By Itai Muzondo
Great Zimbabwe University (GZU), is set to honour music superstar Oliver Mutukudzi with an honorary doctorate degree at the university’s eight graduation ceremony this Friday.
GZU Vice-Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo confirmed the development and said the university will give Mutukudzi an Honourary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Ethnomusicology and Choreology.
“We will honour him (Mutukudzi) with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Ethnomusicology and Choreology this Friday. He is Zimbabwe’s ambassador of culture and heritage. His music is rich with our cultural values and norms; he therefore is not an ambassador only in Zimbabwe but also abroad,” said Prof Zvogbo.
Oliver Mtukudzi
Tuku, as he is known by his adoring fans, is a super star in Africa and a house name throughout the world. His music is a blend of traditional Zimbabwe and East African genres and modern subgenres of Afro – pop including chimurenga and JIT, which is dubbed ‘Tuku Music.’
Tuku’s music frequently tackles social issues, particularly poverty and HIV and AIDS that is responsible for so much misery in Africa. He first recorded in the 1970s when Zimbabwe was still known as Rhodesia and under white control; his music hails African cultures. He has so far released over 60 full-length albums. Tuku was born on September 22, 1952 in Harare.
It is against this background that GZU saw it fit to acknowledge Tuku’s artistic work and his ambassadorial role of promoting African culture and heritage by giving him PhD.
President Robert Mugabe is expected to cap Tuku and other graduands on the day.Local
