By Patricia Shoko
The Bulawayo music industry suddenly lost a great supportive figure ,Barnabas Tshuma on the 29th of April who was found dead in his car at his home in Nkulumane.
The late Barnabas was born in Tshabalala on the 19th of September 1975. He was the 6th born in a family of seven, and he is survived by his only son Nhlanhla Tshuma who is 21 years old and is a third year Engineering student at National University of Science and Technology (NUST). Barnabas trained as a teacher at Belvedere Technical Teachers College in 1998 and he furthered his studies and acquired an honors degree in Technical Graphics in 2012.
He started his career in 1999 at Mpumelelo Secondary in Nkayi, he later moved to Msitheli Secondary in Bulawayo in 2002. He was currently working at Mandwandwe since 2004 where he was a senior master and Head of department in the technical department.
Barnabas has a strong background for the love of local art and artists. His biggest passion was for the maskandi music and he was a keen follower who had a deep understanding of the music . He was supportive to all the Bulawayo artists even by buying their CDs. “He often attended the Annual Gadade Commemoration Day and when he was a teacher at Mandwandwe Secondary School, he spearheaded the recognition and celebration of the heritage day and forming of the cultural club”, said Beven Tshuma the late Barnabas’ young brother.
On the 29th of April when the late Barnabas arrived from work, he prepared to drive and visit his sister in Tshabalala. When he got in his car, apparently that is where he breathed his last breath and he was found deadl,seated in the car the following morning. “It’s a mystery as to how exactly he died, whether it was a sudden thing or he fell asleep and died in his sleep, no one knows”, said Beven in an interview.
Mourners are gathered at house number 179 in Nkulumane and the body lies in state at Doves funeral parlor in Bulawayo. The deceased’s body will be laid to rest today the third of May at 11:00am at Athlone Cemetery and the service will start at 10:00am at Doves.
