It is very rare for an organisation to do well when it has big personalities in critical positions. In spite of having so much in common, such personalities often find it difficult to co-exist. Instead of collaborating, they tend to compete for recognition and attention, and whenever that happens, the organisation drifts farther and farther from realising its goals.
As we continue to mourn and reflect on the life of legendary cleric, Elison Kamupira, one thing that couldn’t escape my mind is how big personalities worked side-by-side at Nyaradzo Group to achieve monumental success.
This is one organisation that would make for an interesting case study. I will explain!Nyaradzo turned 23 in March this year. For more than twenty years of their existence, Nyaradzo founder and chief executive efficer, Philip Mataranyika, and his Chaplain General Elison Kamupira exploited each other’s strengths to build the Nyaradzo brand from the ground-up, only to be separated by the death of the cleric on May 11, 2024 after a long illness bravely borne.
They both had so much in common. From being open to new ideas, organised, mindful of detail, assertive, kind, to having a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. They put to good use their similarities by having a set of shared values, interests, goals, and perspectives, which contributed to a strong connection and understanding between them.
Despite not being gifted in terms of height, they clearly stood out in the crowd because of the commanding presence they had, intellect, and confidence.
They were each known never to get upset easily, but difficult to persuade once they set their sights on something. They are known to never have crossed swords once for all the years they worked together. If they did, it must have been out of public glare. Assuming that to be the case, they must have found a way to manage differences that could have resulted from communication styles, problem-solving approaches, emotional needs, and personal growth trajectories.
Ultimately, the success of a relationship depends on how well partners communicate, resolve conflicts, support each other, and navigate life’s challenges together. A successful partnership is one where parties appreciate and respect each other’s differences and not to allow external factors such as stress, life events, and changing circumstances influence how you relate to each other.
And so, the story goes that Mataranyika and Kamupira first met in Christian circles in the 1980s when the Nyaradzo founder, who is 15 years younger than the late cleric, was a youth leader in the United Methodist Church. In those same circles, Mataranyika would also get to meet his heartthrob, Mavis Muchineuta, who would become his wife in March 1991, when they exchanged their marriage vows. Kamupira would get married to Chipo a month later in April 1991. Kamupira was the couple’s choice for the role of master of ceremonies at their wedding because of his great sense of humour and ability to connect with his audience calmly and in an entertaining manner.
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A month later, Mataranyika would be chosen by the Kamupiras to take up the role of photographer when Elison and Chipo took the important step to solemnise their marriage. At the time, Mataranyika was a star performer at Old Mutual, where he was working as a sales representative. He was also trying his hand into many hustles, including photography. How he was able to multi-task and excel had earned him an admirer in Kamupira who wanted him to document their entire wedding story for generations to come.
From a family, spiritual, and professional perspective, their destinies became intertwined. Their journey together would assume another meaning in 2003 when Kamupira joined Nyaradzo in its formative years as chaplain, bringing onboard a different set of skills that broke a trend where funerals conjured up a set of emotions that made them heavy and sombre. He became the perfect answer to those who desperately needed healing and a shoulder to lean on in their time of grief.
In that role as Nyaradzo’s Chaplain General, he used the pulpit to nurse broken hearts and inspire hope in times of bereavement and despair. While losing a loved one can be overwhelming, Kurupira’s name became synonymous with curing waves of intense emotions, sadness, emptiness, guilt, and regret. His prescription was the scriptures that he would deliver with a dosage of humour and charisma.
Mataranyika would use his strong administrative and marketing skills to support the gift that Kamupira had. For more than twenty years, they formed a formidable partnership that catapulted Nyaradzo from being a no-name brand to one that consistently ranks amongst the top five brands in Zimbabwe. The Nyaradzo brand has since gone beyond our borders into South Africa, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia.
Theirs became a match made in heaven. So good was Mataranyika and Kamupira’s working relationship that the late Chaplain General was allowed to work beyond the legally permissible retirement age of 65. He was 75 at the time of his death.
In those 22 years, they introduced the piano to be played in all their chapels to add immeasurably to the power of the scripture and preaching. They also introduced songs for emotional therapy. Not many have forgotten Nyaradzo Hymns, a 20-track double album of hymns that are usually sung at funerals by different church denominations. To accommodate lyrics in any language, they are all instrumental songs. At the end of each chapel service, Kamupira would present the album as a gift to grieving families, along with a tree sapling, to support the re-greening of the environment.
Kamupira was also part of the team that worked with Mataranyika to create many other novel products, which became an instant hit in the market. For ease of transportation of mourners, they introduced conventional buses. Tents, chairs, and conveniences such as mobile toilets and mobile kitchens were also made available at competitive prices to those who needed them.
Many other inventions have sprung out of Nyaradzo’s ideas factory, with Kamupira and Mataranyika assuming multiple roles, including those of chief marketers and brand ambassadors.
As we say our goodbyes to this legend, we shall always remember that none other than Kamupira has done a good job of turning funerals in Zimbabwe into the last rites to celebrate the lives of those who would have been called for their heavenly rewards. His impact knew no race, colour, creed, religion, or tribe, which is why Zimbabweans from all walks of life were saddened by his departure. It was a who’s who at his funeral. It was also interesting to see that even political parties that were not seeing each other eye-to-eye were there to pay their last respects to the legend. It was nice to see former Citizens Coalition for Change leader, Nelson Chamisa, and Movement for Democratic Change president, Douglas Mwonzora, joining other mourners, who included senior ruling party politicians. This was another of Kamupira’s remarkable traits, being able to connect with people from all walks of life.President Emmerson Mnangagwa deserves special mention for extending state assistance towards his funeral expenses in honour of the man who dedicated more than two decades of his life to the end-of-life industry. It is unfortunate that Kamupira has departed from this world when his talents were still required. My most sincere condolences go out to his wife, Mai Kudzi, and children, as well as to the Nyaradzo Group, especially its founder, Mataranyika, who worked side-by-side with his Chaplain General for more than twenty years.
With his passing, Mataranyika would need to convince himself if his succession pipeline has an answer to the nation’s loss. Speaker-after-speaker attested to the fact that Kamupira was in a class of his own, and without him, the nation has lost a comforter who will be sorely missed. Mataranyika himself admitted as much in his message to Nyaradzo staff. He wrote: “We will never have another Kamupira. We may never have another brand advocate as steadfast as him. Nyaradzo Funeral Services was synonymous with him”.Death is cruel! Go well, our brand builder!
