By Nigel Pfunde
Harare — The late sungura maestro Nicholas “Madzibaba” Zakaria’s rich music legacy won’t fade into obscurity. Several of his protégés are stepping up to protect the artistic wealth he left behind in the cutthroat music industry, now the latest to carry the torch is Njonda Power (real name Patrick Mupindu) who spoke to Express Mail Zim Lifestyle in a wide ranging interview over the weekend.
Njonda Power says the mentorship he received from Madzibaba has shaped both his sound and his mission. That relationship goes back more than two decades.
“I met Zakaria in 2001,” Njonda recalls. “That meeting on social circles led to him assisting me on my first single, which was in memory of my late parents. I had written six pages and he said no, trim it down and just hit the message you want to deliver. He was a friend who became brother, father and Senior Lecturer. Memories of him still linger, but we will implement what he taught us, and Sungura and Khiama music will live on.”
It was that early break that pulled him into sungura’s inner circle and gave him a first-hand lesson in discipline, songwriting, and stagecraft.
Over the years he built a discography that carries the Khiama DNA. His albums include Rauya Gen’a, Matare Mirai, Hupenyu Hwangu, ZvaMwari Hazvipikiswe, and his latest project, Minzwa YeNungu.
The six-track Minzwa YeNungu project bears the talismanic touch of legendary producer Bothwell Nyamhondera, the same producer who worked closely with Zakaria during his Khiama Boys era.
“It’s pregnant with powerful lyrics which touch on social issues,” Njonda said.
On ZvaMwari Hazvipikiswe, he penned “Fanika Iwe” to address drug abuse — a topic he speaks about bluntly off-stage as well.
Asked on how he got the name Njonda Power, he said: “The name came from the people after they saw that I’m very, very generous. I believe in helping others.”
He calls himself a “son of Khiama.”
“Mdara (Zakaria )started off as a friend who became a brother, father and Senior Lecturer and his death pained me. He coined me mwana weKhiama. As I grew up I always loved Khiama music, and it was easy for me to adopt. Madzibaba taught me the theoretical and management aspect of music that is how to assemble a band, lead it, arrange shows and so forth. And when the time came for him to teach me the practical side of playing the guitar, he unfortunately had health challenges leading to his death that still hurt me up to now, but we will carry on the music legacy with what he taught us.”
Teacher and student:Njonda Powers poses for a picture with his mentor the late Sungura maestro Nicholas Zakaria
The devout Catholic says his faith shapes his art. “That is why my music revolves around Christianity, love and unity.”
Turning to the local music industry, the bulky musician, international truck driver and farmer said there is need for support from both the corporate world and from artists themselves to unite. He also took a swipe at young musicians abusing drugs and substances.
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“Music industry in Zimbabwe needs a very big boost and support from all responsible stakeholders. Lack of support to our talent is letting us down. And also some of those artists who are taking drugs — I say no, that is very dangerous, it kills career and life at the same time. Collaborations between artists is powerful, but lack of unity is the problem. When you approach an artist more popular than you, he or she gives you terms that you can’t afford, and this kills the culture of music collaborations. Back then the artists used to work together, collaborating differently. Look at Tuku and Chimbetu on that song ‘Ndoda kuchata naye’, it was some form of collaborating. Personally, given the opportunity, I would want to collaborate with the likes of Kofi Olomide.”
“This album is basically reaffirming my wish to maintain mdara’s music legacy and implement what he taught us,” he said of Minzwa Yangu. “I was mainly touching on the need to maintain the sungura music game in this jungle where lots of genres are coming up and it’s a dog-eat-dog situation where ahwina ahwina.”
With Rauya Gen’a, Matare Mirai, Hupenyu Hwangu, ZvaMwari Hazvipikiswe and now Minzwa YeNungu in circulation, Njonda Power is positioning himself as the next link in the Khiama chain.
Njonda Power is optimistic the game will change for the better in the music industry and said passion will keep him soldiering on.
