Remembering the lion of song

GASEBALWE SERETSE
Staff Writer | Thursday July 15, 2010 00:00

He prances about on the stage in a suggestive manner as he sings explicit lyrics to the amusement of older members of his audience as he holds his trademark whisk  Like most artists, he is not afraid to express himself, tackling controversial issues that most people would rather not talk about through song.  This is the picture that those who got the opportunity to meet the lion of song, the late Speech Madimabe have in mind whenever his name is mentioned.

Madimabe has been described as one of the leading artists in the country.  When it comes to local folk music and traditional poetry, Speech occupies a lofty place with the likes of Ratsie Setlhako, Ponatshego Mokane, Sekokotla Kaboeamodimo, Ndona Poifo, Gaotswesepe Robalang, George Swabi, Andries Bok and others.  Even younger artists like Otlaathusa Tshipa, better known as Deben Natale, have gone on record saying that they have been greatly influenced by Madimabe, whom he also claims was his uncle.

Some critics have described him as a protest artist because he used his songs to protest against the injustices of this world. His protests ranged from talking against people who deny orphans their inheritance to powerful men who steal other men's spouses or girlfriends.

During his lifetime, Speech, as he was fondly called, endeared himself to many lovers of traditional music with his poignant songs such as Sebodu Ke Nnekewane, Khoba.

Showbiz recently embarked on a trip to Letlhakeng to follow the footsteps of this legendary folk music artist who died in the prime of his life aged 51.

Although the Showbiz team did not know Madimambe's home, it is obvious that he was one of the icons in the village as a young man quickly points out his home perched on a low 'hill' in the village.

The Showbiz team follows the winding path to the late artist's home and meets one Peoyame Motlhalefi of Goo-Modimo ward, who is a relative of the late star.  According to the elderly Motlhalefi, Speech was the son of Madimabe, Madimabe was the son of Lesololwane, and Lesololwane was the son of Molehele of Goo-Modimo ward.

She describes the gifted artist as someone of medium built and complexion who was also a poet of note (something that most people are not aware of).  According to Motlhalefi, once a backing vocalist for the artist, Madimabe was a lovable soul, who was also modest and generous.

'E ne ere ha a duelwa madi are a kgaoganya ka botswerere go sena yo o nang le ngongora,' she says about the artist who always duly paid his backup singers after each performance.

Motlhalefi recalls a time when Billy Mokgosi of Radio Botswana (RB) came to Letlhakeng, collected Madimabe and his backing vocalists and took them to Gaborone where he made a recording of their songs.  Although the old woman's memory is failing her, she remembers that some members were Ompomye Tsheboyagae and Mmalekgoa Tshabelo who all came from Letlhakeng village.  According to Motlhalefi, Madimabe was always home on stage and she laughingly says after performance, he would not lift a finger to do any chores as he was very lazy.

'Speech was just like his father, Madimabe, both of them were very talented but lazy,' Motlhalefi says laughingly.She recalls too that after performances in places such as Gaborone, the makgoa - meaning government officials - would take Madimabe out for drinks.   The ever-generous artist would put aside some drinks for the backing vocalists and they would later have their own drinking session.  Motlhalefi is adamant that Madimabe never went on stage drunk but only drank after performances.

The old woman says that she has fond memories of the time that she and her band mates toured the country performing with her cousin. 

Old Motlhalefi says that towards the end of his life, he was troubled by a 'chest problem', which he later said was tuberculosis (TB).  Although the old woman's memory has become foggy, she remembers that former president Sir Ketumile Masire was among the mourners at Madimabe's funeral.

The ancient does not remember the exact place where the lion of song was buried but she recalls that he was the first person to be buried at Goo-Modimo graveyard, perhaps a befitting honour for this favourite son of Letlhakeng.

Motlhalefi's 39-year-old son, Mphoyamodimo, agrees to take the Showbiz team to Goo-Modimo cemetery. Along the way, the man shares his frustration with the team that nobody was able to fully continue the legacy of his mother's uncle. 

The graveyard is a few kilometres away from Madimabe's home, on the outskirts of the village.  Like most cemeteries, Goo-Modimo graveyard is a deserted place.  Most of the graves are neglected, except a handful that have nice tombstones. Mphoyamodimo takes us to a neglected grave at the end of the graveyard and points out, 'This is Speech Madimabe's grave,' he declares.

A metal structure with a blue and white shade on it has been placed over the grave. The 'shade' or moriti has a placard attached to it that reads, albeit with Speech's name wrongly spelt:

Mr. Speach MadimabeBorn 06-02-1942Died 12-07-1993Rest in peaceThis is the place where the revered lion of song lies in his eternal rest.  Kgosi Rantsimane Banyatsi of Letlhakeng echoes the sentiments of Peoyame Motlhalefi that Madimabe was a good and generous man.

'Speech was the first man in Kweneng West to be recorded in Radio Botswana; he put this region on the map with his song Sebodu ke nnenekwane,' he tells Showbiz in an interview.