Nakimera: A melody stilled
Sep 24, 2003
It is as if death has launched a war on Ugandan artists. Two years within succession, Uganda has lost six local artists.
By Elvis Basudde
It is as if death has launched a war on Ugandan artists. Two years within succession, Uganda has lost six local artists.
The latest to succumb to death is a celebrated songbird, Carol Nakimera, 29. She died of liver complications last Friday, at her mother’s home in Luweero and was buried last Saturday, at Kisasi in the presence of hundreds of fellow artists and friends.
Other artists who have died recently include the Ebonies star Paul Katende, who died in 2002 and Iro Stars’ Sarah Birungi who died in June of the same year. Diva Cissy Nakku died early this year while Afrigo’s Amigo Wawawa died in May this year.
For Ugandan music lovers, the demise of Nakimera, famed for her chart-bursting song Omusajja, Sembera and Gendayo Olabe,’ shocked them because she died after a very short illness.
According to a fellow musician who identified himself only as Sam, Nakimera was rushed to Gwatiro Hospital in Bweyogerere, from where she escaped after two days. Her friends then took her to her mother’s home in Luweero where she died shortly after.
Veteran musician Elly Wamala described Nakimera’s passing as a big loss to the local music scene. “Artistically, she was good.
One of the finest... a composer, writer, vocalist, instrumentalist and dancer, all rolled in one,†said Wamala.
He said that like Sarah Birungi her late colleague, Nakimera was a great inspiration to the Uganda music fraternity and everybody’s friend. She influenced many bubbly women to join the music industry.
In 1995, Nakimera and Birungi mobilised and organised over 20 women musicians and put up a very successful show at Nakivubo.
It was the first that female stars from different musical united in one feminine show of solidarity to display their musical talents.
Since then, women have often held joint shows under the code name Abakyala Simmere, with the purpose of fighting for their rights through music.
Nakimera’s interest in music can be traced to her early childhood in Kenya, where she grew up and studied. She used to feature in her school’s mass choir at an early age.
As an active choir participant, she started achieving fame by winning many awards as an outstanding soloist. Little did she know that her appealing voice would soon turn her into a lead vocalist.
On completing school, she failed to get a job immediately and so she began to nurture her talent by concentrating on music. She started off in 1990, when she teamed up with the Super Rocket Band, where she lead the back up vocals for a number of years.
After remaining in the background for a long time, backing up other musicians and bands, she decided to solo by recording her own cassette, Omusujja, which put her into the lime light.
After this, many top musicians and bands in the 1990s, invited her to perform in their groups and it was a source of inspiration to her.
She soon established herself as a star in her own right and her splendid performance attracted many other top groups with an excellent line-up of talented artists. Among them were the California Band, the Afrigo Band, the Vibrations and Pride Band where she sang, with Fred Maiso.
Other bands included Jambo Stars and the Blues Band. Nakimera also did a stint with the late Umaru Katumba’s group where she cut the album Nengiboobeza.
“Nakimera had the kind of vocal range and expression that made an immediate and lasting impression on all manners of different audiences.
She was very versatile in most areas of popular music, including raggae, soul, jazz, r&b, zouk, calypso and even traditional music,†said Isaac Gwayambadde, who hired her to sing on his album Nsanyuse Wanjiibwa 4 - with the Super Rocket Band.
For the whole of 2002, Nakimera had signed a contract with the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, where she was a cabaret entertainer until she made an unexpected pronouncement in June.
“I am quitting music for poultry farming. My rewards in the music industry have not been commensurate with my efforts and aspirations,†she said shocking many of her fans.
Nakimera complained that after waiting for many years to produce an album, she exchanged her copyrights to unscrupulous producers for peanuts. She said she had waited for longer than anticipated but saw no reward of her labour yet she had pushed herself beyond limits.
“For over 12 years, I have persevered the frustrations of being in the background as I made stars out of new comers. You need not be told about these young men and women’s pains in trying to live up to their ambitions because all is etched in their faces.â€
Nakimerta said the efforts of many of talented youths never sees the light of day because of unscrupulous producers and because our country does not support budding musicians. So off she went, hoping that she would do better in poultry farming. At the time of her death, Nakimera had managed to rear over 800 chickens at her home in Wakaliga.
May she rest in eternal peace.
It is as if death has launched a war on Ugandan artists. Two years within succession, Uganda has lost six local artists.
The latest to succumb to death is a celebrated songbird, Carol Nakimera, 29. She died of liver complications last Friday, at her mother’s home in Luweero and was buried last Saturday, at Kisasi in the presence of hundreds of fellow artists and friends.
Other artists who have died recently include the Ebonies star Paul Katende, who died in 2002 and Iro Stars’ Sarah Birungi who died in June of the same year. Diva Cissy Nakku died early this year while Afrigo’s Amigo Wawawa died in May this year.
For Ugandan music lovers, the demise of Nakimera, famed for her chart-bursting song Omusajja, Sembera and Gendayo Olabe,’ shocked them because she died after a very short illness.
According to a fellow musician who identified himself only as Sam, Nakimera was rushed to Gwatiro Hospital in Bweyogerere, from where she escaped after two days. Her friends then took her to her mother’s home in Luweero where she died shortly after.
Veteran musician Elly Wamala described Nakimera’s passing as a big loss to the local music scene. “Artistically, she was good.
One of the finest... a composer, writer, vocalist, instrumentalist and dancer, all rolled in one,†said Wamala.
He said that like Sarah Birungi her late colleague, Nakimera was a great inspiration to the Uganda music fraternity and everybody’s friend. She influenced many bubbly women to join the music industry.
In 1995, Nakimera and Birungi mobilised and organised over 20 women musicians and put up a very successful show at Nakivubo.
It was the first that female stars from different musical united in one feminine show of solidarity to display their musical talents.
Since then, women have often held joint shows under the code name Abakyala Simmere, with the purpose of fighting for their rights through music.
Nakimera’s interest in music can be traced to her early childhood in Kenya, where she grew up and studied. She used to feature in her school’s mass choir at an early age.
As an active choir participant, she started achieving fame by winning many awards as an outstanding soloist. Little did she know that her appealing voice would soon turn her into a lead vocalist.
On completing school, she failed to get a job immediately and so she began to nurture her talent by concentrating on music. She started off in 1990, when she teamed up with the Super Rocket Band, where she lead the back up vocals for a number of years.
After remaining in the background for a long time, backing up other musicians and bands, she decided to solo by recording her own cassette, Omusujja, which put her into the lime light.
After this, many top musicians and bands in the 1990s, invited her to perform in their groups and it was a source of inspiration to her.
She soon established herself as a star in her own right and her splendid performance attracted many other top groups with an excellent line-up of talented artists. Among them were the California Band, the Afrigo Band, the Vibrations and Pride Band where she sang, with Fred Maiso.
Other bands included Jambo Stars and the Blues Band. Nakimera also did a stint with the late Umaru Katumba’s group where she cut the album Nengiboobeza.
“Nakimera had the kind of vocal range and expression that made an immediate and lasting impression on all manners of different audiences.
She was very versatile in most areas of popular music, including raggae, soul, jazz, r&b, zouk, calypso and even traditional music,†said Isaac Gwayambadde, who hired her to sing on his album Nsanyuse Wanjiibwa 4 - with the Super Rocket Band.
For the whole of 2002, Nakimera had signed a contract with the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, where she was a cabaret entertainer until she made an unexpected pronouncement in June.
“I am quitting music for poultry farming. My rewards in the music industry have not been commensurate with my efforts and aspirations,†she said shocking many of her fans.
Nakimera complained that after waiting for many years to produce an album, she exchanged her copyrights to unscrupulous producers for peanuts. She said she had waited for longer than anticipated but saw no reward of her labour yet she had pushed herself beyond limits.
“For over 12 years, I have persevered the frustrations of being in the background as I made stars out of new comers. You need not be told about these young men and women’s pains in trying to live up to their ambitions because all is etched in their faces.â€
Nakimerta said the efforts of many of talented youths never sees the light of day because of unscrupulous producers and because our country does not support budding musicians. So off she went, hoping that she would do better in poultry farming. At the time of her death, Nakimera had managed to rear over 800 chickens at her home in Wakaliga.
May she rest in eternal peace.