Blindness could not stop my vision , says visually impaired musician

Bulawayo- AMERICAN philosopher John Rawls once said “Never allow your blindness to block your vision”, although Rawls wasn’t referring to physical blindness it seems one Bulawayo man Velaphi Gumbo better known as VG took the saying literally.

Born blind 44 years ago, Gumbo started playing a guitar at a tender age of 10 and ever since he never turned back.

Today, Gumbo has grown musically to become one of the finest instrumetalist that in the land.

A singer, songwriter, producer and music teacher, Gumbo recently recorded a live DVD and some of the songs on his new offering are trending on local radio and TV stations.

Unlike hundreds of visually impaired people who usually settle for hand-outs and begging to earn a living, Gumbo took the advice that he was given by his primary school teacher who told him to turn to God for a brighter future.

In an interview with Express Mail Zim Tuesday, Gumbo chronicled his musical journey, highlighting that it was God who literally taught him to play a home made guitar.

“I started singing when I was 10 that was in the year 1988. The way I started singing was a miraculous gift from God.

“What happened was while I was sitting alone, I started praying about my future having been inspired by my teacher who had actually instructed me to pray about my future and ask God what he wanted me to do,” said Gumbo.

He added, ” So, while I was still praying, this other voice called out my name; “Velaphi, Velaphi ask one of your sighted friends to make a guitar for you.

“After that I quickly went to this other friend of mine who could see and I told him to make a guitar for me. He told me that a proper guitar was a difficult instrument to make he then decided to make a home-made guitar using a cooking oil Olivine tin, a wooden stick and twine wire,” he said.

Gumbo said as he was convinced that it was God who had spoke to him he prayed.

“I said; ‘Lord, here is the guitar and here am I, so what would you like me to do with this guitar?’

“While I was still praying, that voice came again and this time, while it was speaking, it was as if there were two hands guiding my hands. The pressing hand which was being guided pressed the strings in a particular way and the plucking hand which was guided to pluck the strings in a particular way again.

“It suddenly dawned to me that I was now playing the song “Amazing grace,” he said.

“That was so impacting to such an extent that I started shouting, “Oh Lord how come I can now play the song Amazing Grace how sweet the sound. From that day I started playing many other songs.

Gumbo said from that guitar he then started playing many other music instruments without even going to school.

“Each time I would be given a chance to play maybe before the crowds, everybody would be intrigued so as such that inspired me to keep on keeping on up to this day,” he said.

Gumbo said Baba Machanic Manyeruke was his inspiration.

“I used to enjoy the way he held and communicate through his guitar and after some years there popped up Jimmy Swaggart. I loved the way he played his piano. The Gaither; the group that is fronted by Bill Gaither, their pianist, Anthony Becker was my star, he was my beacon of music. The way he used to thump his piano, the way he used to style up and make those timely fillers really impressed me to such an extent that I said no, I definitely need to pull up my socks on the piano,” said Gumbo.

Gumbo said everyday he is motivated by many factors that include the authenticity of the word of God and the love of music that spirals from the people.

He said although he has achieved a lot musically he has his fair share of challenges.

“The first challenge that I usually face is financial challenge which is in line with the demands of the world, each time one embarks on something people expect something better from him.

“Say I composed a song yesterday, today I compose another one, it should be better than the song I composed yesterday. In order to maintain that it all needs money.

“The other challenge is the disability in me, it is hard to really express myself because I am dependent on people.

“In some areas stigmatization and discrimination are major set-backs,” lamented Gumbo.

Gumbo said he is happy that his song is being played on Dstv.

“I feel great that ZTN Prime is playing my song it makes me feel good that I am producing something that can be appreciated internationally,” he said.

“I am yearning for collaborations, I wish to collaborate with many different artists. Right now as it is, on the song that is playing on DStv I collaborated with Alexio Kawara and I am saying to myself, is he the only person who found joy in collaborating with somebody who is visually impaired and at the end of the day look at what emerged, it was more than good.,” said Gumbo.

“I wish that many artists could stretch their arms and collaborate with me. Apart from that, my other desire is actually being given a chance on other platforms i know I have what it takes to be were music gurus are,” he said.