What Is A Hero ?

Time To Redefine Heroes  and Heroines

By Dumisani O. Nkomo

The tragic and untimely death of the iconic former Highlanders and national team striker Adam Ndlovu has  ignited a spirited debate on who and what a national hero or heroine should be . Not for the first time Zimbabweans  from all walks of life with  have been begun to interrogate the narrow definition ,notion or  concept of “national heroes “ .All along one needed to have fought in the liberation struggle or have been a ZANU P.F stalwart to be declared a hero .

Critically as we move into the future it is critical and imperative to define or redefine  what heroism is and what or who heroes are beyond the narrow confines of liberation war politics .After all the generation of freedom fighters will one day all cease to exist but heroes will not  . I would like to argue that  heroes should not necessarily be politicians or people who partook in the liberation of the  country .Our concept of heroism should embrace any persons who have contributed their utmost for the development and upliftment  of the country  in every or any field of human endeavour .

This definition would for example include  people who have excelled in sport ,art ,science business ,charity and community work etc . Did Border Gezi or Chenjerai Hunzvi for example contribute more to the country than James Chimombe ,Adam Ndlovu ,Simon Chimbetu ,David Ndoda .What about the late great All African boxing champion Proud Chinembiri Kilimanjaro ,Langton Tinago ,Walter Kamba  ,Shacky Tauro  or Mercedes Sibanda  .Surely these individuals contributed more than most of the politicians  who are interred at heroes acre who’s claim to heroism is their affiliation and affinity to a political party .

There is a need  to define heroism beyond the narrow terrain of politics and identify outstanding academics such as Phineas Makhurane ,innovative scientists and artists  who have contributed to the greater good of the country not necessarily through the barrel of the gun but also through their talents ,ingenuity and passion .

Will Lovemore Majaivana ,Oliver Mutukudzi ,Cont Mhlanga ,Moses Chunga ,Peter Ndlovu ,Tim Price ,Heath Streak  and  Kirsty Coventry be considered not worthy of hero status when they served the country so loyally and outstandingly .In tennis we have the Black brothers ,Byron and Wayne and their sister Cara whilst in community and civic work   we have the likes of Betty Makoni and Sister Mahlangu  .In the business world  we have the likes of Nigel Chanakira ,Mthuli Ncube ,Sindiso Ngwenya [COMESA Secretary general ] and Strive Masiyiwa  who revolutionized sectors of the economy where they were positioned .All these individuals have contributed more to the  country than some politicians who have reduced the country to a glorified later day ruin .

Living Heroes and Awards

 I would also like to argue that as a country we need to start developing a culture of honouring living heroes   for their various contributions towards the betterment of the community and general populace .I am ware that the President of the country is empowered by the country’s laws to award various honors and awards and so are local authorities .There is need to utilize current spaces that exist to honor outstanding individuals within this framework .We do not have to wait for people to die before acknowledging their efforts . There  should be  a proper framework through relevant  statutes ,ordinances and laws to recognize the efforts of living heroines  and heroes .Politics aside maybe Thokozani Khuphe may deserve an award for her struggle to combat  cancer .One would also like to think that the likes of Vivian and Paddy Wilson who pioneered Chipangali Wild Life Orphanage deserved recognition  .There is also need to honour outstanding writers such as Shimmer Chinodya ,Sabelo Gatsheni Ndlovu ,Chenjerai Hove and Tsitsi Dangarembwga .

 

In this vein I would like to congratulate ZIFA for announcing the launch of the soccer hall of fame .Various institutions and sectors need to start honouring living legends through such initiatives and not necessarily wait for the government which may be unwilling or unable or unwilling and unable to confer such awards and honours to people in other sectors other than politics or ZANU P.F .

The soccer Hall of Fame would be incomplete without the likes of George Shaya ,James and Josiah Nxumalo ,Peter Nyama ,Obadiah Sarupinda ,Gibson Homela ,Musa Muzanenamho ,Majuta Mpofu , Tymon Mabaleka,Bruce Grobbelaar   from the sixties  and seventies .The list would be incomplete without Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa,Stanley Ndunduma,Willard Khumalo ,Japhet Muparutsa ,Misheck ,Chidzambwa ,Misheck Chidzambwa  ,Maronga Nyangela   .It would be a travesty of justice without Boy Ndlovu ,Joel Shambo  and the Ndlovu brothers not forgetting the mercurial Moses Chunga ,Friday Phiri ,Rahman Gumbo ,Eddy Katsvere or Oliver Kateya .Not all of these can qualify as national heroes but they certainly deserve to be honoured even post humously for some within their specific sporting sector .

The nation needs to engage in a conversation with itself on how we can define heroism in our context and experience .Whilst we all acknowledge and appreciate the liberation struggle we need to understand  that it is thirty years after independence and we need to start identifying  post independence ,cross sectorial heroes  .The spilling of blood through various means should not and cannot be the only way of honouring outstanding men and women .This exercise is too important to be left to one political party or institution whether that party is ZANU P.F or the M.D.C  formations

Dumisani O. Nkomo is an activist .He can be contacted on dumisani .nkomo@gmail.com or follow him on his blog dumisanionkomo .blogspot.com