By Bongani Ndlovu
When the late Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi’s will was read out last week, a lot of people concluded that the superstar disliked his daughters after it emerged that he had left all his movable and immovable property to his spouse, Daisy, leaving them with nothing.
But an interview that was conducted by Mai Chisamba at Pakare Paye Arts Centre for his 60th birthday six years ago made it clear that Tuku likely did not hate his daughters, but was a man who believed in empowering children and not spoon feeding them.
“Children should work for their own money and not expect handouts from their parents. A child should be empowered so that they are successful in life. A child that is given money or a car by their parent . . . you’ll have destroyed their future. They won’t know how difficult it is to save and buy a car,” Tuku, who died at the age of 66 on January 23, told Mai Chisamba in the interview.
“So when you die, who do you think will keep on dishing out things like that to your child? No one. . . A child should be taught how to get these things on their own.”
With these sentiments, it is now apparent why Tuku deliberately left out his four children Samantha, Selmor, Sandra and Sybil from his last will and testament.
The late Tuku said just because he was successful, it did not mean his children could draw on his accomplishments.
In order to be successful in life, Tuku suggested that children listen to their parents for guidance. He also said parents should learn to support their children’s talents.
“There’s no such thing as a talentless child. All children tell their parents that this is who I am and what I am. Unfortunately as parents, we don’t listen to them because we’re older than them and they can’t advise us, we know better.
“When a child wants something to pursue his talent, you have to buy them. If they want a guitar, buy, a tennis racket or a football, just buy. Support them because in all that, a child will be trying to find what he or she is good at.
“They know what they’re good at and you as parents don’t know,” Tuku once said.
Looking at Selmor, Tuku’s advice seems to be working as she has become her own person and is working hard to build a name for herself through her Selmor and Friends concerts which she is staging nationwide.
She has even managed to convince corporates such as Impala Car Rental to support her. The car rental company recently gave her a new Range Rover for use during her tours. The Chronicle
