IS MAGODI A NGUNI OR TUMBUKA CHIEF?
One of the main questions asked by Northern Ngunis is on whether Senior Chief Magodi of Chasefu district in Eastern province of Zambia is a Nguni or a Tumbuka traditional leader. Given the fact that he is on a traditionally Tumbuka territory, many are of the view that he is a Tumbuka by tradition. But is that so? Let us answer this quesion and provider the readers with before never seen information on Magodi and his empire.
Who was Magodi?
Born in the 1830s, Magodi was a son of Mninitshoba Ndhlovu who was one of the warriors under King Zwangendaba. Mninitshoba and his people joined the Zwangendaba group in the Usuthu Valley and he was the Ndhlovus inspirational figurehead in this area. A well known craft/black smith,Mninitshoba Ndhlovu's people are also dotingly known as the Faphi/Fachi(where do we die from) and sometimes known as Msuthu (cause of this fact that they joined Zwangendaba in the Usuthu valley). Ndhlovu Maphupo and other Ndhlovus in Malawi are in fact from this lineage of Mninitshoba Ndhlovu.
The Usuthu river in the dry season. It is around is the area where Magodi's father hailed from.
Death of Mninitshoba- Magodi in the M'mbelwa Royal house
After settling at Mabili in Malawi, when the Nguni Nation of Zwangendaba was in a period of relative peace, Mninitshoba Ndhlovu continued following his other passion, that of being a talented craft man or black smith. However, when he molded something that resembled a human being, he had sealed his fate.
Him and much of the Ndhlovus from his own family were put to death on the orders of King Zwangendaba. Zambian Historian, Gumbi Kaziguda Jele has argued that Mninitshoba died during the infamous period of the 'witch-hunt', in which at the advise of the Nsenga traditional doctors, Zwangendaba ordered the death of many people that he had come with as they were suspected of practicing witchcraft.
Following the execution of both his parents,Magodi was taken over by the M'mbelwa royal house which kept him like their own. Although he was older than M'mbelwa, these two simply clicked and so began their historical relationship. Indeed in the Isithakazelo of King M'mbelwa there is a saying, zaphenduka emlonyeni(changed in the mouth) Zabuyeyana (reconciled) njenge umtwana wenkosi(like a son of a King as Magodi and M'mbelwa grew up like brothers, sons of a King.
Magodi 'promoted' as leader
After the death of Zwangendaba in 1845 and the succession disputes that followed, Magodi trekked back with the M'mbelwa group and went to settle in Northern Malawi. It was after 1857, following M'mbelwa's ascendance on his Kingdom's throne that Magodi too scaled the heights of the Angoni power.
King M'mbelwa proportioned his friend some of his land to oversee. Magodi continued staying in the village of Engalaweni despite his new status.
Magodi's wives and his 'Tengayumo' tag
Magodi married an astonishing 56 plus wives hence him also getting the moniker, Tengayumo. His argument was that "if i marry one woman and she decides to leave or dies then i will be an orphaned husband". At one point, his 'Solomon like' life caught the eyes of his master and friend, King M'mbelwa. Some of his well known first wives include Nyabaloyi,NyaMithi ,NyaMakamo and Zigaqa Kuna (it is Zigaga who birthed Magodi II).
Two Magodi Nguni Princess, Zondwayo Ndhlovu (left) and Hlupo Ndhlovu. They are from the lineage of Tengayumo Ndhlovu.
Magodi leaves Northern Malawi for Eastern Zambia
It is highly debatable what led Magodi and his people to leave Engalaweni to embark on a 'journey of no return'. Some accounts state that Magodi left because of constant bickering with King M'mbelwa who was giving Magodi a lot of assignments to do. Still some argue that, Magodi was sent by King M'mbelwa to grow his empire on his behalf and then return. What is certain however, is that the did leave the land that had exalted him and went to settle in a different country.
Magodi left M'mbelwa's territory around the 1870s. The new Inkosi left Engalaweni with four (4) well known Indunas namely Kayimbonyi Kasalo,Kamoto Nyambose,Wadilika Mumba and Jowelo(Joel) Mhango. However, when they reached Vithando(Zithando) Induna Joel Mhango found love and stated that he was not going to continue the journey. This was interpreted as insubordination on the part of Magodi who wanted to kill Induna Mhango who luckily escaped the jaws of the incensed Inkosi Magodi. The bloodline of Mhango are now under Inkosi Cindi Jele.
Magodi soon found himself among the Tumbuka natives in the Lundazi area, in Eastern Zambia. Tengayumo first marked his territory before setting his base at Emusa which is still a respected place among the Magodi Ngonis to this day. It should be noted that the Tumbuka natives here had no properly organized villages. Most of them were simply hunters and gatherers who mostly lived as a family unit with the head of the house being the oldest family member and heading the family unit.
Thus, Magodi 'Tengayumo' Ndhlovu and his people ensured that they changed this status quo. The Tumbukas were grouped together to form villages just like the Ngoni ones. Besides, these were requested to abide by the Ngoni traditions of umthulo and ingoma as a sign that they are now Ngoni. This is how Magodi grew more in mighty after his shift and started ruling mainly the Tumbuka societies.
Death of Tengayumo and his successor
Magodi I lived a fulfilling life up-to his demise in 1921, he was by now a very old man. However, in the evenings of his life, it had been noted that most of his 'wives' were married to him without proper marriage rites as per Nguni customs and traditions. This compelled King M'mbelwa to in fact lobola Magodi's fourth wife, Zigaqa Kuna. This was already a sign that Tengayumo's successor would come from this house.
The eldest son of Zigaga was Josephat, but Inkosi Magodi had other sons way older than Josephat. With this in mind, Tengayumo cleverly and strategically had Josephat Ndhlovu installed as Magodi 2 even before his father's death.
Knowing very well that this decision had put his son's life at risk from his elder brothers, Magodi soon advised and compelled Josephat to shift from Emusa. Thus Josephat shifted from his father's headquarters and went to on establish Eguqukeni(now Egichikeni) and made it his new base.This new established village was near to the village of his in-laws village of Emanyeleni. It is worthy pointing out that Zigaga Kuna also formed her own village known as Emazinyeni (in/on the teeth) next to her son's new village.
In 1922, Josephat Ndhlovu officially began his reign as Inkosi Magodi II. Sadly, Josephat's reign was a relatively short one as he died in 1935.
The final resting place of the 1890 born Josephat 'Chipwafu' Ndhlovu who reigned as Inkosi Magodi II.
The Regent of Custom Ndhlovu and reign of Mzondi Ndhlovu
When Josephat Ndhlovu died in 1935, his son and Crown Prince, Mzondi Ndhlovu was way still young to take over. Thus, a regent was inevitable and the person to act on this position came from an unlikely place-Emusa. Custom Ndhlovu who was an elder brother of Josephat took over and reigned from Emusa the base.
Custom only reigned up-to 1940 when Mzondi was officially installed as Inkosi Magodi 3. However, he too did not reign for a long time. In 1944, Mzondi invited the wrath of the colonial government as he allegedly 'misappropriated colonial tax funds' and was jailed for at least five years.
Again the Kingdom of Magodi had no legitimate leader. Although Custom wanted to act as regent for a second time, his old age was a factor, thus his request was denied.But when he requested that his won son, Abel Ndhlovu should instead act, it was agreed.
Around 1950, Mzondi was released from prison but could not be reinstated on the throne because of a new 'case'. Straight from serving his jail sentence, he again found himself at loggerheads with his master, this time he had a traditional disagreement with King M'mbelwa pertaining to his Great Wife.
Mzondi's principal wife was Nya-Shaba. However, she only bore female children. In this situation, an Inshanzi for her should have been gotten as per Ngoni tradition. But Mzondi who had this time divorced Nyashaba was not for the idea of reinstating her to her former position but instead wanted his second wife, Nyachima to produce his Crown Prince. As tradition was not followed properly when 'marrying' Nyachima King M'mbelwa too refused to accept Nyachima as the Great House.
King M'mbelwa then dethroned Mzondi and started looking for a replacement. Although it had been thought by a cross section of society that Abel would be the likely successor, the elders opted to pick Mzondi's youngest brother, Mabutho Ndhlovu who by then was a teacher at Chasefu basic school.When the acting Inkosi Abel heard this ,he was not pleased with this decision as he argued that even him was of the bloodline of Tengayumo Magodi 1 and that it was not wrong for him to continue ruling. For his own safety, Mabutho Ndhlovu got transferred to Petauke.
And so ended the reign of Mzondi Ndhlovu. He (Magodi 3) is remembered for always faking a cough,he would say at a loud voice "mngoni!!! The third from God, number 1 God!, number 2 Jesus Christ, number 3 Mngoni!!!". And he would end by saying the rest know there numbers.
The Reign of Mabutho Ndhlovu
In 1964, the Kaunda regime had Abel 'dethroned' and taken to live in Chongwe where he died from. The teacher, Mabutho Ndhlovu was finally coronated in 1964 and began his reign as Inkosi Magodi IV. The birth of the Zengani cultural festival punctuated his legacy, even if he died a day before the day of the ceremony in 1991.
Current Inkosi Magodi
Inkosi Magodi V (left) with Inkosi Madzimawe IV.The both ascended on their respective thrones around almost the same period.
it should be highlighted that in today's mainstream media, Inkosi Magodi is dubbed as a 'Ngoni-Tumbuka Chief'. This has its genesis in the colonial era. When the country became a British protectorate, the government at that time not fully knowing the history of the Magodi chiefdom twice erroneously described him as a'Tumbuka Chief'. Despite numerous attempts to correct that mistake, the nearest correction was him being tagged as a Ngoni-Tumbuka Chief- the title that has remained unchanged to this day. In addition, despite being on Zambian soil, Magodi's allegiance is to Malawi's King M'mbelwa.
Izithakazelo zakwa Ndlovu, Ndlovu Clan Names, Ndlovu Clan Praises
Gatsheni,
Boya benyathi, obusonga busombuluka,
Mpongo kaZingelwayo,
Nina bakwaNdlovuzidl'ekhaya, ngokweswel'abelusi,
Zaze zeluswa intombi uDemazane,
Nina bakwaKhumbul’amagwala,
Nina bakwaDemazane Ntombazana,
Nina bakwaS’hlangu sihle,
Mthiyane,
Ngokuthiy'amadoda emazibukweni,
Nina bakwaMdubusi!
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