Widows plead for Ramogi’s royalty cash
A file picture of benga musicians (from left) George Jimmy Likembe, George Ramogi and Tom Kodiyo. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP
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She has instead asked the MCSK to resume payment of the royalties to enable the two families to enjoy the benefits of his productions.
She blames corruption in bodies formed to protect musicians’ interests in the country as a cause of poverty dogging many artistes and their families.
In 2012, Rosalia was invited to the launch of the book A Biography of Kenyan Musicians vol 1 by the Permanent Presidential Music commission. However, she was only paid Sh3,000 in appreciation of her husband’s contribution to the country’s music.
Benga maestro George Ramogi’s first wife, Rosalia Kiayi, wants the Music Copyright Society of Kenya to include her in royalty payments for her late husband.
Currently, the payments are made to Ramogi’s second wife Bellah Ajode. Ramogi died on December 8, 1997 after a brief illness. At the time of his demise, Ramogi led the C.K. Dumbe Dumbe Band that was based in Nairobi.
Speaking to Saturday Nation, Ramogi’s eldest daughter Dorothy Adhiambo Ramogi lamented that the family had not benefited from the musician’s works since his death yet performance artists and local radio stations play his music regularly.
“It is sad that our family is riddled with poverty yet my father was a household name in benga circles,” Dorothy said. “The best way to honour him is to ask MCSK to also consider his first family in payment of royalties realised from his songs.”
When contacted, Tom Kodiyo, a former member of Ramogi’s band and now the MCSK representative for Luo Nyanza benga musicians, said that the music society only pays royalties to persons chosen as next of kin by deceased artistes.
“George Ramogi left his second wife Bellah as the next of kin,” he said. “Therefore she is the one who has been benefitting from the late benga maestro’s royalties.”
On her part, Ramogi’s second wife Bellah revealed to Saturday Nation that she last received her husband’s royalties in 2013. She said MCSK paid her a paltry sum of Sh10,000 after several months of intense lobbying.
“It is true that I used to receive George Ramogi’s royalties, but it was too meagre to be shared by two families,” said Bellah.
She has instead asked the MCSK to resume payment of the royalties to enable the two families to enjoy the benefits of his productions. She blames corruption in bodies formed to protect musicians’ interests in the country as a cause of poverty dogging many
artistes and their families.
In 2012, Rosalia was invited to the launch of the book A Biography of Kenyan Musicians vol 1 by the Permanent Presidential Music commission. However, she was only paid Sh3,000 in appreciation of her husband’s contribution to the country’s music.
Today, Ramogi’s songs are performed in night clubs by upcoming benga artistes. His best known songs are Hagai Koyier, Born Smart and Alice Anyango.
Many of his fans single out Alice Anyango as the hit that catapulted him to fame and admiration. Ramogi’s music career was at its peak in 1994 when a small group of Kenyans in the US sponsored a trip for him and his band to the US. His famous album Safari was recorded in the US.
Peter Kaula, one of the tour organisers, has also called on the MCSK to consider paying royalties to the two widows equally.
“George Ramogi was a legend. I took personal initiative to pool resources for his trip to the US. His family should not languish in poverty,” says Kaula, now a member of the Homa Bay County Assembly.
Ramogi was born in 1945 in Rakwaro Kamwala village in Karachuonyo, Homa Bay County.
