KOBWAKA LIBANGA

July 28, 2026 - 02:41 PM

Name Mentioning In Congolese Rumba

Kobwaka Libanga literally translates as "throwing a stone." Nonetheless, in Congolese rumba, the phrase denotes the mention of a name in a song. It is a tradition that predates the genre itself, having been adopted from the folk music of the numerous Congolese cultures. It is also commonplace in other genres, Kenya's benga being one of them. Many aspects of this traditional music that found their way into the evolving genre did not last long, but some found a permanent home, kobwaka libanga being among them.

"Maina," a song by first-generation musician Henrique Tinapa, was composed in praise of a friend by that name. "Anduku Lutshuma" was composed by OK Jazz bassist Roitelet, alias Daniel Lubuelo. "Paul Kamba" was composed by Wendo Nkolosoy to mourn a colleague by that name. These are all old songs recorded in the 1950s. They indicate that kobwaka libanga found its way into Congolese music long ago, only that the intentions and inspiration behind it changed over time. Whereas people were initially mentioned in songs in recognition of their outstanding contributions to society, or occasionally for acting against social norms, the commercialization of music changed everything.

In later years, musicians began "throwing stones" at individuals either for payment or in recognition of those who had sponsored them in one way or another. Franco composed more than a dozen songs for Mobutu. Whereas some he did of his own volition, others were commissioned, meaning he was paid to compose them. Tabu Ley did three songs for Mobutu, Verckys did one, and many other musicians followed suit. Mobutu was a great fan of Congolese music, and even his Authenticit program was crafted to promote Congolese culture, with music being among its greatest beneficiaries. It also happens that Congolese music is so dear to the natives that it became one of the best ways to reach their hearts. This explains why politicians such as Bomboko, Kisombe Amasco, Lito Moboti, and others paid to be mentioned in Franco's songs. These were essentially musical advertisements, and the practice extended beyond politicians.

Franco also composed songs for other African presidents. The song "Kenneth Kaunda" was hurriedly composed on stage while the band was performing in Ndola, Zambia, after the then Zambian president unexpectedly attended the concert, as narrated to this writer by rhythm guitarist Petit Pierre, who was on stage with the band. Perhaps the band had not anticipated his presence, thus explaining why the composition had to be done on stage. Strange as it may sound, the song turned out superbly, with Musekiwa's tenor saxophone stealing the show. Franco also sang for Léon M'ba, the first President of Gabon, and President Eyadéma of Togo. It is likely that these songs were simply in recognition of their contribution to the liberation of their respective countries, with no financial inducement involved.

When it comes to singing for heads of state, no musician comes anywhere near Bikassy Mandeko Bidjos. The founder of Saka Saka sang for Mobutu, Moi, Amin, and others. Maybe one would wonder why on earth any musician would sing for a dictator. Music is a professional career. Like Kenyan advocate Gibson Kamau Kuria once opined, a lawyer can even defend Satan in court. The same goes for music.

DDC of Tanzania sang for Moi, Tabu Ley sang for Kenyatta, Ochieng Kabaselleh sang for Kenyatta, Mbilia Bel sang for Moi, Samba Mapangala for Moi, Kenya Blue Stars for Moi, and so on. Tabu Ley and Mbilia Bel also sang for Nelson Mandela in recognition of his role as a global icon of the struggle for freedom. It is worth noting that while some individuals had entire songs composed for them, others were merely mentioned in passing or in a single line. Fabrice was a Paris-based fashion designer. Franco composed a song for him in 1978, followed it with "Cinq Ans Ya Fabrice" on the fifth anniversary, and later recorded "Dix Ans Ya Fabrice" to mark the tenth anniversary. Franco died after recording it, and it was released posthumously.

AZDA promoted a local vehicle dealership that marketed the popular Volkswagen. Likewise, many songs were composed to promote commercial brands, including "Savon Astra" by Ngero Success, "Savon Omo" and "Savon Reward" by OK Jazz, all promoting different soap brands, and "UCB" by Youlou, promoting a bank. There was also "Journal Lipanda" by Grand Kallé, composed for a local publication, among many others.

There are also songs that were composed for individuals who were not necessarily politicians. These were mostly done at the request of the individuals themselves or their families. "The family of Bowule requested that I do a song for their departed relative," Simaro once told this writer on a social media platform. Although he did not mention whether he was paid, it is most likely that compensation was either part of the agreement or offered in appreciation. A musician is a professional like any other. It is unlikely that someone would seek their services free of charge unless the musician volunteered to do the work pro bono.

There are two popular songs, "KSK" and "Alita Tshamala," by Josky Kiambukuta Londa. These individuals were his friends, as he himself notes. However, the likelihood that the songs were composed purely out of friendship is rather slim. Most likely, there was some form of appreciation that has simply never been documented. Interestingly, this practice also inspires creativity. For example, when Fiston Lusambo, a London-based musician, chose to recognize this writer in a song, he created a captivating story depicting the moral decay in society. The song, sung by veteran Lipua Lipua singer Nzaya Nzayadio together with Nairobi-based singer Berryl Owano and recorded at Ketebul Studios, gave the main character the name Ogola, hence the title "Jirekebishe Ogola."

The song revolves around this character known as Ogola. However, as Fiston explained, the name merely serves to capture the audience's attention. There are songs whose titles contain names that never appear in the lyrics. In such cases, several names may simply be mentioned during the performance, especially in fifth- and sixth-generation Congolese music. A classic example, though from the third generation, is the celebrated song "Cooperation" by Sam Mangwana, popularly associated with the name Odongo. He collaborated with Franco and his band OK Jazz for the recording.

The name is merely mentioned, and there is no part of the song that directly relates to that individual, thus opening the door to endless speculation about who Odongo really was. This subject has attracted dozens of conflicting theories. Most have been easy to debunk. Kenya's Daily Nation has, on numerous occasions, erroneously stated that the Odongo mentioned in the song was Harrison Odongo Aywa, who served as an immigration officer before later becoming the Member of Parliament for Khwisero.

That claim is inaccurate. First, there was no constituency known as Khwisero until 1997, yet the song was released in 1982. Khwisero was carved out of the former Butere Constituency. Secondly, the story claims that Harrison was a close friend of Franco and frequently assisted him with immigration clearance whenever he visited Kenya. That too is untrue because the song was composed by Sam Mangwana, not Franco. The theory would only make sense if it claimed that Harrison was Mangwana's friend. Moreover, Franco travelled on a diplomatic passport, much like a head of state, and would hardly have required assistance from an immigration officer.

While touring Tanzania in 1983, Franco even travelled around the country in the presidential limousine. Many other theories have been advanced, but this remains the most prominent, largely because of the newspaper's extensive readership. It is also worth noting that the same newspaper has published inaccurate information regarding Mangwana's marriage and other aspects of his life. As discussed in another article on the Jabulani Blog, questions surrounding Mangwana's wife and children have long remained unanswered. This, however, does not imply that he never married.

Returning to kobwaka libanga, the fifth and sixth generations of Congolese music have perfected this practice. Names such as Didi Kinuani, almost always followed by the phrase "Mosombi monene ya mabanga ntalo" ("the gemstone dealer"), became common features in the music of Wenge Musica and its related groups. This billionaire is said to be extremely generous to musicians, sponsoring recordings and even overseas tours. Others include promoters Rigo Makengo, Joseph Kongolo, and many more. In this era, musicians receive substantial payments merely for mentioning names. Koffi Olomidé is widely rumoured to command the highest fees.

It has become a major source of revenue, and since music is a profession like any other, this practice has made considerable economic sense for musicians. Just as African drums and other traditional percussion instruments were incorporated into rumba during its formative years and have remained central to the genre even as technology gradually replaced instruments such as the saxophone, kobwaka libanga has endured. It has always been part of Congolese rumba and will most likely remain so for as long as the genre itself survives.

BY: JEROME OGOLA