MINISTRY OF YOUTH, SPORT, ARTS AND RECREATION
24 JANUARY 2019PRESS RELEASE BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF YOUTH, SPORT, ARTS AND RECREATION ON THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF DR. OLIVER DAIRAI MTUKUDZI
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Ministry of Youth. Sport, Arts and Recreation received with shock and sadness the passing on of a Zimbabwean music icon, a cultural ambassador par excellence, a mentor, a unifier, a social commentator and indeed an exemplary family man, Dr Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi. It is beyond doubt that the void he has left in the cultural and creative industries arena nationally and internationally will be difficult to fill.
The Ministry and its stakeholders in the cultural and creative industries have set in motion the process for the conferment of National Hero status on Dr Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. The request is premised on the tremendous work that Dr Mtukudzi accomplished over a long period of time in the arts sector, particularly music. Far and wide, his ‘Katakwe’ music positively impacted on the entire world.
In recognition of his heroic works in the development of Zimbabwean music in general, the Ministry put up an organising committee comprising of Ministry Officials, members of the Mtukudzi family, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe. National Gallery of Zimbabwe, arts industry practitioners, music promoters and artists is being set up to spearhead all logistical arrangements for a Tuku Memorial Concert.Ministry is organising a memorial music concert to celebrate the life of a legend and his achievements in music as well as bidding him an appropriate send off. In that vein, corporates who benefitted immensely from Dr Mtukudzi’s works through advertisements, promotion and marketing activities, among other commissioned works, are encouraged to come on board in making arrangements for the concert and his burial.
As of tomorrow Friday, the 26th of January, 2019, an appeal is being made to the womenfolk, who constitute a sizeable percentage of Tuku’s fan base to put on black attire including headdress in what is being dubbed “TUKU DHUKU”. Males are being encouraged to put on African shirts and head-dress, and should they choose formal attire it should be without a necktie.
Transport to ferry artists to Tuku’s homestead has been organised.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation has been humbled by the numerous efforts being carried out by various groups and individuals in celebrating the life and accomplishments of this larger than life and humble legend, Dr Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi.May His Dear Soul Rest In Eternal Peace.
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He is a great music icon ,its sad to see him go even if one didnt understand the meaning of the songs his music resonated in peoples hearts still does
Really missing him.
Thank you he deserves it
A hero he is.Let not Zanu pf change this into a rally pliz
let me be a makwiramiti here.Tuku messed up when he caused a woman who was supposedly his child to sleep for days without food outside his gate!that woman only came to tell her ‘dad’ she was getting married and ask Tuku to receive the dowry.she wasn’t there for a handout!. she probably knew he wouldn’t give it. His song “hazvirevi rudo handina says it all! In that song,He was giving a very weak explanation to a child he neglected but found out later that fortune had smiled upon “mwanangu” He was given a dictorate. an ambsador, for singing neglect? and actual neglect to his supposedly woman child? His doctorate should have been revoked! Now he is a hero? one who neglects his kidz ?hero what does it teach the others ?that it is o.k. you still receive your reward regardless? anyway like givers like reciever! IKnow people are going to say undesirable words to me but I stand for the neglected! I was neglected by a poor father. my son.by a billionaire father.!one of those conferring hero status to this neglector. bear with me please. and bear with millions of neglected kids;some of whose fathers are billionaires! He undoubtedly had many good songs and tunes. His action towards his “2 children” should have put a question mark on the authorities.anyway,like I said before ,like conference like r eciever!
No one is perfect even you so let’s embrace the good he did
May your dear soul rest in peace Baba Mtukudzi. We will miss you a lot, thank you for music you left us will, you are our true Hero and will not forget you.