Boy Gaba, oh boy!
About five years ago, he was the subject of ridicule in the press and on social media. We taunted him left, right and centre after failing Junior Certificate of Education Examinations, but I guess Gabadinho Mhango is now having the last laugh.
Remember the post that went viral on social media which insinuated that answering to an agriculture question on the two types of chickens, Gaba wrote quarter chicken and half chicken instead of layers and broilers? That was not all. How about the one which he implied that answering to a science question on the types of gases, Gaba wrote Fabregas and teargas?
But the poor fella never made a fuss about. He kept his cool and took all the taunts that came his way. But he has proved us all wrong that his God-given talent is football and he is reaping the rewards. While some of us eat zigumu and zibwente for breakfast, Gaba has omelette, cheese and bacon at his town house in Johannesburg.
And last Wednesday night, in the comfort of my small dirty pad, it felt so good watching Gaba and his South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) club Bidvest Wits exploding in a frenzy of joy after winning the league title at Bidvest Stadium amid the captivating sights and sounds so beautiful, they could have only been fit for the eyes of the angels in their flight.
He joined the pantheon of local greats to have won the league title in Mzansi such as Jack ‘Africa’ Chamangwana, Ernest ‘Wire’ Mtawali, Chance ‘Vinny’ Gondwe and Patrick ‘General’ Mabedi. This was Gaba at work, the fella whose popularity only competed with bonya when he took the local football fraternity by storm a couple of years back.
And the fact that he finished the season as their leading scorer, speaks volumes of his massive contribution to Wits’ feat.
Reports filtering in from Wits’ base in Jo’burg indicate that Gaba and his team-mates are set to receive in the excess of K20 million each for their sweat and boy, that’s no small dough and the journey continues. Uloliwe, uloliwe wayidudula neng’esiza hah! (Oh yes, the train is pushing). Glory be to God. n
