ONE of Zimbabwe's eminent historians and novelists, Pathisa Nyathi has passed on at a private hospital in Bulawayo following an undisclosed but recurring medical condition.
He was aged 73.
Nyathi had reportedly been in and out of hospital until his untimely death Saturday.
A repository of history, Nyathi was also a a renowned novelist and cultural practitioner, publisher and founder of Amagugu International Heritage Centre in Bulawayo.
He was also the former secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Writers' Union and an art, culture and heritage protagonist who was very unapologetic about his Afrocentric views and perspectives.
Nyathi went through primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions that include Sankonjana Primary School in Matobo District from 1958 to 1962, Tuli where he did standard 4 in 1963, Mazowe High School in Mashonaland Central Province from 1967 to 1970 where he did his secondary education.
In 1976 he did his A levels majoring in Geography and Biology through distance education. He sat for the A Level exams at Mzilikazi Secondary School.
He later trained as a secondary school teacher at Gweru Teachers' College majoring in science from 1971 and obtained a certificate in education in 1973.
In 1978 he enrolled with University of South Africa (UNISA) majoring in Geography and Development Administration. In 1982 he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and in 1985 a BA (Hon) from the same university.
He taught at a number of schools and a college in the country which includes Loreto, Usher, Howard, David Livingstone, St Columba's, Sobukhazi, Gweru Teachers' College, Gloag High, Nketa High.
Nyathi worked in various capacities such as education officer (Non-Formal) Matabeleland North (1996-2002), deputy provincial education director Matabeleland North (2002-2004), public relations officer with the Bulawayo City Council (2004-2008), resource person Culture Fund of Zimbabwe (2008-2009), consultant in the Ministry of Water Resources, (January - July 2010).
His undying passion for Zimbabwean arts and culture could also be seen in the social responsibilities which he undertook in arts and other organisations. Chief among these was being the secretary general, Zimbabwe Writers Union (1989-1990), chairman of the National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) Matabeleland North (1990-1995), deputy director of Mthwakazi Actors and Writers Association (MAWA).
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He also assumed roles as chairman of the Zimbabwe Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association (ZANA) (Bulawayo Branch), chairman of the Zimbabwe Writers Union (Bulawayo Branch), chairman of Mpopoma High School Development Association, committee member of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee of Zimbabwe (2009).
Nyathi's board membership was also a testimony of his immense contribution to the arts industry in the country.
Some of the institutions' boards he sat on include Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF) (1989-1998); Zimbabwe Book Development Council (ZBDC), Mambo Press Editorial Advisory Board.
Other include Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP), chairman of the Community Foundation for the Western Region of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH); Transmedia (2002-2009), Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo; United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) (2010).
He was also a passionate newspaper columnist for various publications
Among his accolades is the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 National Arts Merits Awards (NAMA).
