Onesimus, the “Controller” hitmaker, won the coveted Best Male Artist award at the 8th annual Hapa Awards in Tanzania, triumphing over established African stars including Harmonize, Marioo, Rayvanny (Tanzania), Khaid and Kcee (Nigeria).
However, this triumph was met with a surprising twist, as Tonney Chitimatima, the General Secretary of the Musicians Union of Malawi (MUM), revealed that Onesimus is not registered with their organization.
Despite our intensified efforts to communicate with Onesimus, we hit a dead end as his phone went unanswered but Chitimatima confirmed that the musician is not registered with their association.
“We recently became aware of Onesimus’s triumph through social media, and we’re thrilled for his achievement. Yet, since the artist is not one of our registered individuals, we cannot provide much information about the occasion, as we don’t know any foundation or event connected to it,” he said.
Despite this unexpected development, Chitimatima was eager to shed light on the overarching mission of MUM, explaining, “Our goal is to bridge the divides among Malawian artists and maintain their unity, while also inspiring and motivating many others in the artistic community.”
Delving deeper into the history of MUM, Chitimatima shared that the organization has its roots in the Malawian Arts Association, established in 1994 by the late Minister of Culture, Du Chisiza Jnr.
The Union was formally registered as “The Registered Trustees of Musicians Association of Malawi” on December 4, 2002, under the leadership of Chairman Jai Banda, before Reverend Dr. Chimwemwe Mhango assumed the role of the first president in 2014.
Chitimatima added, “Onesmus’s accomplishments in the music world are commendable, yet joining forces with MUM may provide further opportunities for growth and development.”
Currently, MUM is registered with more than 500 artists, including Skeffa Chimoto, Ethel Kamwendo, Eli Njuchi, Driemo, and many other notable artists.
