Is Koffi Olomide still undisputed King of Rumba?
There were days when Congolese musician Koffi Olomide held a cult status with his legion of adoring fans across Africa giving him a range of names.
But as it turns out those days are running out quite fast and as revealed this week the singer is a wanted man.
Paris, which was once his glamorous destination could turn out to be the place where he serves a long jail term.
French prosecutors are seeking a seven-year prison sentence against Congolese musician Koffi Olomide over charges of sexual assault.
The 62-year-old musician is standing trial for allegedly sexually assaulting four former dancers who say they were held against their will at a villa outside Paris. The acts – including those of violence, coercion and kidnapping – were allegedly committed in the French capital between 2002 and 2006.
Olomide, also appeared before the court of Nanterre, near Paris, for facilitating the entry and illegal stay in France of the plaintiffs. The musician has denied all charges levelled against him.
He is no stranger to controversy especially involving assault of his dancers and the Paris incident doesn’t seem to be an isolated case for the Grand Mopao who is in his early 60s.
In 2016 Kenyan authorities arrested, detained and deported him over assault of his dancers at an airport.
On that day upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the musician baffled many when he descended on his dancer, identified as Pamela, with kicks after he touched down.
Sources say Koffi was irritated by Pamela who allegedly fell out with his lover Cindy Le Couer en route to Kenya. Cindy, a Congolese female singer with an impressive vocal range, started dating Koffi Olomide, her boss, in 2012. In an interview that night, Olomide denied he assaulted Pamela. Instead, he said he was defending her and other dancers from an alleged pick pocket.
He returned home and was slapped with similar charges by authorities. He is also the subject of a judicial process in the Zambia, where he was previously barred from entering. Real name Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, Olomide is a household name across much of the continent’s Francophone nations and beyond including East Africa.
He is a singer, composer and producer who has often played at top events involving politicians. One of his recent gigs took him to Equatorial Guinea where he performed at an end of year presidential ball.
Is he still King?
Don’t let this turbulent days fool you, the demand for Koffi Olomide across the region is so huge and on any given day he will perform to a sold out concert in Dar es Salaam.
It is no doubt that with age, like wine, Koffi, who many credit at the father of West and Central Africa rumba as we know it today, has become a better star.
His recent releases have proved that not even the millennial challenge that has seen styles and sounds change can challenge his strong hold.
The veteran has most of the current Congolese stars crediting him for his inspiration and mentorship. However, critics still argue that even Koffi rules in his reign, one man still stands on his way to greatness and that is none other than Werrason.
If there was ever to be a battle of the giants, it would be between Koffi Olomide and Werrason. Their relationship has been one fraught with complications, from being best friends (Koffi is the Godfather to Werrason’s daughter, Exaucee) to hardly standing to be in the same room with each other.
When Werrra was deprived of the most of the main Wenge members, instruments, and some donors and wanted to move to Canada, Koffi was among the very first to encourage a then depressed Werra to regroup and quickly form what would become MM. However, he did that without anticipating how fast Werra would get big.
In 2005 in the midst of performances in Africa and Europe and as he reorganised his band Wenge Musica Maison Mère, Werrason continued work on his second solo album Temoignage de Miracle a 14-track double CD, which he released early 2005.
It was evident that Werrason had bounced back in a big way and by this time had regained his position as the musician with the highest number of fans in Central Africa.
That year Werrason won a Kora award for the best artiste in Central Africa beating off a strong field of contenders including his close friend Koffi Olomide.
Rivalry
The fallout came when rumour reached Werrason that Koffi was threatened by his success and was badmouthing him.
Further reports also state that Koffi had struck a friendship with Werrason’s former bandmate and longtime rival JB Mpiana, at a time when this JB and Werrason were publicly feuding.
JB and Werroason were members of the band Wenge Musica 4x4 B.C.B.G Tout-Terrain that launched Werrason’s music career in the 80s. The band split up in 1997, leading to a very public rivalry between the two frontrunners. After the split of Wenge Musica 4x4 BCBG Tout-Terrain, JB Mpiana took with him most band members.
Some key members whom Werrason had recruited into the band and therefore assumed would join him, instead chose JB Mpiana.
This was a very testing time for Werrason and at this time he even contemplated leaving music altogether. After much reflection he decided to soldier on and begun massive recruitment drive of new talent and formed the original Wenge Musica Maison Mère.
Attempts by Koffi to poach member of the revamped Wenge Musica Maison Mère further deepened that rift.
Sources say that Koffi would attend Werra’s shows with one or two of his administrators to the left of the stage, seemingly scouting, taking mental notes of instrumentalists and the younger singers by the way he watched.
The Band
Koffi’s band, Quartier Latin International, now 33 years old, has helped him achieve international fame and numerous awards, but he still envied Werrason’s band.
Koffi was rumored to have confessed in private and even once on TV without realising it that if he had a team like the Wenge Musica Maison Mère, it would be hard for any other artiste to even exist.
Whereas music rivalry is not a new thing, the musical rivalry between Werrason and JB Mpiana, and later with Koffi Olomide has served to shape Werrason’s approach to music. It has inspired him to always try to produce very high quality albums and better live shows so as to remain at the top musically.
Whatever might have happened between these two musical giants that led to their falling out, one thing is obvious.
They have a deep respect for each other. Koffi and Werra may not be on close terms like in the past, but if you look back to every significant event over the years, funerals or something pertaining to presidential administration, you’ll see them together, even chatting.
But as the court cases and a potential jail term standing in the way it is rather debatable whether the Grand Mopao shall remain at the helm for a long time.
