My trip to Kinshasa to bury Tabu Ley

“Mokolo nakokufa nani akolela ngai?” (Who will mourn my death when I am gone?).

Millions of people world-wide! That would be the simple answer to Pascal-Emmanuel Sinamoyi Tabu aka Tabu Ley’s rather innocuous question posed to lovers of rumba music more than four decades ago.

I was privileged to bear witness to that answer on December 8 and 9, as I visited Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo to pay homage to this great son of Africa, who passed away on Saturday, November 30 at a ‘tender’ age of 73 years.

News of Tabu Ley’s condition hit me when my good friend Amos Ngaira of Daily Nation called to inform me that Tabu Ley’s illness had got worse and that he had been admitted to St Luc Hospital in Brussels, Belgium.

Radio show

That was around 10am on November 30, a time when I am normally on my way to the studios for my Roga-Roga radio show on Citizen FM.

News of that nature is always fodder for my radio listeners.

That day, however, I had travelled upcountry and was on my way to Nairobi, somewhere between Mulot and Longisa. I requested him to give me updates from Belgium as I continued with my journey.

BAD NEWS

Two hours later, Ngaira called me with the bad news, Tabu Ley was no more. I was devastated.

Immediately I contacted some of my good friends in the music circles. I called Paris, Brussels and Kinshasa, getting contradicting information.

I then called our studios and we, regrettably, went on air with the sad news.

“Kinshasa mboka ya bisengo; Kin kiesse yaya!” That is what the Congolese proudly say in reference to their capital city that is home to over 10 million people.

What it means is that Kinshasa is a city of fun and action.

Like Le Grand Maitre’ Luambo Luanzo Makiadi once said in praise of his Tout Puissant Orchestre Kinshasa Jazz, “en entre OK, en sort KO” (meaning on entry ok, on exiting knock out).

At least that is what Kinshasa has been to me during my less formal visits in the past, a town with friendly people, of not very rich and extremely rich people somehow finding a common bond through music and creating that happy-go-lucky atmosphere about town that is so contagious.

Kinshasa was devoid of that atmosphere on December 7, 2013 when the Kenya Airways flight KQ554 landed on a chilly and wet Saturday morning.

Right from N’Djili Airport, I could see sad security personnel, tour operators, immigration officers and even those idlers (bashege) that normally pretend to be helpful around the airport while all they want is money.

The messages on the television sets inside the airport said it all: “Tabu Ley Rochereau, Monstre sacre’ de la rumba, est mort.”

CONGO MOURNS

Now, my French is terrible but one word that didn’t escape me was “est mort,” meaning is dead.

The airport taxi drivers had their radios blaring Tabu Ley music, Congo was in mourning.

The Kenyan Embassy in Kinshasa was kind enough to send someone to pick me up from N’djili Airport, and as we drove to downtown Kinshasa through Matete, Limite’, Kasavubu, Comun Lingwala all the way to Hotel Sultani in an area called Gombe, the most prominent activity one could see was people putting up banners along the road and on buildings in respect of their departed hero.

At Hotel Sultani, I quickly checked into my room, took a shower and prepared to hit town in order to find out first-hand what was happening.

But first, I enquired from the hotel receptionist if the plane carrying the remains of Tabu Ley had landed from Brussels.

Not yet, I was told, and that the plane would land later that night, but if I needed more information, the place to be was at Palais Du Peuple (Parliament buildings).

That’s where the remains would be headed for overnight vigil and viewing the following day before the funeral service inside the hall within later the following day.

Le Palais du People was a beehive of activity when I arrived.

Outside the hall, an open place the size of Uhuru Park, three huge stages had been set, one for artists sponsored by Primus (a local beer company) and another for those artists sponsored by Skol (another local brewer).

The third stage, a VIP stage, was for non-aligned artists. These three podiums would host performers the whole night.

Some of the major acts scheduled to perform included Papa Wemba, Werrason, JB Mpiana, Fally Ipupa, Ferre Gola and Koffi Olomide’s Quartier Latin.

Much as I needed to see these guys on stage, I knew that my time in Congo was limited and I needed to acquaint myself with what was going on around town to get a bigger picture of common people’s view of Tabu Ley.

Having visited Kinshasa before, I knew that the place to be was the area of Matonge, the ‘Eastlands’ of Kinshasa with a difference.

HEAVEN'S REPRIEVE

There, the government had put up a monument and an open-air entertainment platform where artists performed for free throughout the night, but I retreated to my room to prepare for the following day.

Unlike the previous day’s rains, Sunday December 8 was sunny. The heavens must have lifted the clouds to allow Kinshasa a chance to escort its beloved son.

All media was in overdrive with music, talk shows and news features all centred on Tabu Ley.

The only intruder (sorry to say this) was Nelson Mandela! Even in a fort as guarded as DR Congo during this occasion, good old Tata Madiba did find a way through into newsrooms.

I arrived at Palais du Peuple at 9.30am and found people milling around Seigneur Tabu Ley’s coffin. Most of these were family and government officials, I was told.

As expected, the coffin was draped in DRC colours and under tight security since its arrival from Belgium.

Later, groups of musicians and friends started arriving and signing the visitors book. I also got a chance to pay my last respects and signed the visitors’ book, hopefully representing all rhumba lovers in Kenya.

I took a walk around the music stands at the park. At the Skol stand, word went around that TP Ok Jazz was on stage. I thought it was a joke until the emcee introduced a tall young man as Luambo Makiadi’s son, Emonge.

He told me TP OK Jazz was still alive and, as if to reiterate, he introduced me to a fellow band member. “That’s the late Djo Mpoy’s son”.

Djo Mpoy was a vocalist in the legendary TP OK Jazz.

After some heavy rumba stuff by TP OK, it was the turn of Victoria Eleison under the tutelage of Emeneya. I strayed to the Primus stand where an electrifying group of young artists were toying with the crowd.

DYNASTY LIVES ON

I was informed it belonged to Felix Wazekwa. At the final podium, where neutral musicians were performing, I heard a song by Tabu Ley playing.

Last respect

On stage were some of the good old Afrisa International musicians including Maika Munain, who sang with Tabu Ley, backing the fallen musician’s own son Pegguy Tabu. Pegguy’s voice is not just as good as his father’s, but better.

The young man belted out almost all of Tabu Ley’s top songs, from Congo, Cherie, Samba, Mokolo nakokufa to Maze I love you….baby touch me.

I had had enough for the day, I needed to rest ahead of the burial ceremony the following day.

After all, none other than President Kabila himself was scheduled to lay a wreath on Tabu Ley’s coffin at 10am the following day, and I needed to witness that.

Judging from what I saw at the funeral in Kinshasa, Tabu Ley could have sired close to 100 children.

I also learnt so much about patriotism and giving respect where it is due .

Also, the Tabu Ley dynasty lives on as more than 10 of his children are musicians.

Among them are Melodie (daughter of Mbilia Bel) and Yousoupha (son of a Senegalese mother).

Tabu Ley’s burial date on Monday was a national holiday in Congo DR.

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ACTIVE VETERANS

Older generation musicians’ numbers dwindling

The death of Tabu Ley has further depleted the class of older generation Congolese music legends. Kinshasa-based veteran Lutumba Simaro Masiya, the long serving vice-president of Franco’s TP Ok Jazz band and now heading Bana OK band, Angola-based Sam Mangwana, Kiamuangana Mateta ‘Verckys’, Josky Kiambukuta, Syran Mbenza and Michel Boyibanda are among the veterans of the second generation still around.

Second and third generation singers still active include Papa Wemba, Nyoka Longo of Zaiko Langa Langa, Koffi Olomide, Evoloko Jocker, Nyboma Mwandido, Lokassa ya Mbongo, Bopol Mansiamina, Nedule Papa Noel, Dizzy Mandjeku, Malage Lugendo, Syran Mbenza and Michelino Mavatiku.

King Kester Emenya formerly of Viva La Musica and later Victoria Eleison Josky Kiambukuta and Prince Youlou Mabiala have been off stage for health reasons.
— Amos Ngaira