There is a sense in which the culture sector of our society is under threat of real destruction as death chips way its foundations, memory and narrative.
The past few months have seen the death of huge figures in literature, music, drama and cultural development.
The Land of Malawi lost gospel music icon Chinga Moffat, a woman many descr ibed as uniquely endowed and hard to replace. Renowned literature academic and eminent Professor Steve Chimombo the giant of Napolo tales has since fallen quiet.
As though this was not enough, we recently lost “the people’s professor” Chris Kamlongera, making the pit of loss deeper, the prospects darker and the experience too painful to bear. Two distinguished academics with one attribute in common: a permanent smile and a ready hearty laugh.
And more recently, the venerable John Nyanga, the man the world knew simply as Izeki joined his ancestors. Put all these unwelcome departures together and the meaning to culture, literature and entertainment is frightening.
These celebrated children of the Land may have left so much and so rich legacies but the fact is that they are gone never to be heard from again, never to talk to us in any form other than that which they left behind
Yes, everything gone in one sweep of senseless destiny
What makes the passing of Izeki harsh is the product that the two, Izeki and Jacob, created for the people of Malawi to devour with zeal for over three decades. And as Izeki took the journey to his final home it was truly the end of an era.
Look at John Nyanga as anybody and anything you like, but to me he was first and foremost a citizen who served his country with dedication and commitment in consistent exploitation of the best of his talent.
As Eric Mabedi – the best half of Izeki and Jacobo brand – intoned almost tearfully “the chapter we called Izeki and Jacob is closed”.
And closed it is, never to open again except in the glimpses of fleeting images coming from repeat performances which gripped the imagination of every consumer, young or old, rich or poor, powerful or not – everybody.
That is the beauty of human resilience and the stupidity of death.
What I know is that only few will soon forget Izeki. But Izeki is irreplaceable. Izeki will never die immortalised as he is in the product Izeki ndi Jacob that Malawians so much cherished.
Who was Izeki to you? I will tell you who he was to me:
Like he liked saying himself ‘a very simple man’ yes, but one gifted with a magnetic heart powerful enough to hold kings and queens to one position for as long he was in action. Izeki was not just an actor he was an arsenal of talent, skill and projecting the power of the comical without parallel.
We are here talking about a man who never came to terms with exactly what he was, a legend in an art he understood perfectly, an unpretentious giant without precedent.
This is a man who lived jokes, drama and happy talk in his whole life starting as he did in primary school and church quite early in his professional development
Clearly Izeki was a great pioneer of dramatic comedy in Malawi maturing into a towering leviathan without an inkling of conceit till his rapture into a new existence none of his followers will ever learn about.
Izeki was a career actor. As Willie Zingani noted of Izeki’s experiences, he was the only person that he knew of who lived on acting throughout his adult life. And I agree. The majority in this field worked full time and acted part-time.
Not so the venerable John Nyanga. He talked, he laughed and he acted to earn a deserving and honourable living. He had the brain of a creator, the voice of an entertainer and the looks of a peaceful human going about doing what he knew best.
Whether he saw it that way or not, Malawi had a great teacher in John Nyanga. This is a man who tackled serious issues and sent home messages in contemptuously casual and funny ways. In comedy he found a way to relate to people and to communicate fundamentals of life.
Understand this too. As a dramatist, John Nanga developed incredible mastery of issues, rapidly, completely and maturely. It did not matter whether it was maternal health, public reforms or epidemics. H e always had a way of constructing what needed to be communicated – only comically.
Yes, his subjects were far too varied to be summarised here. He enlivened dull political meetings sometimes succeeding in making unlikable people nice and human. Izeki at work facilitated and simplified infinitely complex campaigns and educated people in millions.
I have known none or too few like Izeki had who had the magic to choose what to say to who; when and how. He was a master of audience analysis always sure who needed to hear what.
It was what and how he said things that gave people moments of fun. But my encounter with Izeki in the field of HIV and AIDS just his looks, voice and mannerisms were enough to evoke the spirit of laughter.
You might remember Malawians ‘killed Izeki many times’ but each time he turned the prospect of his own death into a matter of laughter amid some serious advice to rumour mongers. Always a true master of his trade!
You see, Sir John Nyanga didn’t need to put up a formal performance to entertain. He was entertainment himself packaged in a workaholic who not only liked his job, but was committed to doing this job to the best of his skill, putting body mind and soul into full action.
But this unique bundle of joy and creator of laughter is gone; sometimes abandoned in times of personal tribulation; and pain to all people in death.
Sir John, this is my tribute. Your eternal rest is my wish.
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