Subject: TABU LEY - THE LAST OF AFRICA'S GREAT MUSICIANS
Content: Tabu Ley, the Democratic Republic of Cong musician is ailing. Tabu Ley has been ailing for some time and has been receiving treatment in Belgium. But he has since requested his family to send him back to Kinshasa. He is on wheel chair and reports from Kinshasa indicate he is finding difficulty even in talking now. Tabu Ley is not just another musician. Tabu Ley has been on the music scene for more than 40 years, He has trained, nurtured and brought up many Congoles musicians. Together with great rival Lwambo Lwanzo Makiadi, Tabu Ley has ruled African airwaves for many years. But while many Congolese musicians became propaganda tools for Mobutu Sese Seko, Tabu Ley refused to be used as a political tool. As a result, he disagreed with Mobutu and was forced into exile. Thus Tabu Ley joined the elite group of African musicians, together with Fela Kuti of Nigeria and Miriam Makeba of South Africa, and even Bob Marley of Jamaica, as the voice of the opprressed. We can only hope that Tabu Ley gets well. Africa no longer has musicians of his type. While his music, and that of his comtemporaries will be with us for a long time, the current brand of music will fail the passage of time. Let us all pray for Tabu Ley
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