Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who is living up to her fans’ expectations as the Princess of Africa, as she continues to shed light on the plight of Africa’s poor through her music, is set to receive the recognition she deserves at the fifth annual All Africa Music Awards in Ghana later this month.
“When you receive an award, for me it shows appreciation from those who are giving you the award and that is encouraging to do more work,” she says.
“Africa is my first love, that is why I do the work that I do. If I don’t do it, who will? There’s genocide in Cameroon and the world is not saying much.
There are children who go to school everywhere, even in South Africa, where there are no toilets or they are not fed,” said Chaka Chaka, whose real name is Yvonne Machaka.
“It is really sad that even after 24 years of democracy, we still have such problems. Why are there still children with no desks, chairs or blackboards, who still sit under trees to learn?”
The songbird places the responsibility to rebuild Africa on each person who calls the continent home.
“Why does it seem like our love for one another, and for us to improve one another’s lives, is so minimal? My mandate has always been to try to do my best in whatever way I can.
“I am not a millionaire or a billionaire, but I always advocate for these issues, by talking and actually doing something about them,” she says, adding that music is a powerful tool to change society.
“Music is a great disseminator of information that can have an effect on social ills. We have seen great people like Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti all using their music to conscientise people, and questioning the powers that be through the power of music.
“So the music I’ve always wanted to sing was to edutain the people through songs like Motherland, Save the Children and Kuzani Bo!”
Yvonne makes a clarion call for Africans to shape the continent and be masters of their own destiny.
“We have to work together so we’re are not seen as the dark continent, because we are not that. But it’s like we’re not appreciative of ourselves,” she says, referring to the abundance of resources not eradicating poverty.
“We shouldn’t be in a state of shame or of being beggars. We aren’t.
“There are many intellectuals, professors, innovators and skilled people who can take the continent far,” the songstress adds.