ADDIS ABABA – Monday 13 November 2023
By Hope Chizuzu
When Rahman was Gumbo….
This was him in his element. No cigarette in hand. No stylish puffing into the air. No beer in hand…but the whistle around his neck, cap on, shirt tucked in and up….with the infectious smile banished momentarily, Rahman Gumbo, was imperious with the ball and without it.
I had the misfortune or fortune of loving the craft of a man who loved playing for clubs other than those I loved. When he was doing Eagles, I was for Super Saints, thanks to my dad.
When he was doing Highlanders, I opted for Amazulu. When “captured” at CAPS United, Monomotapa was too tempting for me. Even when he tried Motor Action and FC Platinum, Harare City and Dynamos were too available to be ignored.
But maybe Brian Moyo, one of the most underrated but supremely equipped walking football manual, felt the loss of Dr Rush more than most, because he was too personal in his appeal to him.
I can not say it better, allow Moyo to open a chapter in this Gumbo repertoire that everyone has a piece from.
“Apt, on point yet only helps to show the void Rah just left.I took him as a brother an idol, mentor and all.
“I was with him as a senior colleague way back when I coached Highlanders Royals(ladies team), and he coached the trailblazing mens team.
“He insisted we call him HC (headcoach) as he was the only head coach at the club, all other age goup coaches were his assistants.
“He, spoke of the best ever Bosso squad, the one in which he featured as they went to Africa and clobbered Go Mahia (Kenya) 4-1 at Barbourfields, only to be knocked out 2-1 aggregate by Ahly (Egypt ) then known as National SC.
“He gave his reasons, stating; “mafana (youngman), if we had avoided the Egyptians, we were, no doubt making Champions League final”.
And he gave his reasons: That outfit had six players in the Pharoahs, including club and country skipper who was the leftback then. All were starters that year and went to Afcon 98 and won it without dropping a single game.
“They also went to the World Cup and although they were knocked out first round, they did not lose a match.
“So, Rah would reason, as a club we were unfortunate to meet the core of Egypt national team…..he had a point, and I respected his thinking.
“A rare breed of a player who won national caps as a left back, centre forward and central midfielder🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
“He epitomised humility, as he allowed even little us to discuss football, or criticize his teams. I loved his openness.
“At one time, I took Charles Sibanda to sign for Motor Action, then coached by Lindile Dube(mhsriep), and I had a frank chart with the Rosens, another family unparalleled in passion and frankness.
“Eric Rosen said of coaches; “I have highest regard for Rahman Gumbo, win or lose, he would come to the club bar and sit by that corner and drink his beer.
“If the team lost, he would tell me in my face that its his fault, never blamed referees or players, the man took full responsibility always”.
“Rosen then said Rush was the best coach and personality, a real and genuine loss to Motor Action family then (he had moved to Malawi).
“Here lies a man who was an unending source of laughter and jokes, yet a smart and hardworking servant of the game”.
This was Brian Moyo struggling for words and fighting to harangue tears when the news broke that Gumbo had gone to be with his Maker, just weeks before the end of 2023.
How death shows up wicked and mean like this, only the Heavens knows. How coward death is, is exemplified in the choice of the heroes it takes.
Like floods, death pulls down wood and cedar alike. Like desert storms, even USD bills are blown away as is dust.
How Rush could go down in death the same way criminals before the death penalty gallows, is the lowest of cowardice.
CAPS United family is shedding tears and they have teamed up to celebrate the momentous occasions they lived to have Gumbo.
Even Twine Phiri, Farai Jere, Shakespear Chinogwenya, Desmond Ali cried enough to seek refuge in a WhatsApp group formed by Wellington Chando, in honour of Rahman.
Thank you guys for being genuine.
Coaches have been grieving but the biggest whirl of sorrow was from the journalists, who even in their mediocrity, were left poorer for content. What a source Rah, was.
Rahman Gumbo was full package. In bars and restaurants he had a special place. With his cigarette in situ, eyes full of life and laughter popping, a platinum smile would line the face, finely manicured, smartened to death like the last of the christians’ second coming of that boy born in Nazareth in the region now punctuated by bombs, thanks to the madness called Israel.
Rest In Peace Rahman, your now empty chapter in my book is homage to your larger than life character.
Show me one man who united this teapot shaped country better than Rahman Gumbo, who announced his arrival on the football entertainment scene in the hallowed company of Boy Ndhlovu and Elvis Chiweshe at Eagles …I was a boy then, but even in manhood, the youthfulness of his qualities endure in memory.
RIP Rahman Gumbo….Cry Mtengwane, Cry Warriors…ah even in the borrowed home of Huye in Butare in the land of 11 000 hills, Rwanda.
@ChizuzuHope X(formerly Twitter) WHATSAPP +263715001628
