ESIZIKITHINI sentshinyela yehlathi elikwiCentral African Republic kukho ubuncwane obuye babonwa ngabantu abambalwa nje kuphela. Sanyamezela uhambo lweeyure ezili-12 ngemoto, kwiindlela ezimbi sisiya kwiDzanga-Ndoki National Park, ummandla omhle ongahlali bantu, kwimbombo ekumzantsi-ntshona welizwe, phakathi kweCameroon neRepublic of Congo. Sasifuna ukubona uMakumba, igorila ehlala kummandla osemazantsi entshona, kunye nentsapho yakhe.

Umkhenkethisi wethu wacela ukuba sihlale sindawonye yaye silumkele iindlovu kuba sasiza kuhamba kwindawo ezidla ngokufuna ukutya kuyo. Kodwa sasingoyiki iindlovu kuphela. Lo mkhenkethisi wathi: “Ukuba igorila ifuna ukukuhlasela, yima nkqo ujonge phantsi. Ayisoze ikwenze nto; iza kugquma nje kuphela. Ungayijongi emehlweni. Mna, ndiye ndiwavale awam.”

Kuquka nalo mkhenkethisi sasikhokelwa lichule lokulanda umkhondo lohlanga lwaBaAka athande  ukuba mafutshane ngesithomo. Eli chule likwazi ukubona ubukho bezilwanyana ngokuqwalasela izinto ekunzima ukuziqonda, ivumba nezandi zazo. Sasiphazanyiswa kukubhuzwa ziinyosi. Kwakunzima ukulandela lo mzingeli kuba wayephinyela lula kulo ntshinyela yehlathi.

Kungekudala, wasifaka kwihlathi ekungafane kuye mntu kulo, apho iyimbinana nje yabantu abamhlophe abakhe banyathela kulo. Ngesiquphe wema, wasibonisa ummandla omkhulu okufuphi. Apho sabona imithi eyaphukileyo, ingca eleleyo kucaca ukuba iigorila eziselula zazidlala kuyo, kwabe kusele izikhondo emasebeni ngenxa yokutyiwa kwaloo magqabi antshulayo. Watsho wakhula ngakumbi umdla wethu kolo hambo.

Malunga neekhilomitha ezintathu emva koko, lo mzingeli wehlisa isantya. Ephepha ukothusa ezi gorila, wenqanqazisa ulwimi. Kufuphi seva ingxolo yokwaphuka kwamasebe emithi. Umkhenkethisi wethu wasikhweba ukuba sisondele. Wabeka umnwe emilebeni ukuze singangxoli. Wathi masichwechwe njengoko wayesalathisa emithini. Kumgama weemitha ezisibhozo, nako sibona uMakumba!

Kwathi nzwanga ehlathini kuvakala ukungongoza kweentliziyo zethu kuphela. Into esasizibuza yona kukuba uMakumba wayeza kusihlasela kusini na? UMakumba wajika wajonga kuthi ngobo buso bakhe bulishica, suka wazamla nje engenaxesha lethu. Hayi ke, kwatsho kweqabu uNoqolomb’ efile nje!

Nakuba ngolwimi lwama-Aka igama elithi Makumba lithetha “Isingxami,” ngoxa sasilapho, uMakumba wayezizolele, onwabele ukutya kwakhe. Kufutshane naye kwakukho amatyendyana amabini eegorila edlala kunye. USopo, igorila eneenyanga ezilishumi ubudala nenamehlo amakhulu, yayidlala kufuphi nonina, uMopambi owayemana etsalela kuye olo sana lwakhe xa lufuna ukuya kude. Ezinye iigorila ezazixobula amagqabi emithi zisitya zasikrwaqula nje zangathi azisiboni zaza zaqhubeka zazidlalela.

Emva kweyure kwafuneka sihambe. Kwaba ngathi noMakumba wanele bubukho bethu, kuba wagragrama nje kanye wonda ngehlathi. Kwimizuzwana nje engephi, wonke loo mhlambi wawusele unyamalele. Nakuba sichitha ixesha elifutshane nezi zilwanyana, la mava akanakuze alibaleke.