Kora Award winning Rwandan musician calls for stability to stop illegal migration
By Sulah Nuwamanya, special APA correspondent in Kigali, Rwanda

APA-Kigali (Rwanda) A celebrated award winning Rwandan musician, Jean Paul Samputu says an African political federation is a possible dream any African can better wish, but it can only be achieved if all Africans change their mindsets and discourage ethnicity and divisionism.

On illegal migration

Africans flee because there is economic, social and political instability in their home countries. Furthermore, they flee war. If we come to solve these various instabilities, no one will want to leave Africa. I suggest that Africans especially the Africa Union and leaders should emphasize much on conflict resolution and that we put more efforts in solving these problems with unity, economic and political reconciliation.

On Europe taking its distance from Africa

Africa needs to find a solution among its children. Africa herself must do this. When the white men came to our land, we did not close the door to them. They took from us everything they wanted. They exploited our natural resources, including our grandfathers as slaves to their countries. However, I have learnt that we cannot repay evil with evil. One thing is certain, if we unite and continue our development, we Africans will not need to ask for a visa. Western countries will be begging us to come to them!

On Pan-African government

The most important thing is to be united in our hearts and in our thoughts. Africans must be united. Take a look at Western countries. They also have problems and struggles but is there an ethnic tension? Let us change our thoughts (mindset) !We must be the change we want to see in Africa, then the United State of Africa will start from there.

On the high cost of living

Africans need to work hard. Look at China… with change and effort together, helping one another succeed. We must take on a spirit of cooperation and work hard! We must change our attitude towards work and create work.

On the FIFA World Cup 2010

Africans should begin NOW to see themselves as WINNERS and develop an attitude and a strategy of victory. They must see themselves as WINNERS and they will WIN. Also, let’s all pray for an African team to win!

On his career

A song entitled ’Hey Forgive’, a song to encourage forgiveness, unity and reconciliation among Africans but particularly to Rwanda that was deeply affected by the 1994 genocide.

I am embarking on reconciliation projects which will empower youth who are the future leaders of Africa. I have established a child orphanage centre in Rwanda and I would need all kind of support to keep my obligation and vision, and also to continue assisting the African child.

After my own experience of learning to forgive the men who had murdered my parents during the 1994 genocide, there was a change in my style of music. I returned to the roots of my country. I began to incorporate traditional Rwandan musical instruments and began to compose songs in a more traditional sound. The result of which, I was appreciated and allowed me to win an ’international song writing’ award in Nashville -USA.

There is no sustainable music industry in Africa. Artists also need to return to their own identity. Our people should learn to promote their own culture and values, become educated about their own culture, and create institutions to promote the arts. We are learning from bad past experiences and can now unite to change the world

SN/daj/APA
2008-07-25

Today we had the honor of traveling to the Sonrise school of Bishop John Ruchyahana in the Shyira Diocese of Rwanda.  He is a Bishop with the Anglican Church who has accomplished great vision in the area and built a primary and secondary boarding school.  We were able to tour and see the additions they are making to the property as well as have lunch with Bishop John.  It is truly a wise, thorough, and good work they are doing for the community.  From education, to employment, technical schooling, to construction - the activity there is educating and benefiting the entire community.  It was an honor and blessing to add this day to our travel.

Today was an exciting day in Rwanda.  We met the Minister of Culture who signed invitations for Friday’s VIP concert.  I also visited the Mizero kids which is a troupe of 22 street boys ages 12-18 who do 2 hours of drumming practice daily.  They performed a concert, showed us where they eat the lunch provided, and were big smiles of hearing of your love for them from America.  We gave them a soccer ball and frisbee and proceeded to have a rousing ultimate games!!!  Pictures soon!

Tonight, Mizero America and Mizero Rwanda met for a dynamic meeting of individual speeches, welcomes, introductions, and planning of two concerts for this weekend.  It was great to put email names with faces of people that have been working virtually together for the past six months together to form a strong international team to bring, spread, and share Hope.

I saw Samputu’s and Meme’s performance this weekend at Meme’s church in Bedford NH. I have to say I was impressed. The service started with the usual modern suburban church “praise songs” which I’m admittedly not very fond of, preferring the old “New England Church Hymnal” from the 1700-1800s since its the kind of church music I sang growing up. Nothing can beat or take the place of: _"How Great Thou Art,"_ and, _"It Is Well With My Soul,"_ in my opinion. Well, almost nothing.

It appears “it is well” with Jean Paul’s soul too, and his praise for God through his music and joyous delivery, and his personal testimony truly reflects that fact.  Samputu’s survival of the Rwandan Holocaust wich killed 1,000,000 people in his country during 90 days beginning in April 1994 (including his mother, father, three brothers, and sister) and his subsequent slow decent into alcohol, drugs, witchcraft, and physical deterioration to being near death ended in 2002, in a remarkable and unlikely transformation into the man and performer he is today. The reviewer was motivated to wonder: “How did this happen?”

According to Jean Paul Samputu, the answer to this question is simply: “The power of God, and the Name of Jesus.” The murder of his family had left him with an intense hatred. The musical talent he once used to express that hatred in his country during the years following the genocide until 2002, has sinced been changed to praise for God today and his own peace and joy combined with a driving desire to help others.

Samputu’s use of alcohol and drugs and desire for power following the genocide had once led him to seek the help of witch-doctors, whose dark practices had led to his own spiritual and perhaps demonic oppression. Nearing the end of his life due to deteriorating health in 2002, the witch-doctors couldn’t offer any meaningful hope. In desperation a friend took Samputu to a Christian missionary.

According to his own account of the story, every time the name “Jesus Christ” was used by the missionary,Jean Paul had some sort of physical reaction-- vomit, unconsciousness, convulsion, but he apparently emerged from the experience as a “man-made-whole,” though he himself didn’t understand exactly how or why this occurred at that time. He desperately wanted to know who this “Jesus Christ” was, and why just his name was apparently so powerful. He has since discovered sufficient answers in his walk, faith, and in seeing so many demonstrations of the power of the person of Jesus who he now claims to know well. His testimony is hard to argue with. His joy and faith appears complete, and it is contagious.

The changes and the events of the last four years following his conversion have transformed Jean Paul from a broken man into a talented and successful international performer and unassuming evangelist. Jean Paul’s music communicates powerfully in a mysterious way, as it is sung in as many as 6 different languages, including English.

Musical styles, from Rock & Roll, Blues, Gospel, and many forms of Native African folk music share common influences of heavy percussion, syncopation, dynamic harmonies and vocals, each musical style creating its own unique emotive power and language. In the 1960s the Rolling Stones reputedly studied African rhythms to help develop their own style, and Ray Charles was once criticized for adapting Gospel style to his own renditions of the Blues in the secular music of the 1950s. In Jean Paul Samputu’s style and performance, the apparent power of African music is returned to its roots, and blended with a love for God and man which is compelling. It is also sobering considering the tragedies and spiritual miracles behind the music, which the performer himself represents.

Jean Paul now has a personal mission to help the children of Africa orphaned by AIDS, poverty, and violence, so his alliance with Meme’s own campaign for World Vision is a natural and perhaps serendipitous coincidence. Each performance usually results in numerous World Vision sponsorships of needy children abroad.  When asked for comment, both just shrug and say, “it’s God.” They have come to believe in an economy of motion when it comes to how God seems to direct his purposes, which they both are happy just to be a part of.

As you know, I don’t give recommendations easily. I don’t usually get excited about this stuff. In this case however, I highly recommend that you schedule a performance in the near future.

You won’t be disappointed.

- Randy