Roma Nna Association assists Anafiki, Short Man
Maureen Odubeng | Thursday October 13, 2016 18:00
Gaselarona ‘GasLee’ Sikwa founder of GasLee Communications and Roma Nna Association said he decided to step in after hearing Anafiki’s interview on radio.
“I took it upon myself to find her, and see how I could help. Her story was hurtful and touching. I knew I had to do something to help. With the assistance of some Radio Botswana employees like Stoffel and Chilly, I was able to locate her in her home village of Pitsane,” he said.
Sikwa, who is also a gospel musician who goes by the stage name GasLee, managed to locate Anafiki, and ended up assisting the talented blind musician to record her second album titled Dithapelo Tsa Ga Anafiki. Anafiki’s six-track gospel album was recorded at Nice Cut Productions.
Annafiki’s debut album is an eight-track album named after her famous song, Mpolelela Re Babedi.
Sikwa could not stop speaking of the immense talent Anafiki has.
“We got to the studio and she started singing, song after song,” he said.
Sikwa explained that it shocked him that someone with such talent has not released a follow up album, despite having been in the industry for a long time.
Sikwa provided the much-needed assistance not only to Anafiki, but also to a young man who he believes has a lot of potential, Nkagisang ‘Short Man’ France, who he met by chance at Ginger Market in Gaborone. He said after assessing his situation and realising that because of his condition he cannot work, he asked if he could sing, to his surprise the young man could. He decided to take Short Man under his wing and helped him recorded a six-track gospel album titled Ke Tla Itshwarelelela Ka Sefapano.
“It has not been an easy road because of limited resources. I have tried to source for assistance, but couldn’t, and I had to finance the two projects out of my pocket,” he said.
Sikwa recently hosted a listening session for Short Man, and the legendary, Anafiki’s albums, at Somarela Tikologa Park, where the guest was Speaker of the National Assembly, Gladys Kokorwe.
“I am particularly happy that this evening we are celebrating a very special woman, Anafiki. Special in the sense that she has a disability. She is, however, living proof that disability is not inability, hence she is a celebrated artist. My message to those who are living with disability is that they should emulate Anafiki and tap into their God given talent,” Kokorwe said, at the listening session for the two musicians.
Songs contained in Anafiki’s second album are Calvary, Halleluya, Pheko Ee Phedisang, Tshegofatso Morena, Ona Lenna, and Fodisa Calvary.
Short Man’s album has songs like Ke Tla Itshwarelela Ka Sefapano (title track), Calvary, Re Tla Thaba, Sebaka Se, and Tumelo.
Following the listening session CA Sales represented by Job Aabobe, pledged P5,000 cash to assist the two musicians, as well as groceries worth P2,000. CA Sales promised to assist with P500-worth of groceries for October, November, and December.
Meanwhile, Sikwa told Showbiz, that Roma Nna Association is in the process of following up on artists who have worked with Anafiki before to look into some of the grievances that Anafiki has put forth.