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Ambassador R Masakui’s address as Guest Speaker at the event to celebrate Oliver Mtukudzi on 21st September 2019

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa
Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa
Amai Daisy Mtukudzi and family
Distinguished Artists
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is, indeed, a great pleasure for me to be invited to this special occasion of celebrating the life of Dr. Oliver Mtukudzi, an extraordinary man, an icon and a National Hero. I am humbled and feel deeply honored.

On the day I saw the invite letter, I was incredibly surprised and wondered why me to speak at such an important event. When Mrs. Daisy Mtukudzi and her daughter Ms. Shami Mtukudzi visited me in my office to extend the invite personally, the first question I asked them was what made you to decide that I should speak on this very special occasion. Their response made me feel so humbled even as i revere more this great man.

Embassy of India runs a festival called ‘India in the Sunshine City’. In 2017 i.e our second edition, we had the honour of having Dr. Oliver Mtukudzi sharing stage with Dr. L. Subramanian, a maestro from India.  I still remember vividly, these two legendary figures meeting for the first time, no rehearsal, not even a brief discussion on whats and hows of performing together. They played their own music but harmoniously together. The languages of iconic music naturally blended and melodious music exuded that thrilled the audience. After their joint performance that night, Dr. Mtukudzi took complete control of the stage, forgot the cold and chilly weather, forgot the time, forgot even his age, I think, and rocked till way pass midnight.

I am told that Dr. Mtukudzi cherished this memory. And I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the family of Dr. Mtukudzi for remembering and honoring his moment with Dr. L. Subramanian on that day.

The first thing I did was to contact Dr. L. Subramanian and conveyed this message to him. He wrote back, and I quote,

It was a great pleasure to have performed and collaborated with Oliver Tuku during the ‘India in the Sunshine City Festival’, Harare in 2017. A great cultural exchange created by the Embassy of India and Teamwork Arts. 

He was a wonderful musician and continues to be, in the better place he is now. He was very creative as well as expressive in terms of his performance. Overall, a great entertainer who truly enjoyed each moment of music on stage. We collaborated on my composition - Ganga together at the festival and it was a great experience to have his energy and creativity added to the music. I wish his family all the best wishes and a happy birthday to him (in heaven) as he will continue to live with us through his music and spirit”. 

- Dr. L. Subramaniam

Spanning his performing arts career in film, theatre but remaining focused on his most passionate area over several decades, his classic and timeless music, comprising 66 albums epitomize not only the identity, culture and values of Zimbabwe but transcend geographic boundaries, nationalities, age and social classes.

His music touches various themes, including love, peace,unity, social issues, injustice, discrimination, patriotism etc. At the background of ZBC News Broadcasting during the Funeral Service of H.E Robert Mugabe, the Former President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and on the other official occasion of the country like celebration of Heroes’ Day, are the husky voice and soothing music of one Tall, Dark, Graceful and Handsome, Dr. Oliver Mtukudzi.

Nothing frustrates like Frustration in failed courtship. But ancient wisdom says and it still holds good even today that music and only the power of music can sooth during this heartbreaking moments. Thus the song “if music be the food of love, plays on”. The number is directly taken from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.1602. Duke Orsino had a frustrating courtship of Countess Olivia. And I quote,

If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! it had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour!

And I have no doubt that Tuku music have soothed, healed and uplifted many weary souls, broken hearts and depressed emotions. Dr. Tuku’s signature style of performance speaks of several reflections. Dr. Tuku was always on the move but did not move alone. He moved with his team, draw inspiration from people and surrounding and inspiring them with his music. And lastly, his movement is not linear. It is rather circular, reminding of and eternalizing his principles reflected in the 66 albums of his composition. Here is a small composition of free verse.

Ode to Tuku

You are always on the move,
Touching milestones roof,
You are a movement to prove;
For the principles you stood.

Draweth inspiration from people,
Rekindle to them spirit ember;
A trail of humanity to embrace,
You are to them, they are to you.

Moving in an eternal circle,
Not a work for parable,
But for a cause ever miracle,
Your work, your name we remember.

By. Masakui Rungsung

When I think of Dr. Oliver Mtukudzi’s passionate association with music,
I am reminded of a poem which I learnt in my High School titled, ‘Ode to
the West Wind’ by P. B. Shelly. In the invocation which oddly comes in
the last stanza, he said

Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is:
Be thou, my spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one!

For Oliver Mtukudzi, he and Music are synonymous. When performing on
the stage,  one saw him completely merged with music. The music, the
Spirit of music, the musician are in an ecstatic unity. Music for Mtukudzi
is not a wish for invocation but rather a claim; He would have probably
said thus several time while on stage;

Oh music, thou art my spirit!
Thou art me, eternal one!

By the way, there will be lots of music in Heaven. And if Oliver is music,
What an assurance to the family. When I was in High school, my English
Teacher was very fond of explaining to us what it meant by the idiom
‘King is dead, Long live the King’. Let me conclude by saying; Dr. Mtukudzi
is dead, long live Tuku music!

 
 
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