Tobias Sylvester
86-year-old Cameroonian saxophone legend, Manu Dibango, has died in Paris after catching coronavirus COVID-19.
Dibango, who is best known for his 1972 song ‘Soul Makossa’, died on TTuesday morning in a hospital in the Paris, France.
A message on his official Facebook page by his family confirmed that his death had come after he contracted COVID-19.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce you the loss of Manu Dibango, our Papy Groove, who passed away on 24th of March 2020, at 86 years old, further to covid-19.”
“His funeral service will be held in strict privacy, and a tribute to his memory will be organized when possible. If you wish to express your condolences, please write to the following email:[email protected]”
Born in the Cameroonian city of Douala in 1933, which at the time was under French colonial rule, Dibango’s musical career spanned across more than six decades.
He worked with such notable stars as South Africa’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo and American Herbie Hancock.
This is coming barely three days after Congolese music legend, Aurlus Mabélé, also died of coronavirus disease at the age of 67 in hospital in Paris.
