Ma Blacks hush split talk

Chileka-based Black Missionaries has come out in the open to comment on reports of an on-going internal rift within the reggae band.

Since late last year, two key members of the group, drummer Paul Chokani and guitarist Takudziwani Chokani, revived a self-governing Wailing Brothers.

One their very first activity was a memorial show of late reggae icon Evison Matafale which was held in Mzuzu. The Wailing Brothers also announced their first album.

However, since the Chokani brothers started announcing their independent project, the media have been awash with varied reports, to the effect that the pair had been fired from the Black Missionaries band.

But in an exclusive interview with Nation Online today, the band’s front man Anjiru Fumulani dismissed the rumours.

“Since the Chokani brothers started talking to the media or announcing their independents projects, Black Missionaries band has not commented anything because we know that they have a right to do so.

“But to drag the Black Missionaries into the matter for wrong reasons like firing them from the band is not right. There is nothing like Black Missionaries firing the Chokani brothers, unless this is coming from them,” said Anjiru.

He said he has a lot of respect for all the members of the Black Missionaries band, including the Chokani brothers, Moda Fumulani, Yanjanani Chumbu and Anthony Makondetsa.

“We are a clan which believes in unity. But it becomes a problem when we start twisting information to the public to paint a bad picture of one another or the band. It is my wish that my fellow members of the Black Missionaries should respect and maintain the legacy which our forefathers, including Matafale created,” said the band leader.

Anjiru further dismissed assertions that the band would be bruised in the event that the duo left or was pushed out of the reggae grouping.

“I must set the record straight that the Black Missionaries band is not afraid of anything. It will always be there even without Anjiru and Chizondi Fumulani, Anthony Makondetsa, the Chokani brothers or Moda Fumulani.

“When the founder of the band Evison Matafale left us, the public was skeptical of the Black Missionaries’ future. But we managed to carry on the mission until today. So, to ask me whether or not the band is afraid of losing some of its members, my honest answer is that we are not afraid at all because we only fear death which claims the lives our members,” said Anjiru.

Takudziwani, who has been speaking on behalf of the Wailing Brothers, refused to comment on the matter.

When he quit Wailing Brothers in 2000, Matafale took with him the two Chokani brothers to set up Black Missionaries band.