LIWEWE
By TERENCE MUSUKU-
NOW, all eulogies head, said and written, Canon Dennis Liwewe goes to heaven, where he duly qualifies to go. For he led a Godly life.
To say Liwewe was Zambia’s football commentator ever with no comparison is, nay, just telling a quarter of his arresting personality. He was, said in one word – a Gargantua – in human form.
This is my estimate of Liwewe I knew from 1970 until last Monday, April 22, when he departed from this brutal earth. That is 44 years since Liwewe and I first met face-to-face in Kitwe.
During this glamorous life-time, Liwewe hugely elevated Zambian football to a level never imagined nor visioned by the Zambian football fraternity. Through his electrifying football commentaries, he reshaped and transformed the Zambian football practically before our eyes.
In my ears still rings that great rolling roar of Liwewe commentating with spell-binding booming voice … so absorbing and gripping the football-lovers nationally.
But, to me who associated, worked and hobnobbed with Liwewe, his football commentating only constituted a quarter of his greatness. In full reality, he went far beyond the summit of national public relations officer (PRO).
Football commentating, after all – in press realm – is one function of public relation range of duties.
This means and implies that Liwewe, as football commentator, was the chief PRO for football main stakeholders – Football Association of Zambia, the Government, and the football fraternity.
Without shilly-shalling, Liwewe was a tremendous personality, the most engaging be-all and win-all to have in the entire realm of both journalistic and PRO practices.
For this point of fact, he commanded the hall-marks and make-ups required for. Of course, he reached the summit one can ever attain.
In 1970, I found myself “well-blended” with Liwewe to work for the Miner, then a house journal for Rokana Copper Mine of Anglo-American Corporation. Liwewe was appointed sports editor; I was his deputy.
The mine management had been looking for canny sports journalists, with a view of promoting the journal’s readership through innovation of sports columns and coverage of sporting events.
They could never find better appointees for the two positions than Liwewe, the stunning rising football commentator; and myself, perky boxing administrator. Through us, the Miner’s readership and circulation increased overnight.
Liwewe and I, nostalgically, worked and collaborated in life like Siamese twins: he was the writer of football columns; I did the boxing writing.
We only parted when Liwewe got promoted as public relations officer for Nchanga Consolidated Copper Mines (NCCM). I replaced him as sports editor.
Ultimately, Liwewe went sky-high in public relations: assuming the position of NCCM’s director of public r elations. He moved from Kitwe to Lusaka as his tour of duty demanded.
If Liwewe, as reckoned, elevated the Zambian football to the highest point of national hysteria, yes, but in his public relations tenure, he put the NCCM name in catapultic motion to attain global renown.
The name NCCM was echoing in international metropolitan cities of London, New York, Moscow, Canada, Australia, Berlin, Tokyo and Beijing.
In Zambia, NCCM was getting the lion’s share of publicity in daily press, Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail as well as in electronic media, TV and national radio.
NCCM chiefs, Francis Kaunda and the late David Phiri, were featured and quoted on front-page stories so frequently. The chief reason: Liwewe applied canny press know-how rare among Zambian PRO, to attract press publicity.
Just two months recently, Times of Zambia features writer, Gathsemane Mwizabi accosted me as I was crossing Kabelenga Road.
“Ba Mudala”, he posed his question, “Who do you think has been Zambia’s unmatched shrewed name found in public relations practice?”
My answer was instant: “Dennis Liwewe, nobody else”. Indeed, his name remains immortalised.
Looking backward, I see Dennis Liwewe as alive here living on this planet.
Above secular life, Liwewe was an out-and-out Christian believer, from cradle to grave. Like the writer of this piece, he was born and bred in Anglican Church.
The Anglican Church community in Lusaka Diocese answered his prayers and reciprocated by conferring upon him the Honour of Lay-Canon. He was cannoned in 2004.
In the Anglican church realm, it is the highest Honour conferred upon lay-faithfuls in recognition and contribution to the life of the Anglican Church. Lay-Canons and priest-Canons constitute the inner-circle of members of Cathedral Chapter reposed with pious responsibility of advising the Diocese Bishop.
Since his canonisation in 2004, Dennis Liwewe’s name changed to Canon Dennis Liwewe.
An Anglican church believer earning this honour conferment, the Anglican Community believes, qualifies to go to Heaven upon his or her death. Dennis Liwewe is no exception.
