The Cecil John Rhodes dilemma
Zimbabwe a nation caught up in a whirlwind of madness, coupled by a barrage of madness. Where the nation has been caught up in a state of confusion, underdevelopment, and irresponsible leadership. However, simultaneously going through a passage of a series of unfortunate events. The reasoning behind might be anchored on the passages of time. In that one means that there are particular unexplainable reasons that a community should pass through in order for there to a history that defines the people who they are, why they are and what they are. Thence one is drawn to trek back and try to understand the reasoning as to the fact that the nation has been brought to a state of underdevelopment for more than forty-decades of an illusion of sovereignty. Be that as it may, it can be appreciated that she "Zimbabwe" is a victim of internal and external series' of unfortunate events that have driven her to the state of apathy that she is experiencing in this time and space. However, the solutions are there and they are watertight through the exploring of various themes and ideas. Let it be acknowledged that Zimbabwe belongs to everyone who has the best interests for the country. However, the gains of the revolution and those who sacrificed for the liberty of Zimbabwe their efforts must and should not die in vain they should be kept and safeguarded with everyone who resides within the bounds of Zimbabwe. Thus the revolutionary mantra must not be concentrated in one section of society it must be spread equally and equitably to everyone who has a progressive appreciation for the country "Zimbabwe". Thus one embraces the fact that Zimbabwe belongs to everyone not a pod of entitled geriatrics who are pursuing in keeping a status quo that was left by Ian Smith and his cronies. That is not what it means to be Zimbabwean.
It is an appalling realisation that a country that claims that she has reached forty years of independence and does not have a working vibrant black-led economy, "when the author mentions the following black-led economy the author is buttressing his assertion on the point that anyone irregardless of their race orientation or classification and has the best interests of Zimbabwe at heart and desires like fire to see Zimbabwe realise her untapped potential in any sector. This assertion bases on the point that Zimbabwe is a diverse nation and has Zimbabweans of racial backgrounds thence in the authors view they fall into the blanket category which is the black-led economy".
Pardon the tangent, It is imperative to appreciate that Bob Marley once sang the following lyrics, "Everymen gotta right to decide their own destiny, And in this judgement, there is no partiality" the reggae icon further sings in another song, the following lyrics, "If you know your HISTORY then you would know where you're coming from". With the acquired arsenal from the reggae icon, this allows the author to submit his reasoning for it is hammered by a figure of authority within the passages of history.
What is the Matopos hill?
The hills are a geographical feature located in the southern part of Zimbabwe now Bulawayo. It was formed over 2 billion years ago with granite being forced to the surface. Through erosion over the passage of time. The geographical phenomenon was formed. Drifting away from the geography lecture of Matopos, landing to the historicity of the hills. This includes folklore and significance of the hills. This leads one to understand what are the hills. According to Historians; Matopos Hills, are the home of the spirits of departed Ndebele Chiefs. The Hills contain gigantic caves this include Bambata, Nswatugi, and Silozwane. The caves have a vast array of KhoiKhoi paintings and there are Stone and Iron Age archaeological sites. The scenic view of the World Hill or Malindidzimu where Cecil John Rhodes and others are buried. Finally, in 2003, the Matopo Hills was made a World Heritage Site.
The Cecil John Rhodes dilemma Continued:
Malindidzimu it means Place of Benevolent Spirits, transversing further. Cecil John Rhodes was buried in an odd fashion one would note it as a dramatic burial site. Rhodes' tomb is emphasised in a solid rock almost a hundred years ago and topped with a simply inscribed slab of bronze. The plaque read, "Here lie the remains of Cecil John Rhodes", understanding the significance of the Hills. One needs to start from the name of the cite where the colonialist is resting. Malindidzimu means Place of Benevolent Spirits, taking a look at Cecil John Rhodes' exploits one can note that he was colonialist who has one agenda and that agenda was controlling the livelihood of a particular group of people. This means plundering, pillaging, raping the people of that particular piece of land. In this case Zimbabwe. Thence him being buried at Malindidzimu, the place of Benevolent spirits. The critical question that would bubble to the surface is what is benevolent of Rhodes' actions to the black nation of Zimbabwe? Thence one gets to view that the location of the illegal immigrants resting place does not warrant him to rest there among the ancient Ndebele Kings who are resting at Malindidzimu. Understanding the Rhodes one, one needs to trace his approach to control the Ndebele and Shona, people. Firstly he was an economic assassin by that he took over the lands of the Shona and Ndebele people place them in concentration camps. Instruct them that they shall pay taxes based on the possessions that they had meaning the colonised people were told to pay taxes for their house's, cows, chicken and even to lengths the number of family members that were at the homestead. In that sense they expect the families to pay their taxes with money not tribute with money. Who ow money the Whiteman who needed people to farm their farms, mine, cook etc. This then meant that the man of the house now forced to go and work for the Whiteman leaving his family so that he may not be taken to court tried for not paying the state. In order to see his family leaving a comfortable life in the new Rhodesia. This then led to the creation of places such as Mbabre the Mbare histels that only housed the men who would work in the city Salsbury. Diving deeper with the analysis it can and must be acknowledged Africans we are spiritual beings we connect with our ancestors through dreams, trans-state. That was seen as demonic by the white missionaries. In which, to a reasonable extent it was not demonic. It is how we worshipped and communicated with ancestors that is the reason why there were persons such as Chaminuka, Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana, Kaguvi, Mukwati, within the Shona/Zezuru community. The persons in mention were spirit mediums. It is imperative to acknowledge that the African community as a race we are spiritual beings we are in tune with our creator. Thus we have people in the arts industry who in their unique way of communicating they are direct receivers what our creator has to communicate. It takes one to take a step back and listen attentively what is being communicated then and there one will be able to discern the truth that needs to medium to interpret one's purpose. This then means that is African Traditional Religion which is a way of life for most Africans across the continent. The way we eat, interact, communicate it is all African Traditional Religion. The problem then when a community is faced by an alien culture this then results in the disharmony that our communities are experiencing to this day. What is being referred to as disharmony in society is the toxic gender-based violence that women in our communities are exposed to by their male counterparts. Children being rapped by their primary caregivers, xenophobic violence that people from different nations are exposed to by the vicious visceral violence that they are exposed to. Though admittingly there are unscrupulous persons within the foreign nationals community who are up to no good, a reality that one has to embrace though pricky as the quails of a porcupine that is the nature of a human being it has the good and the bad. Within the Ndebele nation, Ntabazinduna was the place where the nation interacted with their deity. Who to one's divinity understanding it is the same deity that Shona/Zezuru people understand as Mwari/Musikavanhu. This then means that their deity uNkulunkulu would choose a particularly worthy candidate upon the day of the ceremony to communicate with his people. The dynamic universalism of deities, this is when a deity elects a candidate to stand and speak form him upon one's observation as to why within the Ndebele nation there are no documented spirit mediums (though this school of thought is still weighted and researched and critiqued and is open for correction for the benefit of the reader of this article).
Cascading further with this paper it must be acknowledged that Cecil John Rhodes, when tends to apply the twenty-first-century lenses. Upon the status of immigration, the colonialist was and is an illegal immigrant and like any other immigrant who does not have clear paperwork done upon them even posthumously, they can be classified as an immigrant. This argument is based on the fact by that time, in order for one to be within any territory that has people who are already domiciled within the area one needs to give the persons "original owners of the lands" that they are within the territory for a designated time and if it needs be if they find the place in their liking they seek permission to stay within the bounds of the lands. This then means that person who would have decided to be part of the community must then abide by the laws of the land. In the case of Cecil John Rhodes and his posey, they did not have those intentions. Their intentions were to dominate topple the already existing ecosystem and transplant the British ecosystem within the territory of their choice in this case current Zimbabwe. This then draws one to acknowledge with no shadow of remorse nor respect of pointing out that Cecil John Rhodes along with his posey they were illegal immigrants and then being buried at sacred places such as Matopos it is a cultural violation and in the quest of saving the identity of the people and rewriting the chapters of colonialism like any other sovereign territory that is pursuing self-determination persons such as Cecil John Rhodes they must be removed from sacred lands such as Matopos. It is the same submission that one would note that the faces of the American presidents that were carved on Mount Rushmore are an insult to the Native American community. If one has to note how the Native American community has spiralled into disarray, where alcoholism is rife, excessive gambling and violence within their communities. In taking a step back some of the problems that such communities are going through can be hinged along the grounds of reasoning that sacred lands such as Mount Rushmore and Matopos are not respected. Thus it is the same context that can be applied within the Zimbabwean narrative that persons such as Cecil John Rhodes are still sleeping on sacred lands. The regime of Ian Smith allowed him to stay there, the regime of Robert Mugabe allowed him to stay there not sure this regime are they going to allow Cecil John Rhodes to stay there only time will tell. Furthermore the reasoning as to why people must claim back their lands and rewrite the chapters of history and pursue self-determination like any other territory that lives and breaths under the sun. It births a culture of responsibility within one, it inculcates the culture of accountability in one a subject that is alien within the African community. In that, this cascades into the next point of discussion within this article. The point anchors on understanding as to how, and why there are a lot of loopholes within Aft=rican states whereby gross irresponsibility and selfishness has been treated as if it is nothing within any territory when in reality it is the lowest level of human societal decay. In this case, one must appreciate that saved landmarks such as Mosi-oa-tunya must exhibit the identity of her children who occupy the territory, not an identity that is likened by colonial masters or Matopos where a cultural assassin still lies in state. Zimbabwe since 1982 to this date has been plagued by gross governance that has overseen the demise of her own currency where her currency was infected by inflation it was driven to evaporation being obliterated from the face of the earth people becoming trillionaires overnight, maybe that is what they meant when they harkened and embarked by anchoring on freedom for all and allowing people to become trillionaires (pardon the sarcasm it is intentional). Zimbabwe is territory locked in a deadlock constantly baptised in the cesspool of redundant and confusion where the beginning and progress is nowhere in sight the nation is on autopilot mode since 1982.
Gukurahundi it happened and those who were responsible for the atrocious deed are dying and going to their graves knowing what they did was wrong, some are hiding behind the fact that they have made to control the inquisition. This leads to the whole commission to be biased because the chief architects of the massacre are the drivers of the haulage truck of truth thus this then means another Truth and Reconciliation Commission is afoot within Zimbabwe this means that the puss oozing wounds will forever be oozing their vile stench of democratic decay. In as much as mainstream nd state media would like to note that it was a clash between two political fronts Zapu and Zanu, others are saying it was Shona people versus Ndebele people who were fighting among themselves. The late Mugabe had full control of the infamous fifth brigade which means it is him and cronies who wanted to quail the group of soldiers who were threatening the existence of Zimbabwe. The problem that then arises is then when mainstream media spread disinformation by noting that it was Ndebele versus Shona people. In ones view that is not the case. In one's interpretation, the atrocity is that the future of sovereign state was threatened and the powers that be saw to deploy the fifth brigade to save the nation in their view at that time they saw that aggression was necessary. Like any other nation that is seeking to chart its way, out moments of madness do occur. The bone of contention would be that not coming clean and stating honest reasons as to why the aggression as done. This then leads to misinformation within the circles of society, this then further leads to a rift within a people who are proud yo hail from Zimbabwe being accountable is important for people in public offices. The failure to acknowledge that in the name of protecting a sovereign state necessary steps of aggression had to be taken to safeguard the burgeoning nation. Though pockets of society would dispute for the call of justice if one speaks the truth honestly sooner or later people will understand, they might or might not understand but as an office-bearer one would have done their part and moved onto the next. What this does is that pockets of resistance will be quailed and would be splinter groups would not have something to hold on to as a source of inspiration in the quest to achieve an audacious task to break the nation in two which is not be given room to rear its head.
The lacklustre response by those in power to lead the way in doing what is correct in the eyes of the masses their lies that shatter through their teeth comes to the public by their actions. Digging deeper with the assertion one understands through the actions of the leaders for instance the way the coronavirus situation is being handled. Within the territory, the availability of PPE's in public hospitals is close to none. Upon authoring this article it is reported that sixty nurses have contracted the Coronavirus. The stimulus package that is meant to support vulnerable families to this date has not been made available for vulnerable families. Thus, one is drawn to appreciate the stark reality of mentioning that the political, military elite and oligarchs are the ones who are living in safety the rest of the nation is in a state of "each men for themselves and God for us all..". This reasoning draws one to gravitate to the pointer that such careless leadership has been permitted because sacred landmarks are not respected. Thus in as much as the tomb of the colonialists is a tourist attraction site, it brings in the much needed foreign currency the country desperately needs. Zimbabwe does not have access to any financial institutions as it is blacklisted because the government has not been serious in servicing the debts that it has accrued over the years. Be that as it may as a point of clarity some of the debts that the nation is going through including other African nations they are inherited debts. Thus financial institutions should see to it that there is a revision on where the debts should and where should they start. The debts inherited from colonial masters should be scrapped off. They are an impediment to the growth of African countries the likes of Zimbabwe. However on the other hand Zimbabwe is in debt because of maladministration. Corrupt activities were given the blind eye by the elected officials who they too have to be held accountable for their gross irresponsibility in which they oversaw the demise of the nation. Yet, again one is drawn to pinpoint to one of the many reasons that have brought Zimbabwe to her current state and that is that persons such as Cecil John Rhodes is still sleeping on sacred grounds. Indeed what is one hinting towards to without pussyfooting or hiding behind the pinky finger is that maybe the creator of the lands of Zimbabwe is not pleased by the fact that a person whom they do not recognise as their own is not one of their sons and has been buried on sacred grounds surely they will turn their backs against their own children until they figure out where is the problem coming from. In one's observation and suggestion is that the nation is embroiled in this never-ending madness because Cecil John Rhodes is sleeping on sacred lands and he has to be removed maybe there would be a moment of sanity, so as the statue of David Livingstone that is Mosi-oa-tunya that too has to be removed for the sake of owning Zimbabwe's destiny and reclaiming our lands from the people who used to run our lands maybe there would be clarity in the conscience of what is needed to be done and such issues as Gukurahundi among others are taken and treated with great respect and maybe the nation might be able to weave herself out of the murky mud grounds she has been lodge in for very long time and this decade in one's observation the ripe decade to claim a cultural evolution. The failure to remove or to exhume Cecil John Rhodes it, unfortunately, a pacifism system that dismantles and undermines the rights of apple. This then leads to the people to be manipulated and be bullied by the already system that is antagonistic to the black people then the system that was established by the late statements. Thus the failure or reluctance to remove Cecil John Rhodes can be interpreted that the gatekeepers appreciate being colonised by the former masters who they claim they dismantled in 1980. Reasoning that can substantiate the point can be that the government offered to compensate the British Government the first critique would be where is the money coming from, who is paying or servicing the bill, why is Zimbabwean government being arm-twisted and bullied by another state that has for the record has accumulated wealth from taxing and bullying other sovereign states. The pacifism can be hinted towards the now removal of Cecil John Rhodes on sacred grounds. Matopos is a citadel of cultural identity for anyone who hails from Zimbabwe and a recognised landmark in Africa and in the same mood of respecting places such as the Louvre of France, The Great walls of China, The Great City of Timbuktu the same respect must be given to Matopos and anything that does not resemble the original custodians of the lands should be removed for the sake of keeping the remaining identity of the people intact. In the energy of recognising black lives so as heritage sites matter so as its people matter.
Indeed Zimbabwe is not a vacuum state it has people who are direct descendants of the pioneers and many of them have integrated themselves within the Zimbabwean community. Many of them have contributed greatly to the nation across all platforms of the industry. Many do not want to be associated by the murky muddled history that their forefathers displayed in Zimbabwe, many yearn to be part of the new Zimbabwe a Zimbabwe that brings all races together a Zimbabwe settles the differences of the past and are looking forward to a brighter future where the custodians of the lands should live together in peace. This means they too should subscribe to the school of thought that Matopos is sacred grounds and the remains of Cecil John Rhodes must be removed from where they are given the almost cultural assassination attempt the late colonialists almost accomplished. As the saying goes "When you are in Rome, you do what the Romans do" likewise "When you are in Zimbabwe you do what the Zimbabweans do". If the French on 05 May 1789 decided to do away with the aristocratic system that was holding them back. They revised everything that does tell the peoples history by removing every bit of Franco aristocratic resemblance in place with their "the peoples" identity thus after some seasons of upheavals and necessary tours they found their footing and they successfully birthed their own republic. As the Zimbabwean who is in pursuit of cultural liberation. Where landmarks that are insulting to the custodians of the lands must remove such infidels where they are laying they too must be removed. This also mentions the statue of David Livingstone it must be removed and placed somewhere else. Thus, this further means that the town of Victoria falls must be renamed to her original name that resembles the falls. The suggested name would be Mosi-oa-tunya from Victoria falls.
In any nations pursuit for independence there comes at a time in one's mindset that they should pay attention that culture is important than money. In essence, this means that the tourism association claims that the tomb of the colonialist attracts tourists. The tourists themselves are conscious people they will understand that sacred lands must be respected and they will respect the Zimbabweans decision of removing the Rhodes remains and placing somewhere else.
Understanding and appreciating that Rhodes can be viewed as a Zimbabwean by defacto, it is imperative that as a historical relic his contribution to the history of the nation, though negative, he too extended a role in carving Zimbabwe what it is today. Hence in any humane way in ones view he deserves to be treated with respect like any other person whether alive or dead. Thus since Zimbabwe is circular state the exhuming process must be dealt in a respectful manner where the custodians of different faiths are borough together to oversee the removal of Rhodes. If it is to seek the assistance of the Anglican Church to lead the process may the process be led. The choosing of the Anglican church is that the Anglican Church originates from England meaning they have a say in the removal of Rhodes. Then the Chief who has custody of lands that include Matopos must then cleanse the lands to make them whole again. Understanding that there shall be a gap where Rhodes used to occupy since Matopos hills are located in Matebeleland. The people of Matebeleland must then choose for themselves the greatest sculptor who must sculpt something that represents the people of Matabeleland and it includes the rest of the people of Zimbabwe. So as to quash any possibilities of people who will think that they were excluded.
Assuming that the colonialist has been exhumed what is the next step, the next step in ones view it is twofold. The first option would be depart him to where he came from for he has nothing good appreciate for he is a blight that brought pain and suffering to the people of Zimbabwe in many facets than one; for example, he is a cultural assassin. Which in turn it might spark another diplomatic subtle tug of war between Britain and Zimbabwe. Furthermore, Zimbabwe does not have money to waste in sending remains to where they came from, thence that idea can be put aside and take the other. The second idea would be that Cecil John Rhodes can be buried at the National Heroes Acre. The reason being the Acre is a historical landmark of those who contributed to the History of Zimbabwe. Some who are buried there are part and parcel in the Gukurahundi massacre still they are sleeping at the Acre hence no one is perfect. In as much Rhodes has a marred past he too played a role in defining what Zimbabwe is today. Hence in ones view he too must be buried there. His burial at that landmark befits as a landmark to note that Zimbabweans are one and in our differences, we move together and find a common ground in our differences. The same treatment that a Hero is given so too must Cecil John Rhodes must be given. Cecil John Rhodes burial at the Heroes Acre also signifies that the white community of Zimbabwe that has been hurried and hounded and traumatised by the regime are also included within the nation called Zimbabwe this can serve as an inspiration that as long as one has the passport, identity card of Zimbabwe. Has the same Vission, Mission and Ambition to contribute to the growth of Zimbabwe so be it. Zimbabwe needs as many skilled people as possible where we all heave-ho at the same time in different spheres. One people, One Zimbabwe.
In conclusion, it is safe to note that the remains of Cecil John Rhodes must be removed so that Zimbabwe and her daughters and sons. May be able to move forward, sacred cultural lands marks found Africa have rights and they matter. It is up to the children of those landmarks to take pride, custody, responsibility and accountability so to be able to solve our own problems that still need to solve. One people, One Zimbabwe.
