The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube Sunday Leisure Correspondent
VICTORIA Falls-based poet Obert Dube has submitted three works for next year’s National Arts Merit Awards as he seeks to widen his artistic scope and at the same time remain relevant and add on to the award he won early this year.Dube clinched the top gong at the 2014 Nama ceremony, held in Bulawayo in February, in the spoken word category but this year he is sending three works in three different categories for consideration by the judges.
He has submitted a comedy clip titled, Ziyabuya, his poetry album, We Are One released soon after winning the Nama award and a novel, iZiyoni which is about the Zion Church.
Dube said he was hopeful of bagging another award to keep his profile at the top and widen his presence in the arts scene.
“Getting recognition is good for one’s career as it boosts your confidence while increasing your reach in the market as people’s awareness of you and your works increase.
“However, the aim as always is to produce good work that will find favour with arts lovers not only in Zimbabwe but reach out to other parts of the world,” he said.
IZiyoni is a descriptive novel that talks about Dube’s Zion Church and explains various traditions within the grouping such as umlindelo (overnight prayer/church service), the use of woolen strings tied around the waist, wrist and ankles.
Dube said he grew up in the Holy Cross Apostolic Church and felt compelled to write a book to explain the traditions and dispel some misconceptions that people have about the church.
The comedy clip, Ziyabuya features an interview done in a comical manner and that could earn the qualified school teacher a place among Zimbabwe’s comics.
Dube revealed that he was working on another album that is almost complete and would be released just before the end of the year.
He said the 13-track album will feature poetry laced with instruments while a few are just vocals.
Some of the tracks expected to feature are a tribute to the late former South African president, Nelson Mandela. Akusenani speaks of the woes facing his favourite football team, Highlanders but at the end of the poem Dube says he will forever cherish the club; Egoli highlights that while locals flock to South Africa, life is not all that rosy down south and My God is Alive is a gospel tune.
“I have finished recording most of the songs and the album will be ready before the end of the year. I have incorporated more instruments in my poetry and I think it will be more appealing to a wider section of music fans.
“It is has not been an easy walk but I have held on and without adequate resources it is difficult to reach far in the music industry but I am determined to achieve a lot,” Dube said.
The poet’s love for the arts started at Siyamagoza Secondary School where he dabbled in drama and music and later formed a small imbube group with other pupils.
Dube was born in 1984 in Dandanda in Lupane District. He started his poetry career as an acapella imbube singer with a Victoria Falls based group, Ubuntu Bobuntu.
