Isikhumbuzo somseki weMvo zabaNtsundu

UNYAKA ka2021 usisikhumbuzo seminyaka elikhulu wabhubhayo uJohn Tengo Jabavu ongumseki wephephandaba lesiXhosa, Imvo ZabaNtsundu.

U-JT Jabavu wazalwa ngomhla weshumi elinanye kweyoMqungu 1859 ezalelwa eBhofolo. Ngonyaka ka1884, uJabavu waseka Imvo ZabaNtsundu eyayipapashelwa eQonce, eneminyaka engamashumi amabini anesihlanu.

Usapho lwakhe luthi lufuna ukwenza isikhumbuzo egameni lakhe ngenyanga yoMsintsi kulo nyaka, nanjengoko wabhubha ngomhla weshumi kweyoMsintsi 1921.

“Kunyaka ophelileyo sithe sihleli silusapho sacinga kulo nyaka ka2021, ukhokho ugqiba iminyaka elikhulu wasishiyayo. Kulo nyaka sithi sifuna ukumkhumbula ngemisebenzi yakhe. Ukhokho wayengumpondozihlanjiwe kwezemfundo nasekubhaleni, enendima enkulu awayidlalayo eWisile.

“Sikhumbula imisebenzi yakhe ukhokho. Isizukulwana sakhe sikhona eLondon eNgilane naseUganda kwanalapha eMzantsi Afrika. Siza kudibana sisonke silusapho senze isikhumbuzo,” kutsho uSiyabonga Jabavu, isizukulwana sikaJonathan James Jabavu, ongubhuti kaJT.

UJabavu uthi baza kuqala kwingcwaba lakhe eQonce babeke ilitye, bandule ukusebenzisa iziko iFort Hare eDikeni, njengendawo yokubonisa ngemisebenzi yoMhleli weMvo ZabaNtsundu. Usapho lukwaceba nosuku lokukhumbula amaxesha kaJabavu, oluza kubanjelwa eMonti.

“Ukhokho wafumana iwonga le-Order of Luthuli (enikwa abantu abadlale indima kumzabalazo wedemokhrasi, amalungelo oluntu, ukwakhiwa kwesizwe, ubulungisa, uxolo kwanokusonjululwa kwembambano) elinikwa ngowayesakuba nguMongameli weli uThabo Mbeki ngo2006. Kungumnqweno wethu silikhaya ukuba utat’ uMbeki azokwenza intetho ngolu suku (memorial lecture),” utshilo uJabavu.

Amaziko afana norhulumente kwakunye neFort Hare aza kubandakanywa kwesi sikhumbuzo, utshilo uJabavu.

U-JT Jabavu wazala uDavidson Don Tengo (DDT) Jabavu. U-DDT Jabavu wayengomnye wabahlohli bokuqala ababini kuphela ngethuba lokuqalwa kweFort Hare ngo1916. U-DDT uzala uNoni Jabavu owayengumbhali osebenzele amajelo eendaba aliqela eBhritane naseUganda. Usisi kaNoni watshatela eUganda wanosapho phaya, ze yena uNoni watshatela eBhritane wanosapho phaya.

“Umzila kaJT yimfundo, ezenkcubeko kwanezopolitiko. Le nto iza kufuneka ukuba sibeneJabavu Legacy Foundation, ukuze siqhube nomzila kakhokho wethu,” utshilo uJabavu.