LESSONS FROM THE DJ OLLAH 7 INTERVIEW WITH THE MTUKUDZI DAUGHTERS

I had the opportunity to watch this emotive interview like did many Zimbabweans. The interview sparked divergent views with The Herald of September 28th running an article titled, “Tuku Family Rift Divides Opinion.” The article collated some comments from the public as social media was abuzz with fiery darts from the two supposed camps i.e. The Two Daughters vs Daisy.

My humble view is that the podcast led to unintended revelation of some family secrets or to be more succinct, the experiences that Sandra and Selmor overcame! I have respect for the interviewer and the effort he made, to afford Selmor in particular to “clear the air”. Unfortunately, there are unintended consequences that may likely cause animosity between the two ladies and Samantha, with whom they long to have a strong bond. The good thing is the animosity can be for a short period, depending on how both parties will swiftly seek to reconcile.

DJ Ollah was overcome by emotions and my take is, as a young man or growing leader in his domain, he had not anticipated the impact some of the responses had on him, thus the cruise the two ladies went on unearthing touching details of some their experiences. While podcasts must contain materials that do not infringe on the rights of others, they are not necessarily guided by editorial policy like do public broadcasting platforms. Therefore, the line of questioning largely depends on the interviewer and moreso, neutrality and skilful direction of the interviewees off sensitive and offensive materials. In this instance, it was important to ensure that Daisy’s image would not be soiled as she was not present to respond to any allegations that would have risen.

Any intervention, initiative or course of action is judged by the results it generates. I am persuaded that as a starting point, Selmor was not obligated to explain herself on her emotional breakdown at the Oliver Mtukudzi International Festival of Arts (OMIFA). As an individual, like all of us, she remains entitled to her privacy and did not owe anyone an explanation. She is not obliged to be “understood” by the public as people always have their own opinions regardless of how much information you supply them! Critically, opinions are not facts, so the first unintentional oversight in my view was bowing down to the mood of the moment and public pressure. The interview was done during the subsistence of an emotive period from the debate around her exclusion from the initial line up of artists that were due to perform at OMIFA, quite a tempestuous period it has been.

I am also not sure if Selmor has a Public Relations Advisor or sounding board, with whom she interrogates how to handle such or any other sensitive issues. I am also unsure if Ollah sent his questions prior to the interview, the same that would have been reflected upon in consultation with a professional who would advise on the material that had to be left out of the conversation. A professional view would inform on the implications of some information on relationships with significant others like Daisy and Samantha, who Selmor mentioned repeatedly that she desired of her to remember the desires of their late Father, in particular the subsistence of unity among themselves as his children.

It is important to note that Ollah offered support to mend the “rift” as he indicated that he could signpost the concerned parties to respectable religious leaders whom, he was convinced could intervene so any misunderstanding could be resolved. Personally, I drew the following lessons from this interview;

1.????? The Mtukudzis are a family, and they need each other. They are bonded by an unbreakable blood relationship that cannot be wished away. This relationship cannot be understood or respected enough by the public, and thus cannot be mended or built by polarized opinions. The public cannot seek to have camps that divide the family, instigating and fanning division. Families are not political outfits through which the public can create their own camps.

2.????? Sandra and Selmor who deeply desire to have a strong bond with their sibling Samantha cannot have it when there is an “attack” on Daisy, unfortunately. No bond can be revived while there is perceived hostility toward her Mother. By the way, this hostility is being sparked by outsiders who have no care for the parties involved! Daisy wields overshadowing authority that Samantha cannot violate. We are Zimbabweans, and we all understand that no child can hazard going against his/ her Mother. Daisy is the currency to gain Samantha’s acceptance and hand. The sooner the relationship with Daisy is fixed, the sooner the Sisterhood is restored.

3.????? ?Sandra and Selmor are overcomers, and they have conquered all odds. Note, they have not conquered anybody, but their victory is over odds that were against them. The interviewer missed reminding them of that victory as they have admirable lives. Sandra indicated that she lived under Daisy’s roof up until she attained her tertiary education. The environment she grew up in may have been imperfect, just like any other people, as we all have different struggles. The touching “incidences” they both cited cannot obliterate the fact that they also had good experiences that they could have shared about, had the interviewer remembered to solicit for such information. The two ladies in my view supplied information only relating to what the interviewer asked. I think Ollah as an emerging podcaster has room to improve in this regard.

4.????? The public did a bidding for Selmor to perform at OMIFA until she was included on the line up. It was her first time to perform at Pakare Paye hence the emotions. But it is true that the two ladies have been incrementally building their brand without much support even from Tuku when he was live, although they said he would affirm that they were working hard. They have gotten and will continue getting so many other platforms. Therefore, even if they had not performed at OMIFA, the truth is nothing was going to be discounted from their efforts.

5.????? There is an unseen danger of seeking to over sweat Tuku’s legacy that all parties need to keep in check. Let’s face reality, Tuku gave his best shot at his career, hence the international brand he became. However, his passing on signalled a turn in terms of his legacy, with the need for his children to build their own competitive brands without leaning on the aura of their late Father becoming apparent. This, I am raising with uttermost respect for all the parties. We must not forget that we had the eras of the late Solomon Skuza, Safirio Madzikatire, Simon Chimbetu and Leonard Dembo to mention but a few. Their children have not measured-up to the exploits of their fathers for one reason, they choose to ride on their fathers’ reputations instead of polishing their art, so they become competitive in their own right. Fans patronise quality music offering, and their loyalty is to good taste and not fathers’ auras! So, the ladies have capacity and responsibility to focus on building their own superior brands without relying on Samanyanga’s reputation. Tuku’s reputation cannot be relied upon for long as fans sway their loyalty by the passage of time.?

6.????? The supporters, fans and followers on social media are not family in the truest sense.? Their allegiance is temporary and soon, they will be trailing other trending stories. Keyboard sympathisers can get access to people even when they don’t care about you. They also volunteer views and at times divert one’s attention to important issues, in this case, the relationship that is at stake. It becomes important not to rely on this short-lived attention. We have seen Daisy being gifted with a car, whilst Sandra and Selmor have a Go Fund thing that has been set up for them. Family should never have outsiders seeking to outcompete them against each other. This is very wrong!

7.????? Social media users at times misuse data (Internet access), even when they do not have data (Facts and figures). They comment based on minimal information they will have pounced on, pretending to be experts. They can connect without a heart connection! Thus, their views need to be filtered as only a few harbour genuine love and motives. To be honest, for most, they will be seeking entertainment, trends, followership and relevance albeit at the expense of others’ feelings. The Mtukudzis have their challenges just like many other families so surely, they do not deserve this censorship from the public!

8.????? The business empire left by Tuku can accommodate his entire family at any point they so decide. Value can be created if they collaborate and utilize their different strengths. The vision behind Pakare Paye can flourish and be passed on to next generations, provided it is nurtured sustainably moving forward. Family members never benefit from outshining each other, so, they can always synergize when the dust settles. Like any other issue, event or mishap, as the good book says, “It comes to pass!”

In conclusion, Daisy can still unify the children, as their Mother. The two daughters clearly demonstrated that they respect her as their Mother. That is a fact that should not be overlooked. The overarching motherly heart that they all have as women, will help them find each other. They will ignore the hurtful, provocative and prejudicial opinions that the social media streets have fanned over the past weeks. As a family, they will commit to each other for their common good!

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