A song for Thomas Chibade

Just on Tuesday, I saw two disturbing clips doing rounds on social media. In one of the clips, one of the artists who is winning the hearts of many Malawian musicians Zeze Kingston was seen taking two rolled joints of what seemed to be Indian hemp.

It may have been something else, not chamba that the artist who during the week released another hit song, Kusangalala which Malawi music followers have already given rave reviews. The song is destined to take people into happy mode during the festivities. It may not be hemp that Zeze was recorded to be smoking but the impression created is lasting and swaying.

While a lot can be said about the use of chamba is a debatable question, an artist of Zeze’s calibre having such a clip may be miscomprehended by some of his youthful followers, some of whom are little children. His songs are on their lips and his dance moves are being imitated in the ghettos. As the law is only against the possession of hemp, and not the actual use of hemp, one can only hope such stunts from the artist could well be avoided.

The other disturbing clip was musician Joe Gwaladi, who appeared to be heavily drunk quarelling with some motorist. In another clip, still apparently intoxicated, the artist is seen seated on the ground and his wife dousing his head with water to sober him up.

This clip comes after another one taken of the artist coming straight from performances in South Africa apparently tipsy and fondling a woman’s breasts in full public view in a bar. To diffuse the bad publicity that the clip generated, his promoters took another video showing the Ndinafa Bulu maker showing that he was not just squandering his Jo’burg collections as he had bought a motorcycle.

On Wednesday, musician Thomas Chibade alias ‘Che Nkhumba’ died at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe of kidney failure. As the nation was mourning the loss, clips of the artist in drunken states started reappearing from some corners, especially from those, unfortunately, who wanted to show that they were right after all that the artist had lost it all to alcohol.

We can talk about how managers play a good role in making artists’ lives off the stage a true reflection of what they preach to the world. Examples abound even on the international scene how some artists have lost it all due to lifestyles off the stage.

That alcoholic consumption is getting out of hand these days goes without saying. Not only are people resorting to unrecorded or uncertified alcoholic drinks in large numbers these days is evident for all to see. Some are even drinking straight ethanol or brews with anti-retroviral drugs or sisal to make the drinks more potent. With the harsh economy, the existence of ‘kill me quick’ drinks is very evident.

It is a private and personal matter for what may have caused Chibade’s kidney failure. Neither can we play the role of a big judge with a hammer and scales to condemn Chibade as a victim of heavy drinks. No.

But, we can only sing about the talent the musician had. For all I can say, Che Nkhumba will be remembered as one of the great composers Malawi ever had.

Imagine, he made out a love song from the vowels in the Chichewa alphabet in the song Mawu Anga. From a-e-i-o-u, he sung:

A-awa ndiwo mawu anga/E-embekeza ndikuuze/I-iwe ndiye ndakukonda/O-osati sewero/U-umvetse mawu anga, a umvetse lero…

His music touched a chord with Malawians from all walks of life since Ralph Ching’amba produced his first album in 2005 or thereabouts. He sang about everyday struggles of the Malawian. He could sing about the hardships in prison, betrayal in relationships and so many other themes Malawians could relate to.

He featured in several songs with Lucius Banda and one is Kalata Yachitatu. It was released at the height of Bingu wa Mutharika’s rule. His lyrics ring true even in the face of the political imbroglio we have in our hands at the moment.

Ndimadziwa chuma chikuyenda/Ndikayigwira ndalama…./Mukamachita phwando lanu/M’samaike pa radio/Ana akumandifunsa/Tikadye nawo phwandolo…

It was the lyrical content that made many eerie. He could switch from Chichewa to a humorous English translation. Where in the vernacular you have the proverb patse-patse ndi kulanda, he would give you: Give give is take take! No one could laugh at the broken English for that only proved his intelligence to convey a message in whatever way!

For that matter, he dropped out of Standard Six after his mother passed away and life became unbearable for him at his Mayaka home that he had to trek to Chileka in Blantyre to mould bricks. Life was even tougher and he decided to go back home, where he started out as a busker, street music performer. He used to charge K5 for a song or get less.

His fortune turned around when a Mr Chikwatu spotted him and took him to Ching’amba’s Pro Sounds studios in Bangwe to record a single. Seeing the talent in the boy, Ching’amba kept the artist at his home to record his debut album.

The rest is history.  May his soul rest in peace.