Life and times of Congolese singer, composer General Defao

Congolese singer and composer General Defao. [Courtesy]

Famous Congolese singer and composer Lhambo Matumona, popularly known as General Defao has passed away. 

Defao, 62, died on Monday, December 27, at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, where he was hospitalised.

The Sala Noki singer will be greatly remembered for his beautiful voice and dance rhythms that impressed many.

Musicians Ferre Gola and Fally Ipupa were among the first to send messages of condolences, describing his death as a blow to Africa.

Born in Kinshasa on December 31, 1958, General Defao began singing in 1978 as part of the Orchester Suka Movema.

He also worked briefly with Fogo Stars and Lesson West before joining Grand Zaiko Wawa and later becoming an integral part of Choc Stars.

It was during this period that Defao improved his singing and songwriting skills, working with locals at the time like Ben Nyamabo and Bozi Boziana.

Defao left the Choc Stars in the late 1990s and formed the Big Stars with Djo Poster.

However, things did not go according to plan and he was forced to look for new musicians after Djo left.

In the mid-90s, Defao was trying to outshine popular musicians like Koffi Olomide and Bozi Boziana but failed to gain popularity abroad. 

In Kenya, he was at one time one of the most known Congolese musicians, and even made Nairobi his home in early 2000.

Ever flamboyant and fashion-conscious, Defao wore colourful outfits with golden accessories.

He performed in many clubs in Nairobi and other towns with his Big Stars band that he formed in 1991.

He performed with such singers as Carlito as well as the late Debaba belting out numbers like  Kapalangana, School Love and Engunduka.

His songs like Animation, Agence Courage, Sala Noki and Mosolo na Ngai ruled the Nairobi social scene.

Congolese singer and composer General Defao. [Courtesy]

His golden voice will be here with us for long, immortalised in his latest songs recorded at the Ketebul Studios by the veteran producer Tabu Osusa in August 2019.

“I actually pushed him to sing in Kiswahili for the first time and we were able to record two of his last works here before he went back to Kinshasha,” says Tabu, who has worked with other musicians from the DRC including Orchestra Virunga.

In one of the songs, Tusitengane, he calls for people to love each other and brotherhood and embrace peace.

“Sisi Walimwengu tumekosa upendo ndio kwa sabbau tunauana, wacheni  tamaa na kujitenga, mtakufa na yote yatabaki,” goes the song.

In his number Kukosa under the Ketebul All-Stars series, he wonders why the rich look down upon the poor.

“When a poor man gets a little money, he turns against the poor and when a rich man falls from grace, he loses all friends,” he sings.

It seems to mirror his woes in Kenya where he spent six months in prison for defaulting on hotel bills amounting to Sh600,000.

He said he never wanted to talk about that experience.

On one occasion, a local singer had to bail him out of a similar situation at a hotel in Mombasa. 

Rhumba enthusiast and lecturer Dr Khamati Shilabukha said Defao was a versatile musician and a great composer who not only sang but danced very well too.

According to Tabu, Defao’s return to Kinshasa was paying off as he was getting his groove back as the real star he was.

“He meant business and kept his side of the bargain. He sang well and was a remarkable composer,” said Tabu who was also Defao’s neighbour in a Nairobi suburb.

[Additional reporting by George Orido]