Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Wonder Guchu
10 December 2007
Harare — THE 2006 CBZ A Academy winner Jonah Sithole won largely because of the way he performed the late Marshall Munhumumwe's Rudo Imoto.
Although he did not have a whole week to rehearse the song, Jonah did it so
well that the whole house erupted onto its feet.
Once again Joseph Lugube, this year's winner of the CBZ A Academy, rode to victory on Lovemore Majaivana's Umoya Wami and Ngivulele.
The soulful Lugube beat Mkhululi Bhebhe and Tinashe Chitsaka who had proved to be the people's favourites on Friday at the Celebration Centre in Harare.
Trailing on fourth and fifth positions were Simbarashe "Simplex" Risinamhodzi and Sindisiwe Thembe Hlazo.
Unlike last year when the final five contestants aped western musicians, this year the local stuff was very popular as shown by the audience's response whenever a contestant came on stage brandishing a local tune.
They mobbed Tinashe when he came in with Oliver Mtukudzi's Tozeza Baba and besieged Mkhululi when he dished out the late Leonard Dembo's Zvaunoda Handizvigoni and Chitekete.
They danced when Sindisiwe brought up Chiwoniso Maraire's Mai Fambai Zvakanaka and almost cried with hysteria when Simplex rolled out Munhumumwe's Mbereko Yakaramba and Rudo Chete.
And Tinashe almost had it all when he returned with the late James Chimombe's Kudakwashe and Zvaitika.
The love for the local stuff was also evident when Jonah performed the song Kwandinobva from his debut album Diversity.
While the contestants tried their best, one could pick up one or two misaligned lyrics especially when Mkhululi, who was spotting a Mohican hairstyle, sang Dembo's music.
This was also the case with Sindisiwe when she did Maraire's piece but she did well Miriam Makeba's Pata Pata.
It was amazing that youths who were just kids when Dembo, Chimombe and Munhumumwe hogged the limelight in the music industry sang along the contestants.
Gospel artiste Baba Mechanic Manyeruke was this year conferred with a lifetime achievement award together with Pastor Bonny Deuschle.
Although Manyeruke was referred to as the gospel music pioneer, history does not recognise him as such because there were two musicians -- the late Jordan Chataika and Freedom Sengwayo -- who took up gospel when no other musician or record company was interested.
An inspiring video of Pastor Deuschle and Oliver Mtukudzi's upcoming duet Building People, Building Dreams was screened.
Manyeruke, who gave CBZ a copy of his DVD, said he always sees other people's videos being played in the banking halls. While the whole ceremony was as entertaining as a pleasant dream, one would ask whether the judges' comments were still relevant seeing that every one of them passed positive comments.
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