Selmor Mtukudzi-Manatsa, the second daughter of the late music icon Oliver Mtukudzi, recently shared an interesting glimpse into her parents’ history, shedding light on the lobola her father paid for her mother and first wife, Melody Murape.
Back in 1979, Oliver Mtukudzi and Melody Murape made headlines with their wedding reception at Gwanzura Stadium in Highfields. While the details of their wedding are well-known, Selmor went a step further by revealing the original lobola list her father paid in 1978.
Sharing the unique snapshot, Selmor expressed admiration for a sensible lobola list she had seen on social media and praised parents for not seeing the lobola process as a get-rich-quick scheme. She asked her followers to comment on the amount Oliver Mtukudzi paid as lobola for his first wife.
Alongside the lobola list, Selmor paid tribute to her late father, expressing how much she misses him and wishing him peace.
“Pane roora list rakatenderera recently which I thought was very reasonable, big up to those parents!
Hameno iri ramdara wangu when he married my mom in 1978 kuti munorionawo sei?😅 It’s 5 years today since you went to be with the Lord, we miss you so much. Rest in peace dad❤️,” Selmor captioned the picture of the lobola list.
The lobola list revealed that Oliver Mtukudzi paid $90 for Rusambo, including 8 cows valued at $30 each and a total of $59 for miscellaneous items such as Mari yeMusikana, Ndiro, and Makandinzwa ani. For Rusambo, which constitutes the bulk of the lobola, he paid $70, leaving a $20 balance. In terms of the cows, he managed to pay for one out of the eight and paid $40 for Mombe yeHumai.
In the comments section, some pointed out that while $90 might seem insignificant in today’s economy, it held substantial value back in the day. Some even speculated that this lobola list might have inspired Mtukudzi’s hit, “Nyanga YeNzou.” Here are some noteworthy comments:
@WindhoekCables:
They were very expensive no wonder your dad sang “Nyanga Yechipembere.” I was born in 1978 and that was still big money even in the late 80s and early 90s.
@Sydzah1:
Haa but Oliver ka dzakatosiya balance paRusambo. Hanzi ndozodzoka kana album ratengwa.
@edym_0904:
Nemaths dzangu in present day it will be a total of 4650 Which is reasonable kupedza kuroora
Source iHarare
