Unpacking Majaivana's Jenny

WHILE it is highly regarded by fans as a rare but excellent love song by the legendary Lovemore Majaivana, few followers of the nimble-footed maestro know that his song, Ikula Lami, is Majaivana's dedication to his one-time sweetheart, a woman of Indian descent.

Jenny still stands as one of Majaivana's most popular songs, still getting played decades after it was released. It is a ballad composed in typical Majaivana fashion, with the gifted musician crooning passionately about his inter-racial relationship with an Indian beauty who has stolen his heart.

Although he is a man that is noted for penning some of Zimbabwe's best lyrical gems, filled with the clever use of metaphor and wit, the song one of the few rare moments that Magee, as the popular musician is widely known, showed a softer, more personal touch.

Although the song has been blaring from speakers in the City of Kings for ages, few fans know that the song was about Majaivana's one time flame.

Jenny, the woman that Majaivana croons so passionately about, is actually named Jennifer Robinson.

Due to that clever bit of deceit by Majaivana, the real identity of Majaivana's flame has never been truly known to the world.

However, the cat got out of the bag four years ago after the emergence of a young man, Randal Robinson, claiming that he was the heir to the Majaivana music throne.

Some might have doubted the authenticity of his claim, given that Majaivana's real surname was Tshuma, a far cry from the English sounding Robinson.

After he narrated his story it then became apparent that he is the love-child from a past Majaivana relationship, a romance with the famous "Jenny".

Randal took his mother's surname, and it is unclear how the two lovebirds parted ways or the role that Magee played in his son's life as he was growing up. In past interviews, he revealed how his father had discouraged him from becoming a musician, a profession that gave Magee a famous name but one that seems to have pained him so much that he chose to go into self imposed exile.

"For some reason, my father encouraged me to pursue my studies and have a good profession away from music," said the young entertainer.

Majaivana is now married to Jane "Bessie" Dube, with whom he has lived in the United States with since the turn of the millennium.

Four years after the emergence of her son on the scene, Robinson is still going strong. Resident in Kwekwe with her family, she is now a grandmother, with her son Randal happily married to one Margreth.

The couple has three children and under the guidance of a devout Robinson, Margreth and Randal, alongside their offspring, seem to lead a very religious and devout life in the mining town of Kwekwe.

Four years ago, Randal tried to follow the footsteps of other sons of famous musicians who have taken the baton from their deceased fathers and continued their legacy. While he is still alive in the United States, Majaivana has effectively put the mic down for good, ignoring repeated calls by fans who want him to make a comeback.

However, despite Randal's efforts, he was given the cold shoulder by Majaivana's mother, MaNyathi who refused to teach him the tricks of the trade.

Gogo MaNyathi had a prolific pen, writing many of Majaivana's early tunes.

"His children are trying but they are failing to fill their father's shoes. Randal once came here asking me to teach him what I used to do to his father, but I refused. I told him that he is not going to take care of me like what my son has done," she told this paper.

When Sunday Life tracked down Robinson this week, she declined to speak about her life and relationship with Majaivana, a romance that gave music lovers a love song for the ages, one that will make sure that history will never forget her name.