 2019 and that was the turning point as I later joined Ngezi Platinum.
“I started playing football when I was still young, then at school, but I started taking the game more seriously when we started staying in Mutare as a family.”
With Vuwa standing out after emerging the top goal scorer at the Willard Katsande Tournament where he was turning out for junior football powerhouse, City Vellos, he was duly being awarded the player of the tournament accolade.
“I was surprised to see so many people coming to me asking for my phone number. I just thought they would want to call me to help out in tournaments just like what I had become accustomed to.
“But what struck me most was that some said they wanted me to sign for their teams in the First Division and even some mentioned the Premier League.
“I never took them seriously. One of the guys was Rodwell Dhlakama who was coaching Ngezi Platinum at the time. Just days later, Dhlakama said I should report at Ngezi Platinum the following January,” he said.
Vuwa was first registered with Ngezi Platinum’s development side which play in the ZIFA Northern Region Division One and up to this day, the star is not, only serving the platinum miners, but serving them effectively.
