The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
“Yen’ uAbbie (Abraham) Madondo, kalamathambo wayedlala njani bhora engalamathambo” so goes the chorus in one of Lovemore Majaivana’s classics of the 1980s.
The successful cup winning stretch, which had begun in 1984 with successes on even years up to 1990, was one of the most colourful in the club’s history.
That squad of talented players is spoken of with affection as not only did the club dominate in cup games but added to the Soccer Star of the Year calendar gems like Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda, Madinda Ndlovu, Peter Ndlovu, Adam Ndlovu, Alexander Maseko, Peter Nkomo and Willard Khumalo.
That dominance extended to all national teams where Nkululeko Dlodlo, Nhlanhla Sithole, Sydney Zimunya, Benjamin Mpofu, Thulani Gumede, Dumisani Nyoni, Makwinji Soma-Phiri and Makheyi Nyathi featured.
Before the 1980s there was also the three-time regional league winners (1973, 74 and 75) side that won the Chibuku Trophy in 1973 that boasted of Edward Dzowa, Peter Zimuto, Peter Bhebhe, Billy Sibanda, Lawrence Phiri, Majuta Mpofu, Isaac Mafaro, Itai Chieza, Stanley Nyika, Ananias Dube, Bruce Grobbelaar, Jeffrey Mpofu, Tommy Masuku, Cavin Duberley, Boet Van Ays, James and Josiah Nxumalo.
There was also the four-championship winning side of 1998-2002 with the likes of Thabani Masawi, Thulani Ncube, Gift Lunga Jnr, Noel Kaseke, Amon Chimbalanga, Blessing Gumiso, Siza Khoza, Dazzy Kapenya, Zenzo Moyo, Edmore Sibanda, Sautso Phiri, Charles Chilufya and Bekithemba Ndlovu.
Madondo can celebrate that he indeed was at Bosso at one of its most colourful periods of its 95-year history. A time where play was centred on wing and midfield creativity and there he was rubbing shoulders with the likes of David Phiri, Titus Majola, Tito Paketh, Ronnie Jowa, Thoko Sithole, Nqobizitha Maenzanise in the quest to eject fans off their seats to celebrate goals and beautiful football. And yes, magnificent soccer was served week in, week out even on an afternoon Amahlolanyama lost.
Born on 17 October 1964 in Harare to a father who played football for Chibuku FC and an uncle who made his name at Dynamos, it did not come as a surprise that Abraham followed suit.
He attended Farai Primary School in Seke. He could not avoid the lure of youth club activity of the 1970s and 1980s responsible for the unleashing of most football gems of that era.
Soon he would attract the attention of Dynamos junior coaches coming through the age groups to become one of Bosso’s most loved wingers of the 1980s.
“My biggest influence in the game was my dad John, who played for Chibuku FC and my uncle David Madondo who played for Dynamos,” said Madondo.
An opportunity to train as an apprentice in Bulawayo in 1984, saw a young Abraham move to train as an apprentice with the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).
“I always wanted to play alongside the big guns of Highlanders,” said a player nicknamed Muzukuru on arrival by the legendary Douglas Mloyi.
In his teens Madondo had seen a young Ernest “Maphepha” Sibanda, Madinda Ndlovu, Doughty Sithole and Willard Khumalo emerge at Highlanders in a combo that had Majuta Mpofu, Tymon Mabaleka, Lawrence Phiri and Titus Majola in the mix.
Madondo said his arrival at Bosso was warm.
“I was most welcomed and it became my home and only other team I played for other than Dynamos until I retired,” said Muzukuru.
He remembers his debut having been a match against Eagles in which he created a goal for another Bosso legend Madinda Ndlovu. His best goal he says was a solitary strike from range against Arcadia in 1986 a season in which Bosso bagged all silverware except the league title. He recalls the Class of 1986-88 as if it was yesterday.
“The club had David Phiri, Titus Majola, Amin Soma-Phiri, Tobias Mudyambanje, Fanuel Ncube, Mpumelelo Dzowa, Nhamo Shambira, Khumalo, Mercedes Sibanda, Douglas Mloyi, Richard Ndlovu, Peter Nkomo, Sydney Zimunya, Smart Moyo, Netsai Moyo, Joseph Tembo, Tutani Moyo, Macdonald Silongwe, Thoko Sithole, Maenzanise, Lizwe Chafunya and Lazarus Mwambopo,” said Abraham.
His runs on the flanks where he competed with Madinda and Tanny Banda made stars out of finishers like Bigboy Ndlovu, Dumisani Ngulube and Tobias Mudyambanje. He was never shy of taking on a defender and setting up a teammate with a telling cross or trying luck at goal. With the diminutive height, he compensated that with pace and good ball skills and heart to face big defenders of his era who included Knight Mathe, Misheck Chidzambwa, Felix Ntuthu, John Baison, Bekezela Moyo and Ephert Lungu.
He regards the trophy laden 1986 as his best football year though several other pieces of silverware followed in 1988.
He remembers the year 1987 for the first-round exit in the Cup Winners Cup against Miembeni and tour of Germany, the first by the club in its 61 years of existence.
As a trainee at the NRZ, Abraham says it was not easy juggling school and football, he found himself having to strike a balance. That he did, passing his journeyman’s certificate and winning silverware.
“Money is never enough, I had to juggle college and football, it was not easy, but it had to be done.”
Married to Gertrude and with one son, Abraham is now a businessman in the United States running a transport business where he has been resident for almost two decades.
“Behind every successful man there is a woman, she has been a strong and supportive wife,” he said of his better half.
Asked how they were able to win so many tournaments, he said they were always motivated and always wanted to give something back to the fans.
After almost a decade at Highlanders in and out of the first team, Abraham was among veterans Jimmy Phiri and Mayor Erick who started Railstars whose first coach was Ernest Mpala before Barry Daka came on board to guide the team to the Premiership in 1997.
The club took advantage of its existing inter-workshop league, apprentices and NRZ League to pick players like Mbunge Khumalo, Kanjere Mbewe, Given Sakala and Alexander Mwale to being among the founding players, though later Innocent Nyathi, Wisdom Sibanda, Thabani Sibanda, Simba Rusike, Godfrey Maphosa, Morgan Chenga, Tirivaviri Sithole and Derek Phili would rise to being the backbone of the team.
With AmaZulu, Highlanders, Railstars and Zimbabwe Saints, Bulawayo became a powerhouse with Bosso winning four championships on the trot and their second league and cup double in 2001 after the 1990 feat in which Alexander Maseko, Benjamin Mpofu, Rambo, Rahman Gumbo, Adam and Peter Ndlovu were the conductors of the orchestra.
