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Victor Maphosa Mashonaland East Bureau
SUNGURA maestro and popular musician Tinei Chikupo, who died on September 29, 1992, after a long illness was this weekend honoured after some artistes in partnership with the Government built a mausoleum at his grave in Chikupo village, Murehwa.
Sponsored by Clive Malunga and Jenaguru, the unveiling ceremony saw various artistes and senior Government officials converging on Chikupo Village to pay tribute to one of the gallant artistes, who in his hey days motivated even the liberation fighters with his music.
The ‘‘Sirivhiya’’ hitmaker has been described by those who worked closely with him as one of the artistes who did not find it difficult to shame anyone who was doing wrong in the society, with one of his hits, “Emma” being a testimony of his then character.
On this track, Chikupo was advising his sister named Emma to throw away her bad habits of jumping from one relationship to another.
After his death in 1992, many Zimbabweans would have thought the nation has forgotten about him, but on Saturday, nearly three decades later, Zimbabweans decided to honour him.
Being a fine musician as he was, not only his family missed his ability to touch people’s lives through his music, but the entire nation.
His death at the age of 40 left a void in his family and in the music industry which to date has not been filled.
Speaking on the sidelines of the tombstone unveiling ceremony on Saturday, Chikupo’s elder daughter, Acqueline, said she still misses her dad even to this day.
“I grew up with him and I used to go to watch him perform his live shows, especially during the weekends. He was a crowd puller and many people loved his performances on stage. I enjoyed the performances too,” she said.
“His music impacted positively on many people. However, it is heart-warming to note that Government and his colleagues in the music industry have never forgotten about him. This gesture is commendable and I want to thank everyone who made this day possible and a success.”
Present during the ceremony was Uzumba legislator Simbaneuta Mudarikwa whose love for music has seen him assisting a lot of upcoming artists rise to fame.
He also assisted Chikupo to find his path in the jungles of the music industry.
“Chikupo had the ability to communicate with people. He had the capacity to move his life forward and he was one of the few artistes who would say his mind without fear. In my life, I have done many things, and one of them is promoting musicians,” said Mudarikwa.
“I travelled with Chikupo to his live performances across the country. I can tell you in the whole of Southern Africa by then no one could dance better than him. He was a great dancer.”
Cde Mudarikwa went down memory lane and revealed one of Chikupo’s unsavoury reputation — drug abuse.
“At one point during a live performance, he was so intoxicated to an extent that aka ‘sitika akatadza kuimba.’ This I am saying for the benefit of other artistes here, do not abuse drugs and to parents who are at this function, if you have a child who abuse drugs, please work hard to put an end to that. Let us all work hard to eliminate drug abuse.”
Mudarikwa shared a lighter moment where he took to the stage, sang one of the late Chikupo’s songs, “Sirivhiya” where he danced and left the multitudes in stitches.
Popular musician, drummer and guitarist, Shepherd Chinyani, who had a stint with the late Chikupo, also attended the ceremony where he described Chikupo as a fine musician who was destined for greater heights.
“He was great. Did you know that he was one of the musicians who performed during Zexie Manatsa’s wedding at Rufaro Stadium, leading to the crowd swelling outside during his performance and destroying a fence to get inside?
“We worked together for some time before I left and joined Nicholas Zakaria and the then Vuka Boys,” said Chinyani.
Online Reporter