Cameroonian Afro-jazz star Manu Dibango dies from Covid-19
Nobel laureate and former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari and his wife, Eeva, have confirmed they have the virus
Veteran Afro-jazz star Manu Dibango died on Tuesday after contracting Covid-19, becoming the latest African artist to succumb to the virus.
The 86-year-old Cameroonian, best known for the 1972 hit Soul Makossa, died at a hospital in Paris, said a statement on Facebook.
“His funeral service will be held in strict privacy and a tribute to his memory will be organised when possible,” the statement said.
Dibango's death comes days after that of Congolese music legend Aurlus Mabélé, known as the “King of Soukous”, an up-tempo modern variant of Congolese rumba. He died on Thursday, also in Paris, aged 67.
Tributes for Dibango poured in on social media after news of his death broke.
Meanwhile, Nobel laureate and former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari and his wife, Eeva, have become the latest high-profile people to be diagnosed with the deadly virus.
Ahtisaari, 82, was confirmed to have the virus on Monday, the Finnish president's office said. Eeva, 83, tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday.
They join Prince Albert II of Monaco, French politician Michel Barnier, actors Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, and Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina Elba.
— Additional reporting by AFP
R.I.P Manu Dibango 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
— JØVÍ aka VIZŪ (@JoviLeMonstre) March 24, 2020
words cannot express who you are and what you represent to this country and humanity as a whole .
The first of its kind.
Gone but never forgotten
Rest Easy Big G
🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
Love Always ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Hg9jhtKzLq
Manu #Dibango, the “Makossa Man”, “The Lion of Cameroon”, one of the greatest musicians of a generation, with a sterling career spanning 66 years. Born 12 Dec. 1933 – died 24 March 2020, succumbed to #Coronavirus. Had an incredible 29 albums to his name. RIP Manu. pic.twitter.com/ouFyzWAd3c
— Charles Onyango-Obbo (@cobbo3) March 24, 2020
Emmanuel N'Djoké Dibango aka Manu Dibango played his saxophone for the last time last night as a result of the deadly Covid-19. RIP Manu. Go dance with God’s Angels alongside your compatriots Franco Luambo Luanzo Makiadi, Simaru Lutumba, Madilu System et’al. pic.twitter.com/66diZVFtAv
— Philip Etale (@EtalePhilip) March 24, 2020
#News The icon of African music and saxophonist #ManuDibango died this morning at the age of 86 from the Covid-19 virus. This sad news was announced by his family by a press release on the artist's Facebook page 🙏 #RIP pic.twitter.com/vVGhTSctNj
— LILYJEAN OBI (@lilyjeanobi) March 24, 2020