WHEN the late Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi’s will was read out
last week, a lot of people concluded that the superstar disliked his daughters
after it emerged that he had left all his movable and immovable property to his
spouse, Daisy, leaving them with nothing.
But an interview that was conducted by Mai Chisamba at
Pakare Paye Arts Centre for his 60th birthday six years ago made it clear that
Tuku likely did not hate his daughters, but was a man who believed in
empowering children and not spoon feeding them.
“Children should work for their own money and not expect
handouts from their parents. A child should be empowered so that they are
successful in life. A child that is given money or a car by their parent . . .
you’ll have destroyed their future. They won’t know how difficult it is to save
and buy a car,” Tuku, who died at the age of 66 on January 23, told Mai
Chisamba in the interview.
“So when you die, who do you think will keep on dishing out
things like that to your child? No one. . . A child should be taught how to get
these things on their own.”
With these sentiments, it is now apparent why Tuku
deliberately left out his four children Samantha, Selmor, Sandra and Sybil from
his last will and testament.
The late Tuku said just because he was successful, it did
not mean his children could draw on his accomplishments.
In order to be successful in life, Tuku suggested that
children listen to their parents for guidance. He also said parents should
learn to support their children’s talents.
“There’s no such thing as a talentless child. All children
tell their parents that this is who I am and what I am. Unfortunately as
parents, we don’t listen to them because we’re older than them and they can’t
advise us, we know better.
“When a child wants something to pursue his talent, you
have to buy them. If they want a guitar, buy, a tennis racket or a football,
just buy. Support them because in all that, a child will be trying to find what
he or she is good at.
“They know what they’re good at and you as parents don’t
know,” Tuku once said.
Looking at Selmor, Tuku’s advice seems to be working as she
has become her own person and is working hard to build a name for herself
through her Selmor and Friends concerts which she is staging nationwide.
She has even managed to convince corporates such as Impala
Car Rental to support her. The car rental company recently gave her a new Range
Rover for use during her tours. Chronicle
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