When people die we tend to focus on their good sides and forgive the horrible. Adam Lusekelo made us laugh and think at the same time. He was one of the funniest, cleverest guys. No wonder when I heard his passing, instead of tears I reflected on his jolly character.
Last time I sat with Adam at Nyumba ya Sanaa (May 2009) with blogger Michuzi muffling down Ugali (while avoiding chocking himself with laughter); the humorous columnist kept blowing his nose starring disgustingly at his handkerchief.
"That is a lot of snort,” he said grinning; it was his way of mocking his disease.
(Adam "Njinja" Lusekelo, inside Nelson Mandela's famous cell at Robben Island)
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"That is a lot of snort,” he said grinning; it was his way of mocking his disease.
Yes. Adam had diabetes for many years, he was thin and I could not believe how emaciated he had become.
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We first met while in secondary school in 1970. He would come to Arusha for holidays where his father, the late Mr. Aaron Mwakang’ata, was regional commissioner. Adam was as fit as a bull and boxed in his school team. We nicknamed him Njinja Maloni which meant a kind of traditional African warrior. Later he would do Shotokan karate while studying journalism in Nairobi. He had a good knockout hook and would have made Mike Tyson happy. Those were the days when Tanzanians did well internationally. Titus Simba the acclaimed boxer won a silver medal at the Edinburgh 1970 Commonwealth Games.
No wonder Adam’s writings had fearlessness in them and those who discovered his “With a Light Touch” recently should know here was a Nyakyusa boy with guts and wits.
Witty he was and annoying at the same time. The transition from pugilist to brave, witty writer began while he was at the University of Dar es Salaam around 30 years ago. Adam was involved in Punch, a satirical magazine which albeit controversial tried exposing certain aspects of student behaviour and relationships at Mlimani. His talents branched into acting too when he joined Paukwa Theatre group and participated in the well publicised 1983 political play, “Ayubu”...
By now in his late twenties he was evolving his future media portfolio by constantly poking fun at hypocrisy and sleaziness. This would mature when he joined Daily News where he worked until his death last week. Unlike inexperienced reporters who learn their trade from senior journalists, Adam characteristically jabbed at fellow colleagues at the Daily News room. Around this time I was writing my regular weekly column at Sunday News and heard Adam’s antics. I smiled. They were facing a peculiar talent, an ex boxer, Mr Njinja Maloni.
With a Light Touch progressed slowly. Historically, past columnists of Daily News like Franklin Mzirai (Up The Stage in mid 1970’s), Philip Ochieng and Jenerali Ulimwengu (early 1970’s) had a sophisticated method of delivering press punches. Adam came with a different gait, too. His topics were political, funny and ongoing. Whispers that he took too long to write missed the fact that Adam’s personal mission was to establish an original style; his own voice. A former colleague, Nasibu Mwanukuzi, nowadays an established writer and musician in Oslo, recalls Lusekelo typing with all fingers (touch method) instead of two fingers used by most journalists. Yes, the guy had technical abilities.
A few years passed and Lusekelo slogged with BBC in London and hosted a popular talk show on Tanzanian TV. Later he would confess that he never liked the weather and cold culture of isolation and alienation in European cities.
Adam Lusekelo’s writing technique had a Swahili twang and a creative vocabulary that defined a Tanzanian style of speaking English, humorously. One sees this with well known West African novelists. Just read Nigerians Chinua Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi or Ghana’s Ayi Kwei Armah and Ama Ata Aidoo you see typical expressions from Ga, Fante, Igbo and Fulani tribes. Adam’s use of English was standard, yet quintessential East African.
His light hearted support for young Tanzanian actor Steve Kanumba following, Big Brother Africa 2009, is a good example of sensitivity.
“They laughed at Steve not because of his murder of the English syntax. They did that because of envy....most people hate success... When you become famous people want to know the colour of your underwear.”
Like rare, unique, geniuses Adam was straightforward using easy, simple sentences which is sad because our language levels are falling horribly, today. It would be worth while creating an Adam Lusekelo Writing Prize to help boost upcoming student writers and journalists. May God rest Njinja Maloni’s soul, in peace. Amen
-London, 5th April , 2011.
As appeared in Citizen with slight alterations...
http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/editorial-analysis/20-analysis-opinions/9757-tribute-to-a-very-special-tanzanian-writer
ADAM LUSEKELO- MWANDISHI ALIYEBOBEA KIINGEREZA NA UFUNDI WA KIBONGO...
Labda si wasomaji wengi wa Kiswahili watakaomfahamu mwandishi wa habari wa siku nyingi aliyefariki wiki iliyopita, Adam Lusekelo Mwakang’ata.
Ingawa Adam aliandika Kiingereza (gazeti la Daily News) lugha aliyotumia, mada alizoziandika na namna alivyozungumza vyote vilijaa matashi na muundo wa Uswahili na Uafrika.
Tukiwa bado sekondari, mwaka 1970, tulimkatia jina la mbabe mpiganaji yaani Njinja Maloni. Adam “Njinja” alikuwa bondia na baadaye kujifunza Shotokan karate ( toka Korea) wakati akisomea uandishi wa habari, Nairobi. Aliwahi pia kupanda mlima Kilimanjaro mara kadhaa. Bahati mbaya alipoacha mazoezi na kujisahau (kwa pombe kupindukia )akakumbwa na kisukari. Nikiwa rafiki wa utotoni nilishtuka nilipomwona alivyokonda mara ya mwisho mwaka juzi, mjini Dar es Salaam.
Tulikaa Nyumba ya Sanaa (na Bwana Issa Michuzi) alipopenga kamasi zito kutokana na maradhi yake. Akaangalia kitambaa akijitania: “Duu...zito kama uji!”
Ulikuwa mfano wa tabia yake ya masihara yaliyojaa ujumbe. Usingeacha kucheka ulipokutana na Adam Lusekelo. Alikuwa chizi kupindukia na ucheshi wake ulijionyesha katika mamia ya makala za kejeli alizoziandika safu ya “With A Light Touch.”
Miaka ya mwisho alifungua pia blogu (“Adam Lusekelo On Line”) aliyoendeleza mada zake. Adam Lusekelo hakuwa mwoga. Ingawa marehemu babake alikuwa zamani katika serikali (tulipojuana 1970, Mzee Aaron Mwakang’ata, alikuwa mkuu wa mkoa wa Arusha), Adam hakuhofia kuwasakama viongozi mafisadi. Kinyume cha baadhi ya watoto wa vigogo wanaofunga macho na kufaidi matunda ya wazazi wao, Adam alitumia nafasi hiyo kukemea ufuska.
Jumanne tarehe 14 Novemba 2010 mathalan aliandika : “Jini Hatimaye Limeamka” ..akichambua namna vijana wa Kitanzania walivyochokeshwa na wanasiasa waongo.
“Hao wanaolifanya Bunge hoteli ya kupangisha yenye hewa safi ya baridi itabidi waamshwe na kupigwa mateke makalioni. ”
Adam aliandika mada za kila aina, ikiwemo kumshauri mwigizaji Steve Kanumba aliyesutwa kwamba hajui Kiingereza alipoingia Big Brother Afrika Kusini, 2009. Kinachofurahisha hii makala ( msanablogu Chemi Che-Mponda kaitoa Swahili Time) ni namna anavyochangamsha hoja akitumia Kiingereza chepesi. Kinyume cha waandishi wanaojifaragua kwa lugha ya mawe, ya maneno magumu, aliandika sentensi fupi za utani, utani...
Tabia ya wengi, anamshauri Kanumba ni kukuonea wivu unapofaulu katika maisha. Ukibahatika kufahamika, wapambe watataka kuimanya “rangi ya chupi yako,” anasema. Hata mwanamke unayekwenda naye atachunguzwa. “Wataanza kusema sura yake mbaya kama jini, kwamba miguu yake mirefu kama ya twiga. Ndo’ ubinadamu huo.”
Adam Lusekelo aliendeleza lugha ya uandishi Tanzania akitumia Kiingereza safi chenye utamaduni wa Afrika Mashariki. Unapokisoma Kiingereza chake ni kama kumsikiliza Mswahili akiongea lugha fasaha ya kigeni bila kujisahau atokapo. Anakumbusha enzi Mzee John Malecela alipokuwa balozi wetu Umoja wa Mataifa akiongea Kiingereza fasaha cha lafidhi ya Kigogo na Kiswahili. Siri ya ujuzi wake nini?
Kila nilipoongea naye, Adam, hakuacha kunitajia kitabu fulani alichokuwa akisoma; alikuwa mwanafunzi mzuri wa fasihi na lugha, jambo linalozidi kudhoofika miongoni mwa waandishi chipukizi leo Bongo.
Ucheshi wake kiuandishi uliimarika Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam alipoandika kejeli katika “ Punch” jarida la wanafunzi. Alifichua tabia mbalimbali za wanafunzi akiwaudhi baadhi na kufurahisha wengine. Alijiunga pia na kikundi cha tamthiliya, Paukwa akashiriki igizo kali la kisiasa (Ayubu) lililoangalia mazingira magumu ya Tanzania , mwaka 1983.
Utani utani wake ulistawi alipoingia, Daily News. Kipindi hicho nilikuwa naandika safu ya Jumapili (“Cultural Images”) na kuwasikia waandishi wa habari wakinong’oneza namna Adam alivyowasanifu. Alinidokezea kwamba lengo lilikuwa kukemea ulimbukeni.
Mtanzania mwanamuziki mkazi Norway, Nasibu Mwanukuzi (aliyefanya naye kazi Daily News) anasema alimshangaa Lusekelo alivyokuwa tofauti, kitaaluma. “Alijua kupiga taipu kutumia vidole vyote (“touch method”) badala ya viwili kama waandishi wengi wa habari wanavyokuwa.”
Mwaka 1984 nchi yetu ilifikia kilele cha tatizo la uhaba wa bidhaa madukani baada ya vita vya Idi Amin, 1979. Wananchi walilazimika kuhonga au kupiga foleni kupata vyakula adimu. Wageni na vigogo tu ndio hawakudhurika wakiendesha magari ya fahari na namba zilizoanza na tarakimu, TX.
Adam aliandika namna nchi ilivyoshabikia tabaka la wana-TX, huku ikidhulumu hohehahe kwa unafiki wa eti kujenga Usawa na Ujamaa. Kipindi hicho hicho alibahatika kwenda Libya katika tamasha la sanaa na kikundi cha Paukwa. Aliandika namna haikuruhusiwa kunywa pombe huku akifichua pia taswira ndogo ndogo za kinafiki alizoziona ikiwemo tabia za kunyima wananchi haki ya kusema. Ni miaka 27 iliyopita; na leo tunashuhudia harakati Libya. Ama kweli aliona mbali.
Kuna wakati Adam alifanya kazi idhaa ya habari ya BBC hapa London. Makala zake zilielezea hali ya hewa ya baridi na tabia za wakazi Majuu kutowasiliana kirahisi. Ilimpa taabu sana, hasa kwa kuwa alizaliwa na ugonjwa wa pumu.
Mara ya mwisho kuongea naye katika simu mwaka jana aliniambia hapendi Majuu. “Mi na baridi hatupatani. Nawaachieni nyinyi huko...”
Kama rafiki wa utotoni nilisikitishwa maana nilitegemea Njinja Maloni angeendelea kupigana ngumi, kukimbia mbio za jogging, kupanda Kilimanjaro na kujiangalia kiafya. Hili ni fundisho kwa vijana na Watanzania wenzangu kuijali miili yetu, kufanya mazoezi ya viungo huku tukipambana na maisha magumu. Kufa ni kudra ya Mungu ila vile vile wajibu wetu wanadamu. Maisha magumu leo Bongo kuliko miaka 40 iliyopita hivyo twabidi tuwe makini na kujiangalia wenyewe.
Sitakosea kusema Adam Lusekelo alitumia ngumi zake kuandika makala kali zilizojaribu kuuchapa uongo wa ngazi za juu bila kuogopa kukejeli maafa yanayokabili maendeleo yetu. Pia sichelei kupendekeza: iwapo marehemu angeendelea na michezo labda angekuwa kama Madiba Mandela ambaye bado hai kutokana na kufanya mazoezi maisha yake yote hata akiwa jela. Enzi Adam alipotwangana ngumi akisoma sekondari ulikuwa wakati mwanamasumbwi mashuhuri Titus Simba alipowika na kulipa taifa letu sifa. Bondia Simba aliihamasisha Tanzania alipopata medali ya fedha katika mashindano ya Jumuiya ya Madola yaliyofanyika Edinburg hapa Uingereza mwaka 1970.
Kufa si jambo zuri; wote yatatufika. Ila kifo cha watu waliojitahidi kufanya mambo ya maana chaweza pia kutukumbusha masuala fulani.
Mungu aiweke roho yake Adam “Njinja Maloni” Lusekelo peponi. Amina.
-London, Jumanne, 5 Aprili, 2011.
Ilivyochapishwa Mwananchi Jumapili, 10 April, 2010:
I'm very, very saddened to say the least by the passing of Adam Lusekelo. I remember him as a physically strong, very fitness conscious person. It's hard for me to accept he's gone, still young, but I must and I wish him peace where he has gone.
ReplyDeleteI knew of him first, years and years ago, as Adam Mwakang'ata, his father being at the time the Regional Commissioner of my home region -- Arusha. Later I came to know him as Adam Lusekelo. I came to know him better and more closely because at one point during the time I lived in Tanzania, eons ago, we were together, plus several others, in a semi-professional theatre company called Paukwa Theatre. We traveled together performing, to Libya, Germany and around Tanzania. Later on, after I left the group, he would travel to Sweden and other places performing with Paukwa.
In connection with his work as a newsman, I always admired him as a journalist with an uncompromising stance and integrity; I admired his satirical columns which even back then were as hard hitting as they would be up to the time of his passing; I admired his courage, his wit, his strength of mind and independence of spirit.
Rest in peace, Adamu, rest in peace, brother.
Tololwa Mollel
Edmonton, Canada