The Sunday News
Mbongeni Msimanga
FORMER band manager for Oscar award winning band Liyana, John Gara contends that the band buckled under the weight of gross institutional maladministration after the money from almost 10 000 copies that were sold in Europe was not channelled towards improving the band.
Gara said 10 000 copies were sold in Europe at 20 pounds each and he only got 125 pounds.
He said he was disappointed that the band that had gone as far as winning the Oscars could not achieve such a feat again as they were now history.
“I am one of the people who mentored that group till it successfully went to win the Oscar awards. My heart really bleeds when a band that won the Oscars collapses because of poor administration,” he said.
After entering the music crossroads competition at provincial, national and the Sadc region that saw the band compete against able- bodied individuals, the sky was the limit for the outfit as it excelled to greater heights.
However, initially King George VI had refused that the band participates in the music crossroads competition but Gara said he insisted that they take part, something that led to their success in the competitions.
“King George VI initially did not want them to participate at the music competition because they were able-bodied people. I insisted that they take part in the competition because of the talent that I saw in the group. They entered the provincial, national and Sadc level where they excelled against able-bodied people,” he said.
Problems, however, started when King George VI denied Gara the opportunity to go to Sweden after the group had excelled in Mozambique.
“I sent my passport and when it came back it was unstamped. I was told I was employed to teach and not to tour with the group. I was disappointed that I could not travel with a group that I had taught from the first day,” he said.
Not only was he denied the opportunity to go to Sweden, but he missed the moment with the group at the Oscars.
Although he was disappointed that he could not witness the fruits of his labour getting the reward, Gara said he decided to let bygones be bygones and accepted his fate that he could not travel with the group.
“I could not witness a group that I had mentored as I was again denied the opportunity to travel to the Oscars. I accepted that I let it be. But I was really disappointed at the fact that the institution denied me that opportunity,” he said.
Probably tempers flared when revelations emerged that 10 000 copies were sold in Europe at 20 pounds each, and their mentor — Gara was only given 125 pounds.
“A total of 10 000 copies were sold in Europe and I was only given 125 pounds. Well I wasn’t really surprised especially after I had been denied the opportunity to go to Europe. That band could have gone far but now all is history because of poor decision making and maladministration,” he said.
