BY DR FUMENE GEORGE TSIBANI:
Dear fellow boxing followers and members of the family of Mr Zolani (Lastborn) Tete, boxing organisations, managers, promoters, leaders, sponsors and media in general, the church has lost a son of God and an inspirational character in our lifetime. Zolani fought for his mother and entire boxing fraternity until his death. Tutwini maMngwevu, ooZulu, ooS’khomo, ooMhlatyana, ooRhudulu, and ooTshangisa under the Royal Monarchy of AmaMpondomise on one hand.
On the other hand, Zolani, through Ta’Ben’s Son, belongs to kumaCethe, ooChizama, ooBhurhuma, ooMlanjana of the AmaGqunukwebe Royal Council, with links to Inkhwe (Khoe, Iingqwayingqwayi) and AbaNtu baseNtabeni (affectionately known as AbaThwa or San). All these African intermarriages show the sacred co-existence of AbaNtu, Iingqwayingqwayi ( Inkhwe or Khoe people known as juristic persons by AbaNtu Royal Clans) and AbaNtu baseNtabeni (AbaThwa or people from sacred environmental values like mountains, rivers and caves) in pre-colonial Africa, where there was co-existence and living side by side by African Royal Clans.
I write to share a testimony that transcends boxing, a chronology of faith, prophecy and brotherhood between Mr Mlandeli Tengifene, affectionately known as Ta Mla kaCethe of AmaQhunukwebe and the late world champion Zolani Tete (Lastborn) kaRhudulu of AmaMpondomise.
This bond was far more profound than manager and fighter. It was a covenant of destiny. Mr Tengifene was to Zolani what few men ever become to another: best friend, uncle, brother, instructor, coach, pillar of support, counsellor, trainer and manager. In foreign lands and hostile rings, including the testing battlegrounds of Mexico where street wisdom was as vital as ring craft, they stood inseparable. Like his father Ta Ben before him, Ta Mla lives, breathes and sleeps boxing. His influence upon Zolani was immeasurable, for as wisdom teaches, behind every great champion stands a man who believed when the world doubted.
THE PROPHECY – 8 APRIL 2017, AOG BTG SANDTON
A week before his departure to the United Kingdom, Zolani Tete was invited to the Assemblies of God Back to God Movement, hereinafter referred to as AOG BTG, in Sandton, by the leadership of the church, as I humbly requested. The service was chaired by Apostle John Ngcebetsha and Dr Jele S Manganyi. The visiting preacher was Dr Elijah Mashwanganyi of the AOG BTG, an international motivational speaker, author, educator, pastor and prophetic in-depth in this case of Messrs Tengimfene and Tete. I personally invited both Tengifene and Tete to church to pray for the forthcoming fight.
Dr Mashwanganyi did not know that Zolani was travelling for a mere eliminator, a bout that in human terms could only earn a mandatory position. Yet under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he laid hands upon Zolani and prophetically declared that he would bring the title home. It was an impossible declaration. We received it with reverence, and during lunch afterwards, in the presence of Zolani, Apostle Ngcebetsha, Mxolisi Koom, Mr Tengifene and myself, George Tsibani, we shared light-hearted banter, with Ta Mla leading the humour. Little did we know that heaven had already sanctioned what the sanctioning bodies had not yet decided.
For me, Zolani was not merely a fighter. He was a superlative genius of the sport, supremely intelligent, dedicated and disciplined in training, reminiscent of Floyd Mayweather Junior in his devotion. He was also deeply spiritual, a lover of Gospel music. On that day at AOG BTG, he did not sit as a guest. He rose and led the choir in worship, singing with the same conviction with which he fought.
THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE MIRACLE
The World Boxing Organisation, hereinafter referred to as the WBO, had ordered a final eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger for the WBO Bantamweight Championship held by Marlon Tapales of the Philippines. The bout between Zolani Tete (24-3, 20 KOs) and Arthur Villanueva of the Philippines (30-1, 16 KOs) was originally scheduled for 8 April 2017 at the Manchester Arena, Manchester, England.
The venue and date were changed. The Lord had a different calendar.
On 21 April 2017, in Osaka, Japan, reigning WBO Champion Marlon Tapales failed to make the bantamweight limit of 118 lbs on the scales for his defence against Shohei Omori. The WBO President, Francisco Valcarcel, stripped him of the title. In that same moment, the WBO elevated the Tete versus Villanueva eliminator from a mere eliminator to the Interim WBO Bantamweight Championship.
On Saturday 22 April 2017 at the Leicester Arena, Leicester, United Kingdom, Zolani Tete defeated Arthur Villanueva by Unanimous Decision over 12 rounds, hereinafter referred to as UD12, with scores of 120-107 and 119-108 twice, including a knockdown in the eleventh round. When Tapales subsequently lost by 11th-round technical knockout, hereinafter referred to as TKO, to Omori, the WBO confirmed Tete’s elevation from Interim to full WBO World Bantamweight Champion. The impossible prophecy spoken on 8 April in Sandton had been fulfilled on 22 April in Leicester.
On Monday, 24 April 2017 at 11:00, we gathered at O.R. Tambo International Airport, hereinafter referred to as ORTIA, to welcome our champion. The prayer had gone ahead of the fighter, and the fighter returned with the title. As Pastor Elijah Mashwanganyi had declared in public and in church in Sandton, “My boy, bring the title. Do not worry about the postponement. God has a plan!”
This is the mystery of faith. What man schedules as an eliminator, God elevates as a coronation.
THE LEGACY
Let the record show that Zolani Tete earned his greatness in the ring. He was a true two-division world champion. He won the International Boxing Federation Junior-Bantamweight Title, hereinafter referred to as the IBF Title, in 2014 in Japan against Teiru Kinoshita. He won the WBO Bantamweight Title in 2017 against Villanueva, and defended it with the fastest knockout in world title history, an 11-second destruction of Siboniso Gonya on 18 November 2017 in Belfast, UK.
Ta Mla Tengimfene kaCethe carried that legacy on his shoulders. He was the custodian of a champion’s dream.
May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may this testimony comfort all who mourn, from the villages of AmaMpondomise to the global SABC listening community. God bless South Africa and her children in Jesus Christ. Amen
Yours faithfully,
Fumene George Tsibani
Friend of Mlandeli Tengifene – @NewsSA_Online
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