Obert Tongai Moyo Jnr has taken the gloves off for a
bare-fisted brawl with his elder brother Peter after he recently released a
single titled Cain and Abel.
Plucked from the biblical scriptures where two siblings
decided to make an offering to God in return for blessings, the deed ended up
with Cain killing Abel because his (Abel’s) sacrifice had pleased God as
opposed to Cain’s that was rejected.
The release of the song becomes the second round in the
Moyo brothers’ feud, whose initial misunderstanding was centred on paternity
questions and distribution of their late father’s estate. The song Cain and
Abel attracted 23 000 views on the second day of its posting on YouTube.
Tongai Moyo Snr was a polygamist (with five customarily
married wives) and he passed on some years back after battling with cancer. He,
however, did not leave a will behind. Among the assets making up the estate are
a house in Mbizo, a big stand in Sesombe on the outskirts of Kwekwe, two
vehicles and a music kit currently being used by Peter.
There was discontent over the manner in which Peter, as the
eldest, allegedly positioned himself as heir and executor, taking over his
father’s band — Utakataka Express — and defying some agreements that had
earlier been made with regard to the distribution of proceeds from shows. A
family consensus had entitled him to 20% of proceeds, while 40% each would go
to cover expenses and family needs respectively.
Now it is the release of the song Cain and Abel that is
likely to set a new tone to the row that has raged over the years. In a
no-holds-barred verbal assault, Tongai Jnr chides and mocks his brother,
likening him to Cain.
“Abel akapfumbata rudo; Cain akapfumata hondo…. Tarira iwe
uri kuchema negodo, chiona ini ndakagarika murudo,” goes part of the lyrics on
this master-piece that is a great improvement from his previous production,
Dzinza Rinokosha. The track Cain and Abel is pregnant with the original
Utakataka signature and chants, and Obert evidently self-imposes himself as the
natural heir to their father’s musical throne.
He claims it was even revealed during their father’s living
years that it would be him who would carry the torch in the event of his
(father’s) death. Interestingly, he is also using the name Utakataka Express,
the same one being used by elder brother Peter, and it remains to be seen if
the two do not go the legal route to settle this matter.
Although he could not be reached to comment on the new
track, Obert posted a video and message on social media saying:
“Many Utakataka followers have been mourning the death of
their beloved band. Tongai [Snr] made me the heir to the throne. People want to
see Tongai in me. Look at the haircut, the dance skills, the tooth… I’m a
Tongai reincarnate and that is a fact.”
He even challenged Peter to a joint performance.
Comparing the period it took Peter to stand on his own with
the help of established musicians like Charles Charamba (who gave him vocal
chord lessons) and Alick Macheso who offered him acts on his shows, with the
promise that Obert holds, a neutral observer will confirm that the road to
stardom may, after all, be shorter for the younger brother. While it took Peter
two solid years of surviving on copyrights from their father’s sweat, Obert has
opted to lean on former Utakataka Express members and supporters such as Ronnie
Mudhindo and Brian Samaita to be his own man.
The dispute between Obert and Peter is similar to that of
the Chimbetus and that of Josphat and Daiton Somanje. As the former have since
buried the hatchet by holding shows as a family, the same did not happen for
Josphat and Daiton who eventually vowed not to listen to reason, but to
benefits. Standard
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