Ten Year Old drops from school to join Macheso's Band

Borny Nyakura

A 10-year-old boy from Zvishavane has dropped out of school to join Orchestra Mberikwazvo as a dancer. Borny Nyakura told Saturday Leisure that he believed it was high time he joined Alick Macheso's band as he possessed all the skills required by any dancer on stage.

In an interview, Nyakura said he dropped out of school in 2011 as he felt it was high time he joined Macheso's band. "I have always enjoyed Macheso's music from the time I was very young and each time he comes to Zvishavane I make sure I attend his show," he said. Nyakura said this time he decided to come all the way from Zvishavane to Esigodini to try and negotiate for a job with Macheso.

"Music is something that is in me and that is the main reason I decided to drop out of school to take the music avenue. Before I dropped out of school I used to go to Badza Primary School that is in Chivi," he said. Nyakura said he lost his father in 1999 and from then his mother has been struggling to make ends meet to raise his siblings. "My father died soon after I was born back in 1999 and life has never been the same and I have been told this by my mother.

"In trying to help my mother I have decided to join Macheso's band as a dancer even though children of my age are still going to school," he said. Nyakura said he believed he possessed better qualities that are expected from all the dancers. "I can dance to any genre of music but I enjoy Macheso's sungura music and I can challenge his dancers like you have just witnessed," he said.

Nyakura said in Zvishavane he broke the record of dancing to Macheso's music during a live show that was held at Maglas. "You can bring any dancer and I can compete with that dancer as long as it's Macheso's music," he said. Nyakura said he would never regret his dropping out of school, as he believed he followed his passion — music.

"I have already made my name in Zvishavane and this time I want to tackle new challenges by joining Orchestra Mberikwazvo that is known for having the best dancers in Zimbabwe," he said. Macheso, however, declined to offer the young dancer a job arguing that he was still young to dance in a bar.

"I do admit that Nyakura is a talented dancer and I have seen him dance in Zvishavane but my hands are tied as the young man is still under age. Instead he should go back to school and continue with his education. You never know he might make it in other fields," he said.

Nyakura could not take the response of Macheso as he broke into tears and Macheso had to comfort him with 150 rand for transport to take him back to Zvishavane. chronicle