Wednesday, 30 October 2024

MELODIOUS JOURNEY OF REMMY ONGALA THE EAST AFRICAN SIMARO LUTUMBA

Remi whose official name is Ramadhani Ongala, was born in Kindu, the DRC, in 1947, near the boundary of DRC and Tanzania. He was quoted saying he was born with teeth, which made his parents view him as unique and possibly an indication of a great future.

His two elder siblings had died at infancy, and this made the mother visit a medicine man who advised the mother that for her third born to survive, she shouldn't shave his/her hair at any point. Remi grew into adulthood with the hair, forming trademark dreadlocks.

It is on record that he shaved the hair later in life when he "got saved" and converted to Christianity, later in his life while living in Tanzania. Remi's parents died at childhood forcing young Remi to fit into their father's shoes, as a firstborn child to fend for the siblings.

His father who died in 1953, while he was six, had introduced him to music, and at the tender age of 13, Remi was an extremely good drummer and guitarist.

He played with several bands in DRC, Kisangani to be precise, before crossing over to Tanzania in 1978, on invitation from his uncle, Kitenzogu Makassy, popularly known as Mzee Makassy of Orchestre Makassy which was then a well-established band in Tanzania.

Remi performed with the band for three years, but when Mzee Makassy shifted his band's base to Nairobi, Remi declined to tag along and remained in Tanzania. He joined a little-known band called Matimila, named after some village in Tanzania.

Remi rebranded the band to Super Matimila and achieved great success with the outfit which was among Tanzania's finest for two decades. All his songs were hits.He styled himself as a 'Mnyonge' a weak person, of little means. In a documentary, he is heard telling a hawker to consider reducing the price of the shirt he intended to buy, because "Mimi ni mnyonge" he is a man of modest means.

Politics was dear to Remi's heart, as well. In the same documentary, the fearless Remi converted some concerts into a political rally, and as instrumentalists play on, he changes the song lyrics to preach politics, condemning the country's (Tanzanian) leadership for squandering Nyerere's dream and mismanaging the country.

His fame outgrew the continental boundaries and in the late 80s, he toured in Europe and also had a recording deal, where he even recorded some English songs.

In his hit song 'Kifo', Remi had requested death to be courteous enough to inform him in advance, of its intentions of visiting him. He said, he would die comfortably and would even walk himself to hospital when the moment comes, only if death gave him an opportunity to.

On the night of December 13, 2010 death arrived for Remi, while in his home. Kenya's Swahili publication, Taifa Leo ran a headline "Kifo chakosa kumhurumia Remi" in response to Remi's appeal that death should be a little lenient to him, in his song 'Kifo'The uniqueness of his music wasn't limited to the poetic lyrics. He adopted Franco's four guitar style that featured two solos, a rhythmst and a bassist. This guitar style was brought to East Africa by the late Mose Fanfan, whom they had played together in Orchestre Makassy.

The OKJ touch was further cemented in his style by Adamo Kadimoke Seye, an ex-OKJ trumpeter, who found his way in Tanzania playing for Orchestre Makassy, as well.

Unlike other Congolese musicians whose Swahili remains sketchy even after living in East Africa for a long, Remi was very fluent and his mastery of the language gave his poems a flawless lusture.

His slow tempo style provides the listener with ample time to sample the lyrics. Before his death, he converted to Christianity, which saw him shift from secular to gospel and even recorded a few songs.

Among my friends are Douglas Paterson the man who has really helped East African music penetrate the world and Pauly Becquart who can give a more detailed and more accurate account of Dr Remi.

Undoubtedly, Remi was a smaller Simaro. Having declared Simaro Shakespeare of African music, I also seek to be alone to declare Remi the Shakespeare of East African music.

By Jarome Ogola

Stream live on www.jabulaniradio.com 

#homeofafricantunes

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