
Ngu Idoko Salihu
Uhlonitshwa njenge “Nkosazana yaseAfrika” yiTime Magazine uAngelique Kidjo othetha igxathu ukubeka umculo waseAfrika ewubeka kwiqonga lehlabathi jikelele.
Le mvumi yaseBenin, ephumelele iimbasa eziliqela yakhuthuzwa ngamagqala omculo afana noFela Anikulapo Kuti waseNigeria, imvumi yoMzantsi Afrika uMariam Makeba, kunye neemvumi zaseMelika uJames Brown, no Stevie Wonder, phakathi kwezinye.
Ukwabonakalise umdla wokusebenzisana nemvumi ezisencinci. Intsebenziswano yakhe nemvumi ezifana noBurna Boy, uYemi Alade, uShungudzo kunye noMr Eazi, phakathi kwemvumi asebenzisene nazo bubungqina bokuba ufuna uqhubele phambile umculo waseAfrika.
Le mvumi ineminyaka engamashumi amathandathu anesithathu icula kwaye uthetha iilwimi ezohlukeneyo eziquka iFon, iFrench, iYorùbá kunye nesiNgesi ngokupheleleyo.
Waqala ukudlala kumdlalo weqonga neqela lika mama wakhe eneminyaka emithandathu kuphela. Kuyoyonke leminyaka isakhono sakhe somculo nomdlalo weqonga, unesisekelo esinengcambu zomculo nomdamniso wesintu saseAfrika.
Wakhula ngexesha apho kwakungekho makhasi ezonxibelelwano, ekuyiyona nto yamenza wahlala enyanisekile kubuntu bakhe bemveli.
Wathi xa efumana ukugxekwa ngendlela enza ngayo umculo kusithiwa kufuneka wamkeleke kwihlabathi liphela, uKidjo waphendula ngelithi: “Bangobani ukuba bandixelele ngomculo waseAfrika olungileyo nongenguwo? Babekhulele eBenin, bawuva umculo endawuvayo? Akunjalo? Ngako ke mabavale imilomo!”
Ngonyaka ka1983, walishiya elaseBenin waya eParis ebaleka ukucinezelwa komculo wakhe ngurhulumente weloxesha.
UKidjo wakwazi ukumelana nokubhaca ngenxa yezopolitiko, ukuxhatshazwa kunye nokucalucalulwa, kwaye oku kwamnceda wakhula ekwazi ukumela nemeko ezinzima.
Ukwabonisa isintu sakhe nangempahla ayinxibayo. Waziwa ngokunxiba ilaphu leAnkara phantse kuzozonke iindawo azihambelayo njengemvumi.
Ulutsha lwangoku, ingakumbi imvumi ezingamanina zingafunda nto, nokuba zimbini kwinina elakwazi ukuqondisisa ubulona liseneminyaka emincinci, kwaye lakwazi ukuphikisana nemeko zempatho embi. Oko ehleli ebambelele kwimvelaphi yakhe, kwaye kumashumi eminyaka kamva useyimvumi evunyiweyo.
UKidjo udlale indima enkulu kakhulu kwimvumi zelizwekazi iAfrika ezifana noYemi Alade waseNigeria nocula umculo iAfropop, osebenzisa ubugcisa obufana ncakasana nobakhe.
Kulungile ukubeka isitshaba apho sifaneleke khona, ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo sizakuqhubeka simbona uKidjo njengoyena mntu ufanelekileyo ukubizwa ngoMama Afrika.
Umfanekiso ongasentla: Igqala uAngelique Kidjo
Imvelaphi yomfanekiso: @Wabe