Joseph Nkasa takes the road less travelled by, but it has not made any difference

Feb 17, 2017 Entertainment 99
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Joseph Nkasa

When the American poet, Robert Frost, was writing his famous poem, “The Road Not Taken”, little did he know that one Joseph Nkasa in Malawi will also go for the shunned road. When the character in the poem took the less travelled by road, it ended up making a difference, but not with Nkasa’s latest effort.

The now infamous ‘Maizegate’ scandal involving the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Irrigation, Dr. George Chaponda has taken Malawians’ opinion on the man, the party and the government to an unpopular direction. With the commission of inquiry, set up by President Peter Mutharika, recommending that the minster be investigated, it tells the whole story: Something went wrong.

Joseph Nkasa
Joseph Nkasa goes his usual way.

The conduct of the minister in the procurement of the maize from Zambia has questioned his integrity. Worse enough, the attempts by the President to protect this long time Democratic Progressive Party loyal member has also questioned the commitment of government in dealing with corruption. All in all, Malawians have openly expressed their dislike for the man.

But one Joseph Nkasa has chosen to take the other road on this matter. To begin with, Joseph Nkasa remains the undisputed top musician, especially when one looks back to his career. But as time went by, his music career took the dead end, and no one, apart from him, is to take the blame.

He came into the limelight with a unique beat and message that many even copied his style and made legendary careers from it. He used to call himself ‘Phungu’, which meant Counsellor. Indeed, that was where his music was centered. When he claimed in one of his songs that his music saved hopeless people from suicide, he was right.

But his delve into politics ruined his career. ‘Mose Wa Lero’ in 2008 was an influential hit. But that was the beginning of his end. As if that was enough, in 2013 he again made an attempt into politics when he sung for President Joyce Banda in her ill-fated bid to the Presidency. After that attempt, Nkasa largely went into oblivion, only to appear this year with another political song.

Just days ago, he has come up with a pro-Chaponda song. When many people are accusing Chaponda of wrong doing, Nkasa thinks he is being a victim of some jealous people. He further says that the stone beings thrown at Chaponda will make him build a mansion from it. This will end up making him being a landlord of the same people who are throwing stones at him. He sings;

Chimene ndachiona ndi mtima wa njiru

Kaduka Nsanje, zakula M’malawi

 

In his good old days, Nkasa could have been on a wrong beat, but his lyrics could square everything into a good song. And that was what made him a gem. The ability in him to weave vernacular words and paint images into the listeners’ mind was the legendary quality he had. But not anymore. The beat and the lyrics are all off point. The song sounds to have forcibly come out of him.

But the message; as an artist and Malawian, he has every right to offer his opinions on what is happening in the country. The only challenge is that his opinion is contrary to what many think about the scandal according to the available evidence. This has the potential of further tainting his career, if at all it still exists. He has taken himself to the very low point of his career, and for some of us, his die-hard fans, we get worried if ever we are going to experience the same old Nkasa.

Joseph Nkasa
Nkasa. The Man!

The man needs to do away with politics. There are other better ways he can be political than taking such unpopular stances. In his immediate past projects, he sounds out of touch with both reality and his old self. But make no mistake, the Nkasa that took Malawi by storm fourteen years ago is not really gone, he just needs some soul searching to bounce back. And one day, he will.

 

About the writer: Wonderful Mkhutche is a speech writer, a political scientist and a manuscript editor and developer.

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99 Comments

  4. Ndikufuna kunena motsindika pano.Agalu nonse omwe mukunyoza Nkasa mukagwere uko.
    Palibe ngakhale mmodzi wa inu yemwe angaime ndi Nkasa muzinthu zambiri.
    Ine pamodzi ndi Nkasa ndi gulu lina lambiri sitidzafooka ndi zolongolora zanuzo,koma m’malo mwake tidzapalasilabe patsogolo ngati mkango.Ngati muli anzeru imbani yanu nyimbo yoti idzasukulutse nyimbo ya m’bale wangayi.Ndinu ayani inu kuti mutinyasepo apa?Mwalalata zambiri agwape inu zonyoza munthu yemwe sanakuputeni.Ukakhala okufa mukabudula uzikhala patali ndi akazi kuti ungayaluke.Mundisamale guys pa Nkasa pokhapo mwama?

  7. Nkasa Nkasa imba mmene ungaimbire u r jst expressing ur views.Nkasa iweyo ndi oimba wamva ndiwe mmalawi imba ofunika kuimbidwa aimbidwe apapa ndikufuna ndikupatse maina a anthu oti uwaimbe : 1 ujeni uyu umuimbe ujeni aaaaa amati ujeni uyuuu ndangomuiwala pang’ono:2 umuimbe mfana ujayu Nkasa ukumudziwa iweyo singachite kukuuza aide:3 undiimbe ineyo ndinamwapo ine 20 bottles of cocacola at once

  13. Anthu inu Nkasayu akufuna udindo ngwa dyera coz munthu opanda zolinga zoipa pa Malawi sangaimbe nyimbo yopanga praise leadership ya dziko lino ndipomwe Malawi yafikapa aziganizire nkasa ndi dyera lakeli

  16. Awa sangapange compete ndi ana amasiku ano odziwa kuimba nde guys don’t waste your energy.

  17. Ngati kuli chidempete cha Munthu nde ndameneu wosowa mtunduyu nkasa, mwina enanu tanthauzo la chidempete simukulidziwa ndichitsilu choposa zitsilu zonse, choti ngakhale kaya Amfumu ku mudzi sangakhalenso ndi Malo ochisungila chinthu choti nzeru chilibe, ngati zochita zakusowani mmmm akulu ingodikilani tsiku losamila mkono mwamva? iweyo sungamanene kuti amalawi Nsanje ndani angapange nsanje ndi chaponda wakoyo, ngati umakapempha kwawo ndiweyotu. koma amene Ali mmalawi olimba mtima akuenela kudzudzula khalidwe lonyasa lomwe chaponda wakoyo adaonesa, mwina sukudziwa kuti chili chonse chomwe anthuwa amadya kumaenda maiko akuja imakhala misonkho yathu nde kuonjezela pamenepo atibelenso ndalama zomwe zimaenela kugula chimanga choti anthu athandizikile osatinso ulele ayi koma azikagulanso nde China mkuika mthumba lake zimenezo iwe umvekele Nsanje ndiwe Chitsiru Katumbu ndithu.

  20. Point of correction, it’s wrong to assert that the road taken by Nkasa is less travelled or shunned. We are many along that road. We are traveling proudly and gently along that road with no noise at all. On the contrary the other road where you are part of is less traveled but you the travelers are too talkative, barking, crying because you are mostly flibbertigibbets.

  22. Malawi will never change the future about finance; because is lot of strangers; like cash get’ maize get’ fire get’ blood get’ and something like that; enyway fuckthem all the people of dpp; except vice president!;

  23. A nkasa. You must stand upright like a man and talk sense, we know you the other way and not this. Timaona ngati munalapa a nyolonyo anakugwira-gwirani aja…… lero mwasintha mawanga…. zovala za u prophet mwavalira mkati……mukufuna mpaka tipeke nyimbo…????

  24. mkasa is also a malawian to express his opinion like u u r reading this coment so i don’t see the problem of argue for his lyrics and he know the way of how to get money .

    1. Exactly bro, maind is the same plp who suppoting Nkasa ali kwa Amayi know he rejoin some Dpp guruz so whats wrong akufuna naye podyera. zokubazi lets calm down the trueth will remain the trueth nkhaniyi tiwasiyile Akhoti ndi womwe azatiwuze chilungamo.

  27. Oh guys, this Mkasa is singing for business just to put food on his table. Its just wasting tym to arguing with him. All of us we don’t know where he stand for. But to say truth that guy was talented before but now he lost the way. Just forgive him .

  28. Kuti alembe nyimbo pano akukanika bcz zonse anzawo analemba rather hangup zidazo,unali dolo nthawi ija koma pano aaaaa!1999 album yako inali one of the best mukusochelatuuu aphungu

  29. Lolz guys if you feel offended with what nkasa has done, why don’t you just compose a song with lyrics that can counter argue nkasa’s song?…otherwise mukubesa time ndi ndalama kumunyoza on social media saona zomwe mwalemba nkasa yo,, i doubt ngati nkasa alipa fb

  37. Achaponda!! alibe mlandu!!!! m’bwalo la milandu uuuuuu!!!! padziko lapansiri alibe mlandu!!!!!!!! mwina iwe ulinao mulandu!!!! iweeeeeeee!!!!,sanatenge chimanga pa khomo la munthu madalawa & palibe mmodzi mwa inu amene adakorora chimanga ndikukasungitsa Ku boma but boma likugulitsa zomwe inu munaliguritsa zokorora zanu ndiye iro likugulitsa kuti lipeze cholowa chao then mukuti waba kkkkkkk tamaganizani anthu inu, kuyambira chaka chino zokorora zanuzo muzisunga nokha mwamva!!! basiso ndiponso enanu mulibe minda apa ntchito mawowo basi and chonsechonso mumakhala pa rent moreeee!!! chakwera!!!!! ,zakupsa kwa office ndiyankha mawa 12:45 pm

  41. Robert Frost, not a Malawian & not knowing about Nkasa, not even the writer is known to be more reasonable thinking than us.

  46. kwa amene amatsata music ya akuluwa mukuti nkasa avomereza kt akuluwa ndi atinke nawo kudabwera bingu adayimba yomutamanda kudafika amayi adatamandaso amayi kudangofika chakwera ku mcp akuluwa adayimbaso zotamanda iye now he is coming with another song yoyikira kumbuyo chaponda akuluwa nzeru mulibe he just shows how cheap are some of malawian artist nde amadzitamaso kt at ndi a prophet zamkutu prophet wanji olowerera zandale? nyimbo zanzeru akuluwa zidawathera mwina ndi ukalamba

  54. Iwe chaponda mutu ngati phonda:)waponda zosaponda ndikuponda ukaponda kwa mpondabwino kuno ndi mpondamatiki wako ali ku statehouseyo kkk kkk kkk

  58. Yes’ Mkasa go in schools, communities, markets, hospital, bus deports or any public place you can see different things there that can visionise you and create good songs that can save Malawi for good future . Please man if you’re insane go to rehab.

  63. Nkasa has got his own style and knows what he wants. If you were in his shoes you would have done what you think but he is in his shoes and you are in your shoes. You are not Nkasa and Nkasa is not you. Thats his way of singing he can sing ‘Anasankha Olakwika’ next he sings ‘Mose wa Lero’ then ‘Yakwiya mizimu’ The guy has his own trend and knows his audience. It seems each song here has its audience so if you are not the audience in the Chaponda song just shut up and be Lucius Banda’s audience on the song attacking Chaponda. Thats all BUT know that ‘One who laughs last, laughs the longest!’

    2. So you want me to support your thinking mmmmm #Jiya# know that if both of us will think the same then one is not thinking I am not you so leave me and leave Nkasa to address his audience and please just be at a distance so that you shouldnt hear his Lyrics angakukweze mtima. He knows where money is and who butters his bread.

    8. Kaya Nkasa Ndi Nkasa Ine Ndineyo Kma Iye Z Stupid Ther Z Words Wich Says Together We Can Do It,they He Z Praising Sum1 Wh In Our Society Z Dangerous So Wth The Words,together We Can Do It Can We Wth Such Thnkng De Lyks Of Nkasa& U.We Don’t Hate Him Bt He Hz To Reason Wy Our Country Z Vry Poor,some Of Reason Its De Way We Praise Politician Wh Steal 4rm Us& Denie Developments.A Wise Man Shud Not B Told Good Thngs Bt Realise

    9. Hahahahahaha guys why are you catching feelings cause of someone’s opinions?? Is it a crime these days for someone to express his point of view on arguments like these?? Its not possible for everyone to have the very same perception on everything..kaya nkasa walakwisa kaya ayi, thats how he sees the current maize gate thing inuyoso you can compose a song with lyrics which can counter argue nkasa’s songs not kutukwana on social media its barbalic

    11. Kkkkk Kkkk my fellow Malawians why busy fighting for nothing,pls wake up and make your own money as the way Mkasa doing for living, no matter the plays he gets it,But this time everyone chasing after money

    14. Kkkkkkk #Pagone# ulipo aisee? Anthu ena takes this country as theirs and believe their views are right and everyone has to toe their line of thinking. I understand in democracy its important to respect other people’s views and not being egocentric to believe you are all-knowing and your views are better than others NOOO. As far as I, Collings Kanyinji, am concerned Chaponda stands innocent until proven otherwise by a competent court and not forcing everybody to believe what other malicious people are saying mind you am not a Lhomwe but I look at things square whoever is involved Lhomwe or whoever. I have chosen to take the Road less travelled as Nkasa has.

  64. it’s not too late for this idiot to expose himself that he has nothing to offer to the malawians watch out Mr old musician. just work hard it’s only way that can pay you freedom money

  65. Akulu Inu Che Mkasa Muzafa Imfa Yowawa Chifukwa Cha Dyera Nthawi Ya Jb Ndinakuphonya Ndi Mwala Wa Legen Panopa Undisamale Ndizakupanga Chandamale, Ife Tikufuna Kuti Mbavazi Zikafere Kundende Ndiye Iweyo Ukuziika Kumbuyo, Zimakusangalasa Agogo Ako Okalamba Aja Akama Lephera Kugura Chimanga Kamba Kokwera Mtengo Chifukwa Cha Mbava Imeneyi , Iwe Mkasa Iwe Usamale Kwambiri

  68. If Joseph Mkasa is finincially stranded he would’ve just collaborated with other artists like Martse to reboot Wayenda Wapenga songs or other songs which took him to the Map like’Njala’ to sing them in a modern way rather than backing up politicians who’re putting Malawi hunger.

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