Congolese guitarist Lokassa ya Mbongo finally buried, 10 months after his death
The late Lokassa ya Mbongo.
What you need to know:
- Lokassa's funeral programme began last Thursday with a vigil at the Joanny Room in Matonge, on the outskirts of Kinshasa. This culminated in the funeral service on Friday at the Hospital Du Cinquantenaire.
- His body had been lying there since April.
It was a huge sigh of relief for the family, relatives and fans of the mercurial Congolese guitarist and composer Lokassa ya Mbongo when he was finally buried in Kinshasa on Friday, 10 months after his death.
The low-key funeral was in sharp contrast to previous funerals for his fellow top musicians.
Family members were joined by Congolese music union officials and some of his former colleagues.
At the forefront was union official Adios Alemba, who joined Maitre John in delivering messages of condolence from fellow artists in the DRC and beyond.
Uncertainty over the date of his funeral, since his body was flown from the US to Kinshasa in April where he died, was the main reason for many not turning up.
It was only on Wednesday that an official programme for his funeral was released.
Lokassa's funeral programme began last Thursday with a vigil at the Joanny Room in Matonge, on the outskirts of Kinshasa. This culminated in the funeral service on Friday at the Hospital Du Cinquantenaire.
His body had been lying there since April.
The late Lokassa ya Mbongo.
On Friday afternoon, the cortege left for the Necropole cemetery, also on the outskirts of the capital.
Other prominent figures such as Tabu Ley, Ndombe Opetum, Lutumba Simaro, Tshala Muana, Le General Defao and King Kester were buried there.
Speaking to the Sunday Nation from Kinshasa, fellow musician Lofombe Gode said most people only found out about the funeral programme shortly after it was published on Tuesday night.
"Lokassa's funeral was a relief for many after months of anxiety, especially as we are heading towards the Congolese elections in a few days," Lofombe said.
Also speaking from Paris, fellow singer and close ally Yondo Sister said she was relieved to finally be laid to rest. "If it had been possible, I would have travelled to Kinshasa to attend the funeral, but there wasn't enough time," she said.
Both Lokassa and Yondo performed together in Tabu Ley's Afrisa International band and later in the Soukous Stars band in Paris. Yondo was flanked by Matti, Lokassa's last born daughter, whose mother is Togolese. Lokassa dedicated his song "Matti" to this daughter, who is a doctor in Paris.
Likewise, Claude Bula, a guitarist and cousin of Lokassa who lives in London, said the family had now put the anxiety of his funeral behind them.
"We are grateful to all those who stood by us and supported us during these difficult times," he said.
Since leaving Tabu Ley's Afrisa International in late 1977, Lokassa had lived in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and other West African cities. He settled in France in the early 1980s and moved to the USA in the late 1990s.
Some of Lokassa's most popular compositions include 'Marie Jose', 'Bonne Annee', 'Monica', 'Sophia' and 'Adiza'.
Lokassa's funeral was much longer than that of mercurial saxophonist, composer and bandleader Kiamuangana Mateta Verckys. He died in October last year and was buried in December.
An earlier service for Lokassa was held on 1 April at the Conner Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Centre in Nashua, New Hamphshire. USA.Some of his US-based former colleagues such as Mekanisi Modero, Wawali Bonane and Ngouma Lokito were among those who attended the service.
