Lala ngoxolo Bra Hugh Masekela!

Igqala lemvumi yomngqungqo, uHugh Ramopolo Masekela ulishiyile eli limagad’ ahlabayo ngoLwesibini wale veki. UHugh, obesaziwa ngelika Bra Hugh, wazalwa ngomhla wesine kuTshazimpuzi ngo-1939, ezalelwa kwilokishi yakwaGuqa, eMalahleni, eMpumalanga. Uthe xa eneminyaka elishumi elinesine wabonisa isakhono somculo, isakhono eso esithe sakhula nangakumbi emva kokubukela umboniso-bhanyabhanya othi: “Young man with a horn”, apho umdlali weqonga waseMelika okwanguye nomculi womngqungqo wayedlala ixilonga, nto leyo yathi yatsala umdla kaHugh owayeqala kananjalo udlala ixilongo.

 Ubesaziwa nje ngomqambi nombhali womculo ochukumisa intliziyo zabantu kuba ebebhala ngemiba ibijongene nelizwe; imiba efana neemilo, ingcinezelo nobuhlungu ilizwe ebelijongene nayo ngakumbi iminyaka yoo-1950 eyamenza wanomdla wokubhala umculo wakhe ethetha ngepolitiki emculweni wakhe ekwaveza iinzingo nentlungu esiziphathelwa yingcinezelo nobukhoboka umntu omnyama ebesithi azibhaqe ekubo ngenxa kaRhulumente wengcinezelo. Kwiingoma zakhe athe waduma ngazo kukho phakathi kwazo ezi: uSoweto Blues, Bring him Back, Grazing in the grass home njalo njalo.. Ngonyaka ka-1964 wazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato nemvumi engasekhoyo uMiriam Makeba, umtshato lowo abathi bawuqhawula ngo-1968. Kulo nyaka uphelileyo, uye waphuma engena esibhedlele ngenxa yokusokoliswa sisifo somhlaza ebudodeni (Prostate Cancer) esamqala ngo-2008. Eli gqala lomculo liswelekele ekhayeni lalo eRhawutini ngoLwesibini.  Abamaziyo kwikhaya lakhe eKilarney bamchaze nje ngomntu obesoloko enoncumo, ethanda ukuqhula futhi ebesoloko ebonakalisa ukuzithemba kuyo yonke into ayenzayo.

Itshomi yakhe emculweni, uYvonne Chaka Chaka uthethe wenjenje ngoBra Hugh: “Ndive ingathi ubomi bam nelizwe lam zifikelela esphelweni xa ndisiva ukuba uHugh masekela akasekho. UChaka Chaka ukwamchaze nje ngomntu obeliqhula nobethanda ukuhlekisa apho akhoyo. Ukwathe ebekuthanda ukutya okumnandi njengomntu obengumkhenkethi ebethanda ukutya okwahlukeneyo noba useGhana okanye eZimbabwe, ebethanda ukutya kwase-Africa. UYvonne khange akwazi ukuzibamba iinyembezi xa ekhumbula indima edlalwe nguHugh kwindima yomculo kwihlabathi jikelele. Uthe umkhumbula njengeqhawe elingasayi kulibaleka. Unyana kaBra Hugh, ogama linguMabena Sal Masekela uthethe wenjenje: “Kunzima ukwamkela ukuba utata akasekho kuba bendimbona njengomntu ongagugiyo nongakufanelanga ukufa.”

Kwiinkqubo zomculo ebendithi ndizihambe notata xa eyocula, qho ndimbukele ecula ibibangathi ndimbona okokuqala uBra Hugh. Ukwanawo namawonga athe wawanikwa ngenxa yegalelo lakhe emculweni wehlabathi: Rhodes University-Doctor of Music (2015), University of New York-Honorary doctorate in Music (2014), Order of Ikhamanga (2010 South African National orders ceremony)27 April 2010, Ghana Music Award 2007, African music Legend Award 2005, Channel O music video Awards, Life time achievement award 2002, BBC Radio Jazz awards namanye amaninzi. 

Lala ngoxolo Ramopolo Masekela ugqatso ulufezile! Thina sililizwe loMzantsi Africa silahlekelwe.