Davido’s gain, locals’ loss
Good people, let’s talk about music. Good music. Not Malawian music. Good music.
It appears sounds from abroad—especially Nigerian Afro-pop—has captured the airwaves for real. There are Nigeria tunes in the kitchen and in the bathroom, in the toilet and in the dining room, in the corridor and in the bedroom, in the church and in the club, in the streets and in the boardroom and in the guard room, in our ears and in our hearts. All over the place. Even in the State House. The musical coup de tat has reached a new crescendo since first lady Gertrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi (Beam) announced its flirtations with Davido as its international ambassador.
So, the State House occupants are not yet deadened by the sirens and flashlights that mark their high-speed convoys. So they still have some place, time and respect for art, particularly music.
It must be love of art. This looked like it when President Peter Mutharika feted US popster Madonna and named the Material Girl an ambassador of the orphaned and vulnerable Malawian child.
It was replayed last year when the then State House tenant Joyce Banda invited P-Square in the name Africa Movie Academy (AMA) nominations.
International business needs international minds. This is the falsetto justifying why the first couple is putting a purely Malawian’s agenda in borrowed hands.
It’s not a shame. It’s damning.
Where will the likes of Airtel ambassador Piksy, Acess’ Maskal, TNM’s unknown, MTL anonymous face get the international exposure if eye-opening keep going to ‘gentiles’ first and jews later?
Wouldn’t it be more honourable and believable if State House gave our own living legends, the Lucius and Paul Bandas, the impetus to go around the world telling Malawian tales to talk international audiences and partners?
Wouldn’t they acquire the needed experience for greater things to come?
The questions are as endless as the tears that go down seeing Lucius face on a poster for liquor sachets often blamed for endangering lives of poor Malawians, especially under-18s.
