The International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, joins
the African and global music community to mourn the death of African music
legend Dr. Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi, who died on Wednesday, January 23,
2018, aged 66 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The celebrated singer, songwriter and guitarist immensely impacted the
world with a legacy of great music spanning four decades and 67 music
albums. Regarded as a cultural icon who used his work to promote African
arts and culture in Africa and in the Diaspora, Dr. Mtukudzi’s Afro-jazz
compositions touched on socio-cultural issues.
In 2017, Dr. Mtukudzi was the recipient of the AFRIMA Legend Award, a
category of the All Africa Music Awards that recognises the influence and
excellence of the continent’s music legends who contribute to the growth
of African music and culture and use their craft to bring global renown to
the continent. Tuku was present on the live stage of the 2017 AFRIMA Main
Awards held on Sunday, November 10 at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko
Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. Besides receiving his
23.7 carat gold plated trophy for his recognition as an African music
legend, Dr. Mtukudzi also performed his hit 1995 single, “Hear Me Lord” on
the live stage of AFRIMA 2017.
In a condolence letter addressed to the Government and people of Zimbabwe
through the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality, Zimbabwe, the President &
Executive Producer of All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, Mike Dada described
Mtukudzi’s passing as a huge loss to the music world, “His passing is a
huge loss to the world of music and has left a vacuum. However, his
standard of greatness and talent is one that we will hold in our hearts
forever. Tuku led a life of virtue, using his music to show his concern
for humanity. He was a preacher and a freedom-fighter, his music
represented freedom and hope for us all. We will never forget his
struggles which served as an inspiration to the arts, music and culture
community in Africa and in the diaspora”.
AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union, is a music property that
recognizes and rewards the work and talent of myriad of African artists
from the old to the new generation of musicians. AFRIMA also stimulates
conversations among Africans and between Africa and the rest of the world
about the potential of the creative arts for real humanizing enterprise on
the continent contributing significantly to social cohesion, national,
regional and continental integration as well as sustainable development in
Africa.