OWABA ngowomdabu wokuqala ukufundisa isiZulu esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme, uDkt Benedict Wallet “BW” Vilakazi, uzohlonishwa emcimbini oseMariannhill Monastery Cathedral, ePinetown namhlanje kusukela ngo-9 ekuseni.
UsiHlalo wenhlangano yababhali bezincwadi, uSolwazi Sihawu Ngubane, uthe bakhethe ukukhumbula uVilakazi ngalolu suku ngenxa yokuphela kweminyaka engu-75 adlula emhlabeni. UNgubane uchaze uVilakazi njengenjulabuchopho eyabamba elikhulu iqhaza ekufukuleni umkhakha wezemfundo, izilimi nemibhalo yesiZulu.
“Waba yingqalabutho ngenkathi eqashwa yiWits University ngowe-1935, eba ngowomdabu wokuqala kuleli ukufundisa isiZulu enyuvesi. Ngowe-1946 waba ngowomdabu wokuqala kuleli ukuba neziqu zobuDokotela, azizuza e-Unisa. Kwezemibhalo, waba yingqalabutho ngokushicilela iqoqo lezinkondlo zesiZulu lokuqala ngqa, elithi Inkondlo kaZulu. Miningana eminye imibhalo yakhe yamanoveli, izinkondlo nezichazamazwi.” Eqhuba uNgubane, woSiba Writers’ Guild, uthe le ngwazi yazalelwa eGroutville, KwaDukuza kodwa yadlula emhlabeni ngo-Okthoba 26, 1947.
“Uqanjwe ngaye umgwaqo uVilakazi Street eseSoweto nokwake kwahlala kuyo amaqhawe angoDkt Nelson Mandela no-Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Ngowe-2016 uVilakazi wahlonishwa ngendondo evelele kunazo zonke kuleli, i-Order of Ikamanga ngenjongo yokuqhakambisa amagalelo akhe angenakulitshalwa,” kuphetha uNgubane.
Nyakenye iBongani Mavuso Foundation ibuye yahlonipha uVilakazi, uMadala Kunene noSolwazi DBZ Ntuli ngomklomelo we-African Intellectuals Through Heritage eKhaya Multi-Arts Centre, KwaMashu ngenxa yamagalelo abo kwezobuciko.
Isolezwe lithole ukuthi emcimbini oseMariannhill Monestery Cathedral, kuzoqalwa ngenkonzo yeMisa ngo-9 ekuseni, kudlulelwe emalibeni.
Inkulumo yosuku izokwethulwa nguSolwazi NB Zondi. Kuzonandisa i-University of KwaZulu-Natal Opera, kuhaywe izinkondlo ngaphambi kokukhishwa kwemiklomelo kaDkt BW Vilakazi.