Mose Fan Fan kin in Nairobi to collect his body
Angelique Bliungwa Nsanga, widow of the late Congolese musician Mose Se Sengo Fan Fan, during an interview at Valley Arcade in Nairobi on May 11, 2019. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Widow Angelique Bliungwa Nsanga and his younger sister Massaka Ma Nzunga Gabrielle will accompany the body back to London.
- Speaking to the Nation on Saturday afternoon, the widow said messages of condolence from Mose Fan Fan's Kenyan fans had been encouraging.
- Hosting his relatives in Nairobi is Tabu Osusa of Ketebel Records, who had been coordinating the “Papa Lolo” Kenya tour before last week’s tragic incident.
Relatives of the Congolese musician Mose Se Sengo Fan Fan, who collapsed and died in Kenya last week, arrived in Nairobi on Saturday morning to collect his body for the burial.
Widow Angelique Bliungwa Nsanga and his younger sister Massaka Ma Nzunga Gabrielle will accompany the body back to London.
Fellow Congolese musician Fiston Lusambo will leave earlier in the week.
SPONSORSHIP
The three said they were grateful to British record label Stern Music for paying for their air tickets to and from Nairobi.
The sponsorship was announced by Mr Robert Urbanus, the spokesperson for the company Mose had been working with.
His widow has been living with him in London while his sister is based in France.
Massaka told the Nation that she is a retired television actress living in Paris.
The 70-year-old was a member of popular Congolese group Maboke, which appeared regularly on Congolese TV between 1968 and 1985.
CONDOLENCES
Speaking to the Nation on Saturday afternoon, the widow said messages of condolence from Mose's Kenyan fans had been encouraging.
“He always told me of how popular his "Papa Lolo" song was in Kenya, Despite coming in sorrow, we are humbled by all the support," she said.
A tentative programme released by the family of the fallen rhumba guitarist says they will meet a doctor at Neema Hospital in Kasarani, where his body is.
A post mortem will be carried out thereafter.
Angelique Bliungwa Nsanga, widow of the late Congolese musician Mose Se Sengo Fan Fan, with her sister-in-law Massaka Ma Nzunga Gabrielle and musician Fiston Lusambo during an interview at Valley Arcade in Nairobi on May 11, 2019. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
HOST
Having lived in the UK since the early 1980s, Mose had acquired British citizenship. It was also in Europe that he recorded "Papa Lolo".
Hosting his relatives in Nairobi is Tabu Osusa of Ketebel Records, who had been coordinating the “Papa Lolo” Kenya tour before last week’s tragic incident.
Mr Osusa was to have accompanied Mose to Arusha for a joint recording session with Dar es Salaam-based Congolese musician Tshimanga Assosa.
The songs were to be included in an album Mose had been working on.
The 75-year- old Mose had also expressed interest in recording and working more with Kenyan musicians and producers.
KENYA AFFECTION
Mose’s affection for Kenya had been buoyed the popularity of the “Papa Lolo" song.
In interviews in the past, he expressed appreciation for the increased popularity of the song that he released way back in 2005.
Like he had pointed out, the song was dedicated to his son,who who died and was buried in his absence in the DR Congo.
A popular line in the song goes “Naleli mama a na leli papa (I am crying for my mama, I am crying for my father), Papa Lolo eeh, babwakiyo wapi ee? (Mr Lolo eeh, where did they dump your body?)
Details of his funeral will be released later in the week.
