Nkue Nkala: A colossal in arts, a football fanatic and a diabetes conquerer

Langalakhe Mabena, Sunday Life Reporter

MANY a time, one’s personality can be misjudged or simply comprehended depending on the angle which one views that particular person from.

The name Nkululeko Nkala is well known in Bulawayo be it on the terrains of the arts industry, football world and even on social media, but some people have never had a personal interaction with the dreadlocked creative.

Many call him Nkue, some Tshele. He prefers to call himself Khuliyo in the musical stage.
He is a man who has sacrificed his life just to see the Bulawayo arts industry maintaining its position as the cultural hub and Sunday Life dishes out the journey of Nkala’s calling to the arts and his immediate rise to be a celebrated arts administrator in the city and beyond.

Growing up in the western side (suburbs) of Bulawayo, Emawezi, is always characterised by tough experiences, if one doesn’t have a skill to play soccer (a sport that most Kasi kids are familiar with), the alternative can be trying luck in the arts.

For Nkala, he had a niche in both extra curricula activities, as he was excellent in both domains, but when he enrolled at Ross Camp primary school, he had to choose one from the two gifts, and artistic path stood out.

“When we were growing up, the most definite things that one would play to pass time was soccer because most of us who grew up eLokishini didn’t have any toys to play with, but a ball made from plastics (umphepha) unified us.

So, its either you play soccer or go to youth centers, that were still functional back in our times, and do other stuff like singing or acting which is all part and parcel of art.

I was good at both soccer and the arts but when I was in grade two, I was made to choose because the practice sessions for these two clashed at school.

I settled for the arts where I was good in acting and poetry. Since then, I never looked back,” said Nkala.
Nkala’s talent would be molded at school and that would create a fine artist later on in life, when he decided to be a full-time artist by joining Imbube ensemble Umdumo WeSizwe.

“When I came of age, I decided to find my own place and settled to stay in Nkulumane, a suburb which I will say it changed my life in as far as my journey in the arts is concerned. After a few months of settling in Nkulumane, I adopted a brother in the hood in the name of the late Mqoqi Nkomo.

Our relationship was based on socialising; little did we know we have a common interest in arts. One day, Mqoqi took me for rehearsals with Umdumo WeSizwe and I think it was God who answered my prayers because for long I had been yearning to be involved in professional art and that was my first cut,” said Nkala.

Umdumo WeSizwe would later on conquer the nation, and arts doyen Saimon Mambazo Phiri felt it was the right time to give the youngsters a platform to portray their art to the world and he blessed them with an international tour, which changed their lives.

As naïve and imprudent as they were, some of the group members decided to remain in foreign lands in the midst of these tours, with such actions crippling the ensemble and the death of Mqoqi put the final nail on the coffin.

In life, know yourself, don’t let your vision be disrupted by those surrounding you. When you fall, pick and dust off yourself, soldier own and pave you own way in life. That is exactly what Nkala did, as in a couple of months he found himself employed at Sabela Music. At Sabela, Nkala would be taken under the wings of Mambazo where a tough and sharp arts administrator was groomed.

With vast experience leant at Sabela, Nkala has managed to take care of the books of different projects including that of Siyaya, Cool Crooners, to mention a few.

By the year 2010, Nkala graduated and his talent in administration was visible to the extent of attracting Raisedon Baya who poached the young energetic lad to work with him at Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo.

To date, Nkala still works closely with Baya at Intwasa, a festival which has tried by all means to keep up with the international artistic trends, with Intwasa Extra being one of the noble initiatives.

Nkala is his own man. Together with Iyasa director Nkululeko Dube, he gave birth to Beitbridge International Festival of Arts (BIFA) in 2015 and it was graced big names in the arts fraternity including Alick Macheso, Dr Malinga, to mention a few.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, BIFA took a set back but it was visible in holding workshops and programmes raising awareness on the pandemic, with the festival set to bounce back as said by Nkala. Being an “engine” in the arts industry is not a walk in the park.

Those in the forefront sometimes don’t sleep or eat, making sure that artistes are well taken care of.
There was a point in time when Nkala’s body deteriorated and he simple blamed that on the hours he spent while at work.

However, when things got worse with colleagues noticing his unhealthy situation, Nkala faced his fears and ran blood test and body check ups only to be told by doctors that he is diagnosed with diabetes.

“After my body started to become thin, I went for check-ups and the outcome was that I am diagnosed with diabetes. I may not be perfect in maintaining my condition but I urge people to do regular checkups because you may never know what is in your body.

If you are found with diabetes, its encouraged to always stay on medication and eat healthy foods,” said Nkala.
With doing the most in the arts, giving birth to the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards (RoilBAAs), it still stands that Nkala is a football fanatic. He is a staunch fan of English club Arsenal, and he can kill for his team.

He is also the Chicken Inn (local Premier Soccer League team) Media officer, who takes care of the Gamecocks’ different social media platforms.

Nkala’s main motivation everyday he wakes up is to at least change someone’s life. This is what led him to venture into politics in 2018, as he contestant for a member of parliament (MP) seat as an independent candidate for Pumula.

Also, as a voice at RoilBAAs he is instrumental in making sure an artiste’s life is changed every year.

“Personally, I don’t have my own house, but a young creative Msiz’Kay won a fully serviced residential stand after being voted tops on the People’s Choice category. A person’s life is changed and many are yet to be blessed,” said Nkala.