Musician Nguza ‘Babu Seya’ savours freedom

The release last Saturday of jailed Tanzania-based Congolese musician Nguza Viking “Babu  Seya”,  also known as the Big Sound, following a presidential pardon is one of the most dramatic events during President John Pombe Magufuli’s tenure.

The news was received with a lot of excitement, not only among the larger Tanzanian music fraternity, but also the thousands of fans who thronged the streets near the prison in Dar es Salaam to welcome Nguza back to freedom.

During the Tanzanian Independence Day celebrations held last Saturday, President Magufuli set free several prisoners and Nguza and his equally talented son, Papii Kochaa, were among the beneficiaries.

Nguza and his three sons were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2004 over allegations of defiling children. 

It was during the tenure of President Jakaya Kikwete and they were generally considered to have been victims of trumped-up charges to fix the mercurial singer, guitarist and composer, who made his name in Dar es Salaam as a member of the legendary Congolese band, Marquis du Zaire, in the 1980s.

CHILD RAPE

Speculation was rife that there was more to the child rape allegations than met the eye, with talk about rivalry over lovers with some prominent people.

The hit song, Seya, which features Nguza, and Papii Kocha, in a fascinating duet, extols the cooperation between the man and his son in entertaining their legion of fans.

Two of his sons were acquitted, but Nguza and Papi were convicted. The two lost an appeal to have their life sentence  lifted in 2008.

The prosecution  had called 24 witnesses to prove the offences reportedly committed between April and October 2003. Nguza and his sons  called eight witnesses in their attempt to prove their innocence. Principal resident magistrate Addy Lyamuya (now retired) committed Babu Seya and his three sons to life imprisonment on June 25, 2004.

The ruling was devastating for the fans of the popular guitarist and composer.

ENTERTAIN

During their jail time, Nguza occasionally got to entertain the public with fellow inmates as members of the prison band.

Speaking to the Saturday Nation earlier his week, former associate and fellow Congolese Tshimanga Assosa, lauded his compatriot’s release, saying they were looking forward to his return to the music scene.

“ We look forward to teaming up with Nguza again for live performances in the near future after he recovers from effects of the many years of confinement,” Assosa said.

Nguza and Assosa were members of Maquis Du Zaire band, which later had offshoots like Maquis Original and Bana Maquis, which the latter now  leads.

Assosa is  also a former member the legendary Kinshasa-based Orch Les Kamale  band, where he composed the Masua hit song. He relocated to Dar es Salaam in the early 1980s forming the Orch Fuka Fuka band.

SOLO GUITAR

Assosa recalled  how Nguza was a master in playing the solo guitar on some of the popular songs by Maquis Du Zaire such as the hugely popular Karubandika (composed by Kasolo Kyanga), and  Mpenzi Lutta. Nguza, who was among the  few  Congolese solo guitarists reputed for playing the style of the legendary Franco Luambo Makiadi also composed  his own songs like Sophia and Ni Wewe Pekee.

The Maquis Du Zaire (later changed to Maquis Original)  is regarded as one of the oldest Congolese   bands  based in Tanzania. It featured other leading musicians like guitarists Dekula Vumbi, and Illunga Banza Mchafu, and singers Kasongo Mpinda, Tshimanga Assosa, Kasolo Kyanga and Adaux.

POPULARITY

The group was rivalled in popularity by the OSS (Orchestre Safari Sound), some of whose members often shifted  camps like  baritone-voiced veteran singer King Kiki.

OSS also featured legendary guitarist  Ndala Kasheba of the Dezo Dezo hit song fame (later redone by Tshala Muana).

From Maquis Nguza moved also to OSS. He later he teamed up with others to form Orch Sambula, which was also based in Dar. His last group until his arrest and conviction was The Achigo band.