The Sunday News
Nkosilesisa Ncube, Sunday Life Reporter
LAST weekend may just have been the most remarkable weekend for the Victoria Falls based Dube family when one of the family members graduated with an Honours Degree while another was crowned Miss Tourism Zimbabwe.
What started off with celebrations of academia with Mbonisi Dube, the second of five children attaining an Honours degree in Human Resource Management with Midlands State University ended off with celebrations of beauty when Ashley Morgen, the third in the family walked away with the coveted titles of both Miss Tourism Zimbabwe and Miss Tourism People’s Choice Award.
The head of the family, Morgen Dube, who is a community leader and football administrator, described the event as one that gave him profound satisfaction. He said it was a fulfilling experience to see two of his children achieve what they did.
“It gives me great satisfaction to see my children develop and grow into professionals in their different trades. It makes me believe I must be doing something right,” said Dube in an interview with Sunday Life.
“It is all about the determination, discipline and dedication that they have but more than that it is about them doing better than their parents. My role from now going forward as their father is to help them refocus and rediscover what steps to take next” he added.
Speaking of parents and their children, Dube, who gave two of his children his first name to use as their last, says it is because he wanted them to have a part of him with them at all times.
“I believe that a first name is more exclusive and more personal than a last name. So my third and fourth born (Ashley and Alex) use Morgen as their last name. The other three share my surname Dube because I wanted both my names to resonate with my children.” Dube said.
The recently capped Mbonisi said he owed much of his achievements to the example that his parents set for him.
“My father, as a motivational speaker has led us well, teaching us hard work and perseverance above all towards achieving our goals in life. Most of what I do is meant to make my parents proud. I have always lived by the saying, Umntwana oyenza okuhle uletha udumo ebazalini bakhe. (A child that does well bring glory to his/her parents),” he said.
He gushed over his excitement for his sister who is Zimbabwe’s lady of the moment. “She has always loved modelling. From as early as primary school, she wanted this and it is such a blessing to watch her live out her dream. Her passion and drive have a way of bringing people together,” said Mbonisi.
The queen herself, Ashley said that there was no big secret that her family had but she attributed their achievements to hard work.
“There really is no secret. We work hard and we are persistent, also my sibling and I complement each other and that always helps,” Ashley said.
The year has been kind to the Dubes with Thandeka Dube, the family’s mother and a teacher at a school in Victoria Falls attaining an Accounting degree, and Alex Morgen, the fourth child completing his O’Levels with a local high school while the eldest Pamela Dube secured a merchandising job with a renowned bakery. The youngest member of the family, Hillary Dube is in Grade Four.
The head of the family said they were bent on building a legacy that will last long and build a strong family relationship and also good relations with the community and the nation at large.
Ashley on her part anticipated a year full of travels, self discovering and giving back to society working together with Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Miss Tourism Trust.
In spite of all these achievements in such a short space of time, one is immediately taken by the humility with which the Dube family approaches life. While it may have been easy to lose themselves in their newfound fame, the family has managed to remain down to earth, grounded and with a respect for fellow humans.
— @nkocykay
