Ali ‘Baba’ Dube celebrated

Legendary former Highlanders juniors coach, Ali “Baba” Dube was on Friday evening showered with a party in celebration of his 73rd birthday to honour him for the role he played in grooming football players, some of whom went on to become household names.

Dube was instrumental in the grooming of players such as the Ndlovu brothers, Madinda, Adam and Peter, the late Benjamin, Willard Khumalo, Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda and Benjamin Nkonjera among others.

The party was organised by the Marvelous Nakamba Foundation (MNF) in partnership with the Tino Kadewere Foundation and was held at Archers Sports Club. Each foundation bought a cake for Dube. He was also presented with a shirt from Nakamba and Kadewere.

MNF representative Brian Moyo said they are initiating a process to honour football luminaries while they are still alive instead of waiting to praise them when they are dead.

“Undoubtedly Ali Baba played a big role in grooming junior players and we felt he should be honoured with this event where he will be feted and genuinely feel the honour rather than we talk about him when he has passed on.

“People need to be appreciated while they are still alive and we are committing ourselves to holding such events for various luminaries in the sport going forward,” he said. The Sunday News