Fading Sulu Seeks The ‘Hand Of God’

Dendera music’s fading star Sulumani Chimbetu wasn’t always as faded as the jean trousers of a liberation war fighter in the hot and treacherous bundu during the Chimurenga.

He once had it all.

Finding God...Sulumani Chimbetu in the 'Apostles robes'.

      

At the height of his career he was untouchable and perhaps the arrogance that fame ushers in had comfortably perched him and his handler Joe Nyamungoma, above the realm of the living as they lived the life of gods.

An interview with little god Sulu? Well it was easier to get an audience with the Pope on the balcony of the Vatican than Sulu! And if you did get the sacred audience he would slur through disinterestedly and sum up.

But now the chips are down.

Which is why it is understandable that he seems to have gone back to the REAL God to express penance and pray for a better day and at least a hit single and a scorcher album.

Social media has been awash with images of the soft-spoken yet largely conceited musician donning the uniform of the Apostolic Faith sects-the white garments (magemenzi) as he sat barefoot at an open air apostolic sect ‘Cathedral’ waiting for an intervention from the man of God and perhaps a splash of holy water and handful of holy pebbles or rocks!

Sulu has of late been unable to do anything right but in all fairness has done everything right.

Apart from a disastrous duet that he attempted with mbira musician Hope Masiike which sounds like a poorly tuned Japanese nursery rhyme being sung by infants who have only just received the gift of speech, his other attempts have been amazing.

Leading the pack off the Jamboree album, the latest he has released at his ‘colourful’ wedding remembered more for the drama around ex-wife trying to disrupt the proceedings than the nuptials themselves, Sulu proved he is a god of creativity still with Alice Mbewe.

The song Alice Mbewe is a great track which was borne out of the instinctive genius of the man who remains the best living Dendera music artiste in the country ahead of his uncle and phone thief Allan Chimbetu as well as the other struggling pack behind him.

Sulu is the firm monarch on the throne of Dendera.

But what really is behind his demise apart from the economy? Perhaps it is the arrogance that once saw him approach the media for advice and strong launch strategies as every entertainment journalist worth their salt got a copy of their album ready for review ahead of the launches and now has stopped. Or perhaps it is that two minutes of arrogance and unapproachability that saw him sneer at the media partners and fans alike.

Or maybe it is the fact that his ‘best friend’, Jah Prayzah, cancels a show and his promoters decide to reschedule it on the day before Sulu’s wedding and launch date so much so that he has to downsize his intended plans instead and have his ‘bestie’ Tora the Mari. With friends like that Sulu knows the bone shall always be snatched away by his so-called best mate and he will starve.

The answer to his ill-luck is unknown.

Which is perhaps why he decided to retrace his steps to the hill of God and seek divine intervention. Did it work? We do not know yet.

His footprints are still fresh on the soil from his journey to the mountain. But perhaps if he were to take a deep breath and focus again and regain that composure and regard for his partners right down to the fans, the golden era Sulu will rise again.

That and also doing whatever the man of God at the Apostolic Sect meeting told him to do. Heya heya!