How Masekela inspired Woki to international stages

Woki gets emotional at one of his performances in the United Kingdom last month.
Woki gets emotional at one of his performances in the United Kingdom last month.

It all started in Gaborone more than three decades ago. Renowned jazzman Hugh Masekela joined a group of young musicians and inspired them to dream big.

The group led by Aubrei Woki had just formed a jazz band called Kalahari and were blessed to attract one of the genre’s most respected players to join them.

Masekela had just returned from exile in the United States of America in the early 80s and sought temporary residence in Botswana. The saxophonist was in South African apartheid regime’s “wanted” list.

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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