LOKU kwenteka nga-August 1936, eSwatini Esibayeni. Robert naGeorge Nisbet bebasandza kudlala umculo lowawutsetjuliwe kanye netinkhulumo teMzalwane J. F. Rutherford, emotweni lebeyinembhobho. INkhosi Sobhuza II yajabula. George uyachaza: “Saba nemahloni ngesikhatsi iNkhosi seyifuna kutsenga lomshini wekudlala lokutsetjuliwe, emarekhodi nembhobho lowawendlulisela umlayeto weMbuso.”

Robert wacabanga masinyane wase ucolisa ngekutitfoba, washo kutsi letintfo atitsengiswa. Yini lebeyenta tingatsengiswa? Kungobe letintfo betitalomunye umuntfu. INkhosi yafuna kwati kutsi abe ngubani loyo muntfu.

Robert waphendvula watsi: “Talenye iNkhosi.” INkhosi Sobhuza yabuta kutsi bekungubani leNkhosi. Robert watsi: “NguJesu Khristu, iNkhosi yeMbuso waNkulunkulu.”

INkhosi Sobhuza yase iphendvula ngenhlonipho yatsi: “Loyo phela uyiNkhosi lenkhulu. Angifuni kutsatsa lutfo lwakhe.”

Robert wabhala watsi: ‘Ngatsintseka kakhulu ngesimo seNkhosi Sobhuza. Abesikhuluma kahle siNgisi angatigabatisi, akhuluma indzaba ngalokucondzile futsi angeneka. Ngahlala naye ehhovisi lakhe imizuzu lecishe ibe ngu-45, ngesikhatsi George adlala umculo ngaphandle.’

Robert uchubeka atsi: ‘Ntsambama ngalelo langa saya esikolweni lesibitwa ngekutsi yiSwazi National School futsi sakujabulela kuba lapho. Sashumayela kuthishela nhloko futsi wakujabulela kulalela. Ngesikhatsi simkhombisa lomshini wekudlala lokutsetjuliwe futsi simcela kutsi sikulalelise sikolo sonkhe wajabula kakhulu, wabita bafundzi labangaba ngu-100 kutsi bahlale etjanini balalele. Satjelwa kutsi lesi bekusikolwa lesiphakeme lebesifundzisa siNgisi, kulima, kwenta ingadze, kubata, kwakha, bafana bafundziswa tibalo futsi emantfombatana afundziswa tebunesi, imisebenti yasendlini naleminye imisebenti lebalulekile. Lesikolwa besisungulwe ngugogo weNkhosi.’ *

Kusukela ekucaleni kwabo-1933, iNkhosi Sobhuza beyikujabulela kulalela emahlahlandlela labeyivakashela Esibayeni. Ngalesinye sikhatsi, wabutsela ndzawonye bogadzi bakhe lokwakungemasotja labengu-100 kutsi batewulalela umlayeto weMbuso. Bonkhe bavele baticelela kutfola bomagazini betfu futsi batemukela tincwadzi lebetiphetfwe ngulabazalwane. Masinyane  ngemuva kwaloko iNkhosi beseyinemtapo locishe ube nato tonkhe tincwadzi tebuKhristu. Ngetulu kwaloko, ngesikhatsi semphi yelive yesibili, iNkhosi yatilondvolota ngisho nobe hulumende wemaNgisi atsi tincwadzi tetfu atikho emtsetfweni.

INkhosi Sobhuza II yachubeka iminyaka leminyenti ibemukela boFakazi kutsi bete kaLobamba Esibayeni, beyize imeme nebafundisi kutsi bete batewulalela tinkhulumo letisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Kulelinye lalawo malanga, ngesikhatsi Fakazi wasendzaweni, Helvie Mashazi acoca ngembhalo waMatewu sehluko 23, licembu lebafundisi latfukutsela futsi letama kumhlalisa phansi ngenkhani. Kodvwa INkhosi yayingenela lendzaba futsi yacela uMzalwane Mashazi kutsi achubeke nenkhulumo yakhe. Ngetulu kwaloko, iNkhosi yatjela tilaleli kutsi tibhale phansi onkhe emavesi lokwakukhulunywa ngawo.

Ngemuva kwekulalela inkhulumo yemzalwane lobekalihlahlandlela, bafundisi labane labebakhona babhekisa bokhololo babo ngemuva futsi batsi: “Asisesibo bafundisi kodvwa sesiboFakazi BaJehova.” Babese babuta lelihlahlandlela kutsi linato yini tincwadzi letifanana naleto iNkhosi lebeyinato.

Kusukela ngabo-1930 kudzimate kube sekukhotsameni kwayo nga-1982, leNkhosi yakhombisa kubahlonipha boFakazi BaJehova futsi ayizange ivumele kutsi bahlushwe ngekungawagcini emasiko esiSwati. Ngako-ke, boFakazi bebanetizatfu letinhle tekuyibonga futsi badzabuka ngekukhotsama kwayo.

Ekucaleni kwa-2013, bese kunebashumayeli beMbuso labangetulu kwa-3 000 eSwatini. Njengobe kunelinani lebantfu labangetulu kwesigidzi, lelive linesilinganiso semmemeteli munye kubantfu labangu-384. Emahlahlandlela langetulu kwa-260 abematasatasa emabandleni langu-90 futsi kunebantfu labangetulu kwa-7 496 lebebakhona eSikhumbutweni nga-2012. Kuyacaca kutsi asemanyenti ematfuba ekwandza. Kuyabonakala nekutsi kwabekwa sisekelo lesihle ngekuvakashela eSwatini ngabo-1930.—Lokuvela emtatjeni wetfu eNingizimu Afrika.