Daily Independent (Lagos)
Emma Maduabuchi
11 November 2008
Less than a week after the passage of Orlando Owo and few days to the burial of Chief Sunday Oliver Akanite, a.k.a Oliver de Coque, the cruel hand of death has again struck on the music industry, snatching this time around, Geraldo Pino and Miriam Makeba, legendary South African singer.
Makeba, popularly known as Mama Africa, due largely to her Africa-centred activism, died of heart attack in Caserta, a southern city of Italy. She was aged 76. She died after a concert staged in honour of Roberto Saviano, a writer whose expose on Comorra Mafia through his best-seller book,"Gomorrah", has exposed his life to death threats.
The consistent fighter she was, Makeba could not stay away from the concert, which was meant to drum support to the writer. She was reported as the last on stage, performing and drawing applause from a crowd of not less than 1,000, when she suddenly collapsed. Members of the audience, oblivious of what was happening were still in frezy requesting for an encore while the organizers were frantically asking for a doctor in the house.
Geraldo Pino, he died at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital at about 3 pm on Sunday. Daily Independent gathered from his protÈgÈ, Etienne T. Boy, that he was being treated for a mere pain on the foot when he finally gave up the ghost.
The musician, who was known for his James Brown acts on stage, was a Sierra Leonean and had "Give Me Ganja, and Make Me Feel Good" as his greatest hit songs.
Lamenting the death, Etienne described Pino as not just a mentor but also a father.
Bola Rosiji, founder and leader of Gauaranga Foundation, saw Pino as one who was a phenomenon in the genre of James Brown, the renowned America soul music icon. "Just by seeing him, you know his trade, always glittering, shinning and energetic, even in his old age"
Rosiji sounding philosophical, counselled that the wise would not mourn the passing away of a great man, but to continue to aspire for greatness, "especially when they understand that the soul lives on", adding "all we can do for him is to continue to pray and to support the young ones, that he left behind".
Gideon Nwomu, a celebrated music promoter also lamented Pino's death, describing it as a painful loss, stressing that a bundle of experience had been lost. He lamented the passing away of many other experienced musicians, in the nation and in Africa, whose experience could have helped in moving the entertainment industry to the next level.
He explained that the latest deaths should teach Nigerians the lesson that they should do their best at all times to provide for their families, not knowing when death knocks at the door.
His words: "I am saddened by the death, not only of Geraldo Pino, but also of the death of other experienced musicians like Olando Owo, Oliver de Coque, Miriam Makeba who have just passed on. I will ask Nigerian musicians, and indeed all Nigerians, to learn a lesson from these deaths, that life is so unpredictable. They therefore always think of and prepare for their families, so that they do not leave them in penury when they pass on."
The death of the two celebrated African musicians of international repute darkened the mood of Nigerian music lovers who heard the news over the weekend.
Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid crusader, and first black South African President, led the way of those who paid tribute to Makeba when he said: "She was South Africa's first lady of song and so richly deserved the title of 'Mama Africa' .She was a mother to our struggle and to the young nation of ours."
South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma described her as a woman who died doing what she knew best, which is communicating a positive message through the art of singing. He went on to call her "one of the greatest songstresses of our time."
Until her death, Makeba had performed in Nigeria on many high profile events. She was very outstanding in 1977, when she performed at the World Black Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC). In 1991, she was also in the country at the Nigerian Music Award. Then in 1991, she performed alongside such internationally recognized groups like Cool and the Gang, and Shabba Ranks, at the Children of Africa concert. She was also in the country two years ago at the African Movie Awards, AMA which held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
In her biography, she said of herself, "I kept the music of my roots...Through my music I became this voice and image of Africa, and the people, without even realising."
The grandmother and anti-apartheid crusader, who was the first African to win a United States of America (USA) Grammy award, had, in her long musical career, performed before several distinguished audiences outside Africa. In the 60s, she had performed before the queen of England,
Makeba, who was born in Johannesburg, March 4, 1932, was a daughter of a Swazi mother and Xhosa father, and rose to become the song empress of Africa. She started her professional career in early 1950s, singing with a group called The Manhattan Brothers. It was with this group she toured the USA in 1959. Her career at home took off in earnest when she appeared in a musical version of the film "King Kong" same year. She also made a brief appearance in an early anti-apartheid film "Come Back, Africa" and this earned her an invitation to pick up an award at the Venice film festival, and incidentally, it was this film also that cost her citizenship. Mam Africa was among the top acts that performed alongside Paul Simon in the largely successful Grace Land concert of 1987.
Her biggest hit came in 1967 with "Pata Pata", which is her native tongue, Xhosa for "Touch Touch", in which she described a township dance. Notwithstanding, she was said to have unwittingly signed away all royalties on the song.
She was also reported to be in constant short of money and could not afford to buy a coffin when her only daughter, Bondi, died at the age of 36 in 1985. She buried her alone, barring journalists from covering the funeral.
In her biography, she was reported to have battled cervical cancer and a string of unhappy relationships. She was reported to have had five failed marriages. She denied rumours that she was an alcoholic.
While Mandela was in prison, she stoked the battle against apartheid with her music. Her citizenship was revoked in 1960, after she participated in the television documentary, denouncing apartheid. She was thus denied entry into her country to be at her mother's funeral.
She spent more than 31 years in exile, living from the United States of America, to Europe and Guinea.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Daily Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
