News / National
Joshua Nkomo's knobkerrie located
13 Feb 2019 at 17:46hrs | Views
The late Father Zimbabwe Joshua Nkomo's knobkerrie is safe with the family and will never be passed on to someone who is not a family member, his son Sibangilizwe Nkomo revealed on Wednesday.
Sibangilizwe was responding to a question by veteran journalist Ezra Tshisa Sibanda on whether the rumours that the knobkerrie was taken away by some people or given to some political figures were true.
Sibangilizwe said Nkomo had two rods and they are both in his custody as the elder son and he will decide whom he will give to when times comes.
Nkomo's knobkerrie which was his trademark throughout his entire life has been subject to many rumours before.
In the run up to the 2018 elections MDC leader Nelson Chamisa torched a storm when he uttered statements insinuating that he had been offered the rod.
In page 25 of the book Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo of Zimbabwe edited by Professor Sabelo Gatsheni Ndlovu it details how Nkomo became associated with the rod.
Nkomo modeled and presented himself as a cultural nationalist. His pilgrimage to the Dula Mwali cult shrine in the Matopos Hills in 1958 was to seek legitimacy.
To solidify his claim to be Father Zimbabwe, Nkomo even sought ritual powers so as to mystify himself as the true inheritor of a chain of power that was disturbed by colonial rule.
Nkomo portrays himself as the keeper of national ritual secrets that other nationalists were not aware of.
Until his death Nkomo associated himself with the Matopos shrines and carried a traditional short knobkerrie wherever he went.
The book also says a Shona traditional leader Nyamasoka Chinamora also gave Nkomo another knobkerrie in 1962 urging him to fight the war to the bitter end.
Sibangilizwe was responding to a question by veteran journalist Ezra Tshisa Sibanda on whether the rumours that the knobkerrie was taken away by some people or given to some political figures were true.
Sibangilizwe said Nkomo had two rods and they are both in his custody as the elder son and he will decide whom he will give to when times comes.
Nkomo's knobkerrie which was his trademark throughout his entire life has been subject to many rumours before.
In the run up to the 2018 elections MDC leader Nelson Chamisa torched a storm when he uttered statements insinuating that he had been offered the rod.
In page 25 of the book Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo of Zimbabwe edited by Professor Sabelo Gatsheni Ndlovu it details how Nkomo became associated with the rod.
Nkomo modeled and presented himself as a cultural nationalist. His pilgrimage to the Dula Mwali cult shrine in the Matopos Hills in 1958 was to seek legitimacy.
To solidify his claim to be Father Zimbabwe, Nkomo even sought ritual powers so as to mystify himself as the true inheritor of a chain of power that was disturbed by colonial rule.
Nkomo portrays himself as the keeper of national ritual secrets that other nationalists were not aware of.
Until his death Nkomo associated himself with the Matopos shrines and carried a traditional short knobkerrie wherever he went.
The book also says a Shona traditional leader Nyamasoka Chinamora also gave Nkomo another knobkerrie in 1962 urging him to fight the war to the bitter end.
Source - Byo24News
