Tuku’s eventful Chinese sojourn

By Lovemore Chikova

Legendary musician Oliver Mtukudzi and his band The Black Spirits arrived in Beijing on Thursday for a two-day event that will see him perform before a cosmopolitan audience today.

Mtukudzi was accompanied by his wife Daisy and they took time to share some lighter moments with the welcoming party soon after their arrival.

There was a dinner yesterday where ticket holders for today’s show had an opportunity to mix and mingle with Mtukudzi and his band members.

Some Chinese nationals did renditions of Mtukudzi’s popular songs during the dinner.

The musician also visited the Zimbabwean embassy in China with his wife and manager Sam Mataure and they met ambassador Paul Chikawa and his staff.

The musician said he was glad to travel for a show at an event that seeks to paint the true picture of Africa to the world, adding he was impressed by the reception he got when he arrived in China.

Mtukudzi and his band members touched down at around mid-day on Thursday on their way from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Appreciate Africa Network director Samantha Sibanda invited Mtukudzi to perform as part of celebrations for her organisation’s third anniversary.

Sibanda is a Zimbabwean who has settled in China and she founded Appreciate Africa Network to market the continent’s culture and true picture in China and other parts of the world.

Sibanda, together with some fans of Mtukudzi, welcomed the band at Beijing Capital International Airport.

Mtukudzi’s show has attracted the attention of several people in China, including diplomats from various countries and Chinese nationals. He is expected to play before a full house at A.C. Embassy Hotel in central Beijing.

“Appreciate Africa Network is proud to bring the legend for his first time tour in China and what a way for us to celebrate our third anniversary,” Sibanda wrote on her Facebook page.

“Saturday night will be the Gala Night and Tuku and band will be on stage.”

A WeChat group created to market the event has been attracting attention from various people in Chinese cities.

When Sibanda announced on the group that Mtukudzi was now in town, many people started posting celebratory messages to welcome him.

“Kurarama huite madiro, madiro,” posted Patience, taking the words from Mtukudzi’s hit song “Mutserendende”, while Flossy-Chatty wrote: “pakati Tuku pakaoma hama wee”.

Lister wrote that she was already shedding tears of joy and Pam said: “mudhara vauya . . . nice!”

Mtukudzi is expected to play hit songs from his previous albums, but will also take the advantage to market some numbers from his latest album “Eheka! Nhai Yahwe,” that was released this year. The Herald