Manu Dibango, who has often spoken very little about politics, believed that politicians were not always people to be trusted. He said that his way of contributing to a better society was to do humanitarian work. "I cannot speak of my country, Cameroon, and I do not want to speak of France, because I am only a foreign resident here,"
he added.
Between two bursts of this authentic raucous laugh, that we knew so well, he joked about the 2018 presidential elections in Cameroon saying: "It seems that Paul Biya had already received the invitation card from France for the centenary of the armistice even before the results were announced”. He adds: "Anyway, over political action, I have always preferred humanitarian initiatives, such as the recording of the single" Tam-Tam for Ethiopia "[to help the victims of famine, editor note], which I produced in 1985. Never before have African musicians gathered around a cause. "
The same year (1985) Manu invited the American jazzman Herbie Hancock in his album Electric Africa, whose song Abele Dance was a hit.
Humanist, Papy Groove was, because he helped and opened the doors to a host of African musicians such as Angelique Kidjo and many others. An altruism that had started very early when he became at the end of the 60s, the musical mentor of the Togolese singer Bella Bellow, or the Congolese Franklin Boukaka.
In 1973, after settling in New York after a tour of Latin America with the Latin American artists like Johnny Pacheco's Fania All Stars, Celia Cruz and Ray Barreto, Manu accepted the invitation of President Houphouët Boigny to take the direction of the National Orchestra of the Ivoirian Radio-Television. During his stay in Ivory Coast, Manu Dibango knew how to encourage the development of Ivorian artists such as Aicha Koné, Alpha Blondy, Chantal Taïba, Nayanka Bell and many others ...
Attached to Africa, he will be all his life. The proof, he remained attached to his Cameroonian passport despite the fact that it is not always easy for nationals of African countries to travel freely around the world.
In 1992, Yves Bigot (Fnac Music) asked him to record Wakafrika, an album of covers of the biggest African hits with the cream of African artists and international musicians. The album, produced by George Acogny and Philippe Poustis executive production, will be released worldwide.
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Flashmag April 2020 www.flashmag.net