Gogo Nyasulu: 84 and still composing
She was unveiled from her Mzuzu base in 2010 when MBC’s Our People Our Pride rewarded her for her music compositions which have become popular music hymns in the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) and CCAP churches.
To date, the great composer has revelled she has over 500 songs though they have not been professionally recorded, but kept in a tape recorder with a printed-bound copy kept in her house.
Gogo Gome Nyasulu said this in an interview on Sunday morning when On the Arts was checking with her on the progress of her project to put the hymns in a CD and protect them.
She had told Nation on Sunday in 2011 that she would use her K100 000 (about $303) she received as prize money at Our People Our Pride to put all her hymns in a CD as a way of protecting them and ease distribution.
“I am not currently doing anything on the project, but it is my dream to succeed in the idea. The songs are now too many because I have also composed many since winning the award in 2010, so I also need some support from well-wishers who treasure my talent. I am currently consulting my children who are outside the country and shortly the project will start.
“I am well informed that some gospel musicians are stealing my hymns and turn them into music for their albums. Similarly too, some churches. I am not worried because this talent is from God and the purpose of it all is to preach the word of God. What they are doing is helping me to take the word of God across the country and I am not worried,” she said.
The Mzuzu-based and SDA member was awarded for composing over 300 hymns. She now talks of over 500 hymns and she says, the composition is still going on till her last breath on earth.
“I do not believe I will retire from composing songs. My retirement depends on my brain; when it is tired, then I will retire, but I believe it will be due to death,” she said in earlier interview.
Her hymns have won the hearts of many Christians in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and parts of Tanzania. She has been composing the hymns for over 20 years now. Popular songs include Nyamula Mtanda, Kodi Ndikuyendabe and Dzina Langa Lalembedwa Kumwamba?
