Depending on the dates preferred by those asking for Afrigo’s presence, some were unfortunately turned down, while others booked three months in advance, including foreign tours.
Clearly, Afrigo is busier than ever before. One would imagine that Matovu, 72, would need a personal assistant (PA) to handle things like bookings. But he is fine with it. Being the bandleader, Afrigo’s itinerary is locked somewhere in his head even in his sleep.
I could not help but marvel at how easily he discussed and booked available dates. Indeed, like the Afrigo song Music states, music is like medicine.
This man is in fine form! In November, Afrigo band will be marking 47 years of existence. However, can this band, followed and loved by so many, tested by political upheaval, members’ deaths and exits, outlive its remaining founder, Matovu?
It is understandably a difficult conversation to have, but one that every lover of Afrigo band quietly asks oneself. Well, Matovu is quite optimistic. He said the future of live music is bright, because it is what Against that, he sees no reason why Afrigo band cannot outlive him. Not that he is planning on retirement or – God forbid – death, soon!
“Retirement would be senseless. I can still sing, compose, produce music and perform the different instruments like the saxophone and flute. So, the only time I will bow out is [when] I am unable to do the aforementioned functions,” Matovu said.
In June, Matovu will be celebrating 73 years. And the fact that he has been a performing artiste since the late 1960s, there is a finesse to this man’s craft. Relate it to a batsman in cricket, and one can proudly say that Matovu has had an incredible inning, staying on the crease this long, ensuring that the ball does not hit the stumps behind him, and when he whacks the ball mid-air, it does not get caught before it lands.
Nonetheless, no batsman stays on crease forever and Matovu is not oblivious to that. Originally called Afriraha band, before changing to Afrigo (Africa go forward), the band was started by seven others alongside Matovu. Apart from Jeff Ssewava, who lives in Germany today, the other original band members, Charles Ssekyanzi, Paulo Sserumaga, Paddy Nsubuga, Fred Luyombya, Anthony Kyeyune and Geoffrey Kizito have all passed on.
At the Afrigo band home in Kibuli where they hold their rehearsals, there are LPs of some of the most prominent musicians of yesterday. The likes of Manu Dibango, Crystal Gayle, Franco Luambo and Tabuley Rochereau. These fellows inspired Matovu.
Matovu said he listens to their music all time, turning back the hands of time. He reminisces about how good they were, as he equally draws lessons from their era on top in regards to the future of Afrigo band.
Matovu said: “The fact that this band has existed this long even after other instrumental members left, is testament to its lasting power.”
And Matovu is quick to downplay the suggestion that he is Afrigo band, and the band is him. To the outsider looking in, it looks very much that way, since he handles the booking, leadership and discipline, as well as most of the musical decisions.
He is said to arrive first at every venue, personally test the sound and carry out a strict roll call as bandmates arrive. For some of the band’s patrons, it is difficult to envision such discipline beyond Matovu, even as much as he has insisted that the band is the star; not individuals.
Matovu noted that there have been times he was sick and could not get on stage and that never stopped the band from playing.
“We have a number of young band members, who are ready to carry the torch forward,” Matovu emphasized.
That said, Matovu remains so integral to Afrigo; it is difficult to imagine the band without him for whatever reason. Edward Ssendikaddiwa, a music critic, told The Observer that why he struggles to be confident about Afrigo’s future in case Matovu steps aside, is hinged on the fact that he is almost everything in the institution.
Drawing back to the earlier observation where Matovu is the main contact of the band, Ssendikaddiwa said he is not just the team leader, “but Matovu is an administrator, instrumentalist, singer, music writer, director and producer. He is a rare breed of a person; the kind that comes around once in a lifetime, and, therefore, hard to replace”.
In fact, he added that unless Afrigo has established mechanisms of leadership, it is difficult to see how the band can transcend Matovu’s command power.
But respected actor and broadcaster Abby Mukiibi has followed Afrigo band closely for years and is sure as day will follow night, that the future of the band is bright, even beyond Matovu.
Mukiibi said the first thing Matovu did was ensure that there is professionalism in the band. That ensured that there is stage discipline and maintenance of standards from every member of the group. Mukiibi added that the band has got a well-structured leadership hierarchy.
“People may be confused about Matovu being the face of the band and think he is the beginning and the end. But there are so many other individuals in the background, who work, including band members like Rude Boy Devo. Others like Peter Wasula play key roles, to ensure the sustainable success of the band,” Mukiibi said.
Considering, that this band was started by eight individuals, yet one remains and it is still going strong says a lot about Afrigo’s posterity, Peter Kibazo, a former KCCA FC secretary, noted. To him, the thought of no Afrigo band one day has never crossed his mind, because of the utmost organization of this band.
Nothing epitomizes the band’s organization and professionalism like the fact that even Rachel Magoola, who became a member of parliament, puts in a shift on stage like the rest of the team. Unless one knows her, they would never tell that she is actually a high-profile person off-stage.
Kibazo’s colleague and fellow Afrigo fan, Kennedy Mutenyo tends to lose himself whenever Afrigo band plays their famous song, Olumbe Lw’obwavu. Regarding the Afrigo’s posterity and the band being so dependent on Matovu, Mutenyo goes into deep thought.
Mutenyo is not sure what the answer to that actually is. While he is not the kind to flinch under such tough questions, the Afrigo one is tricky to answer.
In his view, only time will tell whether the band can outlive Matovu. Of late, it is hard to secure a booking with Afrigo. Every weekend, Friday to Sunday, has them engaged. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago, they entertained revellers in Masaka on a Monday. It is that hectic for them, but also proof of how much they remain a brand in demand.
When the band released the album Batuuse II in 1989, it was possibly a peak of their big comeback, and many of its founding members such as Ssekyanzi and Sserumaga were still on stage; that even after many of them died or emigrated and the band stayed dominant on the live music scene, says a lot about its future and longevity.
Even with the hard question whether Afrigo can shine without Matovu, Afrigo’s fan base is just comfortable living the experience of Uganda’s greatest music band. Like life itself, what good is in obsessing about tomorrow when you are blessed with today?
Nevertheless, Matovu thinks about the future. At the moment, he continues to passionately push for the enforcement of the copyright law in Uganda. He insists that is the only way performing artistes can reap from their creativity for eternity.
Afrigo is planning on starting a music school to train Uganda’s next onstage artistes. Clearly, rewards from that will keep the band going long after Matovu has hang up his saxophone.
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