BY SINDISO DUBE
Comedian and radio broadcaster Babongile Sikhonjwa has blasted the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) for “not respecting and valuing” the works of artists, following the death of award winning comedian Clive Chigubu.
Chigubu (31) was buried just over a week ago at Umvutsha Cemetry in Bulawayo following a battle with a type of cancer known as Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphona (DLBCL).
Before burial, a service was held at his family home in Barbourfields suburb with reports indicating that the BCC turned down a request for Chigubu to be buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery, which is reserved for luminaries in the city.
The City Fathers also barred the holding of the memorial service at Bulawayo Amphitheatre.
Chigubus’ coffin had to be placed on the street outside his family house in Barbourfields, with the memorial service being held in the middle of the road due to the large numbers of people that turned up to pay their last respects to the late comedian.
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“We asked you to take Clive Chigubu’s funeral to the Amphitheatre and you refused,” Sikhonjwa said.
“When it’s election campaign period you have nothing about the arts and artists in your manifestos.
“This time you won’t get our votes during the election period.
“If you respected the arts, Clive wouldn’t be sleeping here (dead). You enjoy our jokes yet you don’t want to pay us.
“As for Members of Parliament, no one speaks for us (artists) in Parliament.
“Clive’s death and funeral has given us time to speak to our leaders and politicians directly.
“Clive should have been put even at Lady Stanley as a hero. At the age of 31 he should be an example to other young artists to work hard so that they can be like Clive, but you will tell us that Clive is too young to be buried at Lady Stanley, why is that so?
“Shame on you City council. We pay rates every day, and we have the one guy who made the city laugh and the country laugh but you treat us like crap. When the next artist dies, Mr Mayor and your councillors, we don’t want to come to you but you come to us and tell us what you have to do for us.
“Why is it difficult to rename this road [along Chigubus’s residence] after Clive Chigubu.”
Sikhonjwa said there were many heroes who have died in Bulawayo and not recognised.
The free speaking Sikhonjwa, who acted as the Chigubu family spokesperson, also tore into Bulawayo artists describing them as lazy.
“Artistes should not be lazy and start growing their brands to be bigger,” he said.
“Corporates follow brands that benefit them, hence we are here burying Clive and we have them (corporates) helping us here.
“Clive is and was a big brand hence many people were even putting up profile pictures. Bulawayo artists you are lazy and if you don’t work for your brand you will not go anywhere and continue crying foul over South African acts that come here,” he said.