Botswana: Gospel Queens Lock Horns

Botswana: Gospel Queens Lock Horns

Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)

15 July 2008
Posted to the web 15 July 2008

Mmoloki Marumo

It is true that the music industry in Botswana is gaining momentum by the day if the number of revellers who flocked the BBS mall in Gaborone recently is any yardstick.

Music lovers came to witness a battle of gospel heavyweights between Tebogo Sethomo (Tebbie) and Kebabonye Phiri (Keba). Gospel sensation, Sethomo was backed by Dr Vom while Phiri performed with either Tipidex or a new cultural troupe called Bomadala. Sethomo staged her show in front of Furnmart Furnishers while Phiri was at the nearby Lewis Furnishers. The proximity made life difficult for gospel music lovers who faced a dilemma over which show to attend.

Phiri has already released three albums and she played a couple of songs from her latest offering. From the reaction, it was clear the album was well appreciated. Recently, Phiri cast doubts on Sethomo's talent on the local music entertainment show, Mokaragana. She said she was not certain if Sethomo's songs were sung by her or somebody else. Sethomo has two albums under her belt, Khubama being the latest. Word has it that the two women are the fiercest of rivals.

Sethomo proved beyond doubt why she was part of the international band that was sent to represent the country in China where she reportedly did well to sell Botswana's gospel music. The winner of the 2006 Botswana Music Union (BOMU) Best Gospel Artist Award has now self-styled herself the 'Queen of Gospel'.

As for the rivalry between her and Phiri, Sethomo said: "I do not have anything against her and I am applying every means possible to be kind to her but Phiri is not willing to cooperate". She said Phiri once went around spreading word that she had beaten her while in actual fact she was beaten by another gospel artist (name withheld). Sethomo added that before the show at BBS mall, Phiri had called her saying she would be performing in Mochudi. But upon hearing that she, Sethomo would be at BBS, Phiri came and set up her equipment a few metres from where she was performing. Sethomo termed the move as unprofessional.

Phiri admitted that there is rivalry between her and Sethomo. But she blames Sethomo for the state of affairs. She explained that it was mere coincidence that they happened to perform simultaneously at BBS.

"Sethomo is the one who is always following me wherever I perform. She once followed me to Francistown (Ellerines Furnishers) and Thamaga where I was invited but she was never invited," Phiri charged.

Ellerines manager Amos Ben Mabuku denied that Sethomo wanted to hijack Phiri's show. He said the two artistes performed on the same week but on different days. Despite the rivalry, the two women put up impressive and breathtaking performances at BBS. There seemed to be an equal number of revellers on both shows. But as Dr Vom took to the stage, the situation changed as he attracted the crowd from Phiri's show. The talented young man started by playing his hit track Thobane, which left fans yelling for a replay. When he played Molekane, almost the entire crowd was on its feet.

All of sudden in what seemed to be a dramatic turn of events, the group before Furnmart split up on hearing Gong Master and Ditiro's song, Makanyane a ja pitse, blaring from the stage nearby. But they soon came back disappointed because the song was being performed by the new cultural troupe Bomadala. The four-strong group of two men and two women put up a very thrilling performance much to the delight of the fans who treated them to ululation.

Tipidex, the most noteworthy artist in front of Lewis, took to the stage and got back the crowd. All in all, the day was a success as fans had an opportunity to win themselves CDs and DVDs or buy them at a give away price of only P20.