The Founder and director of the Jibilika Dance Trust, Plot Mhako, is crying foul after Celebration Church allegedly hijacked his organisation’s dance project including a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform at next year’s world cup in South Africa.

Jibilika recently sent a team of Hip Hop dancers to South Africa for the African finals of the international Battle of the Year (BOTY) competition. The trip was sponsored by a number of organisations and well-wishers, including Celebration Ministries and members of its congregation.

^ Flip Floppers train at Celebration Church before their trip to Cape Town in August.

The dancers who went on the trip were from several dance groups that took part in the BOTY Zimbabwe finals held at the 7 Arts earlier on in the year. The overall group that won the event was called the Flip Floppers and that’s the name that they used to represent Zimbabwe in Cape Town.

According to Mhako, before the dance group’s departure to Cape Town in August for the BOTY event they were told by officials from the Church that new leaders for the team had been selected and since it was so close to the date of departure the Jibilika administration had acquiesced to ensure that there were no tensions in the camp.  

However, a request by the Church to change the name of the team from “Flip Floppers” to something else was turned down.

During their stay in Cape Town the group also performed at Hillsong Church where they got the attention of one Emile Jansen who offered them a contract to perform in various South African cities during the 2010 World Cup.

Upon returning to Zimbabwe Mhako says he was invited for a meeting at Celebration Church by one of the senior pastors there. They sent a vehicle to pick him up on the agreed upon date. “All they wanted from me were the contact details for Emile Jansen,” said Mhako. “They wanted to take over the whole thing but I refused to give them the information.”

He said that to his surprise the church went on to acquire Jansen’s contact details and have since sent someone to South Africa to negotiate the 2010 contract. “This is really disheartening for us,” a distraught looking Mhako told the Zimbo Jam. “We have been working on Jibilika since 2007 and now these guys just come and hijack the fruits of our hard work. I used to attend this church and I hold them in high regard so this is really surprising for me.”
Apparently, the church has also selected the team that will travel next year without consulting Jibilika.

Jibilika Dance Trust holds the BOTY license for Zimbabwe which they acquired for 300 Euros. They also spent thousands of dollars marketing and organising the BOTY Zimbabwe event. They are now seeking legal advice to get back control of their project.

The Zimbo Jam has sent communication to Celebration Church asking for their comment on this issue which we will publish as soon as we receive it.

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mercy  - miss   |2009-11-15 05:24:29 this is not good, u worked hard for this Plot, God knows what is happening saka chill bro, doors have been opened and when God opens he opens a sliding door, there is more to come.... we will keep on supporting you, you are a hard worker and u started it, and the world knows.@ Celebration stop it please ngatiitei basa ramwari and support with honesty.... Reply 0   2

David Fan   |2009-11-16 10:20:08 Ever heard of David and Goliath Plot? Fight for what is yours! Reply 0   1

Ngongo  - Touch not my anointed   |2009-11-17 05:46:44 please do not comment without full information, you know not what you speak about. Reply 2   0

vaMukanya  - Mr   |2009-11-20 06:53:56 No wonder CC says it the year of multiplication! Reply 0   0

Suspect #1  - ooops!!   |2009-11-26 11:21:22 i think a big organisation like celebration church should be ashamed of themselves.Its wrong to take away someone else's work,they need to give that concept back or i say to Mr Plot,challenge them with your very own project!!!! Reply 0   0

ini  - do not comment until......   |2010-01-03 08:27:09 Pane mutauri ati do not comment until you hear the other side of the story. true that I reverse my comment coz what I heard is totaly different from what the so called Plot is claiming to be his. Celebration help the kids. thank for that and noone and nothing will stop you Reply 0   0

anonymous  - David & Golliath affair   |2010-02-04 15:25:50 These are imperialists in church men gowns. Helping what? CC is preying on innocent youths. beware of the ides of march. God is watching Reply 0   0

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