Raisedon Baya
I REALLY don’t know where to start since I have not written something like this before. A preview or review of her album would have been a walk in the park. I would have started by perhaps describing the quality of her voice or the way she lays her lyrics down. I would have probably compared her to one or two local talents or better, some divas outside. But today is different. It’s not an album review or a critique of her performance. Today it’s about her and her shout for help.
Most of you know Prudence Mabhena as the young woman who won an Oscar. Some journalists even described her in big headlines as the “first Zimbabwean to win an Oscar.” We were all happy, we jumped up in our thousands and even drove to the airport to welcome her back from a USA trip where she had met the legendary Oprah. We all wanted a piece of her then.
I remember some skirmishes behind the scenes with some not happy they were not being credited for discovering her and training her. But it was one big lie a local journalist had fed us and in our hunger for international success we had swallowed the lie hook, line and sinker. The truth was. Yes, Prudence was talented. Yes, she had featured in a documentary that had won an Oscar. Yes, she had gone and even met Oprah. But it was not true she had won an Oscar. The documentary film Music by Prudence was the one that had won and consequently the award belonged to the director of the film. It is unfortunate that even later we were all not honest enough to admit the truth. But that is not the reason for the article. The reason is more important and yet very simple. Prudence Mabhena has made a shout for help. She needs a wheelchair as the one she has been using has broken down because of age and use.
Prudence features here today, not because she needs a wheelchair. There are a lot of other people who need wheelchairs but never make it to the pages of newspapers. Prudence features here for two reasons. One: she is an artiste and this space speaks to an issue relating to arts. Two: Prudence is a daughter of this city.
My intention today is to appeal to these two communities to stand up and help our dear daughter and colleague get her desired wheelchair. Mind you the wheelchair she needs is no ordinary one, it comes with a rather high price. But it the kind she needs to live her life as she lived before — able to do a lot of things on her own.
To the artistes’ community I say a proper benefit concert for Prudence is very due. She is our daughter/sister and colleague. If the arts sector can’t hear her shout and cry for help, who else can hear her? Let’s get the City Hall Car Park and fill it with well-wishers — something like Prudence and Friends Concert or The Prudence Mabhena Benefit Concert. Something big and bold. To the Bulawayo community as a whole all I can say is Prudence is your own child. No one should hear her cries or shouts more clearly than Bulawayo. May we all rise up and make this wheelchair dream a reality. If Bulawayo ignores her who will listen to her cries?
You really don’t have to have a deep pocket. Every cent counts. Every idea that could help her raise the needed money is welcome.
Prudence Mabhena can be found on her twitter handle @prudymabhena.