The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THE use of juju, muthi or rituals to influence winning matches in African soccer is well documented although success due to the use of “black magic” cannot be ascertained.
In local football, substances that range from nasal tobacco, salt or urine have been sprinkled either on the pitch or at players while some teams reportedly send officials to sleep at match venues conducting rituals a night before a game in a bid for a favourable outcome.
One of the well known recent incidents of the use of muthi in local football was when Caps United bouncers broke into How Mine’s dressing room during a Mbada Diamonds Cup semi-final match on 10 November, 2013 at the National Sports Stadium where they discovered burning candles surrounded by bottles filled with a liquid substance. The set up of the 11 candles and the bottles was in typical football formation.
Then How Mine coach, Philani “Beefy” Ncube, however, vehemently denied it was muthi saying it was “prayers” as advised by his pastor Thabiso Ngwenya who leads an apostolic sect in Pumula South in Bulawayo.
Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association secretary-general George Kandiero was quoted in 2012 saying there was rampant use of muthi in local football with some clubs constantly consulting the members of his association.
“Muthi use is on the rise in our football. These teams come to us asking about the best people in the business. It is not only football teams that look for performance-enhancing juju, but some look for the one that would enable their kids to pass examinations. We always tell them that muthi alone will not help, but it needs extra effort as well,” said Kandiero.
However, for 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League winners Chicken Inn, it appears it was prayer that won the league for them. Chicken Inn players were regular visitors at a city church, Family of God Church (FOG,) every Friday ahead of the weekend matches.
The club’s chairman, Lifa Ncube said the tradition of going for prayers before a game was introduced by the late coach, Adam Ndlovu who was a member of FOG. He said their faith paid off as they managed to be steadfast towards their championship win.
“Adam introduced the prayer sessions before camp for each game and we went to FOG because that was his church and when he passed away we decided to keep on going for the sessions and I believe this has worked in our favour. We have been rewarded for our faith,” said Ncube.
One of the church elders who held sessions with Chicken Inn players, Jotamu Mutanda said the Bible study was meant to strengthen their faith while putting their hopes in God’s hands and getting motivated by the word of God.
“The sessions have proved to be fertile ground for motivation for Chicken Inn, I think they encouraged the players to believe more in God and give them zeal to never give up but fight in every game knowing the spirit of God was always with them. They would come in and we read the Bible and then pray together.
“We watched as their season turned out well for the team and they held fast in their prayers and this gave them power to go on even when things were difficult, I believe even when they thought they would lose, their faith and fighting spirit assisted them to pull through and miraculously land the title at the end,” he said.
Another church elder, Credie Ncube said they advised the boys to always put their faith in God and look to Him for success while encouraging them to be diligent and maintain discipline.
Ncube added the players had to involve God in more areas of their life and complete focus was needed for divine intervention.
The Joey Antipas-coached side managed to win their maiden championship five years after joining the PSL.
Gamecocks captain, Danny “Deco” Phiri said divine intervention worked in their favour. He said there were several games which they thought they would lose but their faith coupled with resoluteness saw them through.
“Attending the prayer sessions just before camp enabled us to approach our games with a single purpose and made us pull through together as a team. It gave us the encouragement we needed to fight on even when things seemed difficult,” said Phiri, adding that there were several games they won which pointed to divine intervention, particularly matches they had to come from behind to either win or draw.
Mutanda said he was hopeful God would continue to guide the team as they embark on the African Safari, the bigger stage.
