Nothing has been said by Tuku at a public forum that has not received standing ovation or drove the more emotional ones into tears.

So it did not come as a surprise yesterday when the Great Hall at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) received Tuku with a rapturous welcome as he walked humbly to the podium in a procession of the professors and doctors of the academia.

An elated crowd turned up in huge numbers - students and the public alike - for Tuku’s public lecture on Music: An Opium or Business.

As the hall filled up many stood in the terraces leaning against walls. Others were content sitting on the floor.

Tuku is a holder of an honorary M.Sc (Fine Arts) Degree awarded by the Women’s University in Africa in 2009 and CUT had invited him to deliver a public lecture on music as a professional business.

He took the elated audiences through his musical journey from the 1970s underlining the moments when the journey became treacherous for him.

Intermittently the hall would disrupt his lecture with euphoric applause in acknowledgement of his address.

He described how he went into music not by accident but as a calling and how he progressed to this day when Tuku Music has become an international brand and genre that can be taught to those artists with whom Tuku shares inspiration.

“It has never been an easy journey for me and my family. Music is a tough business and without a supportive family and fans one can fail easily. I have been lucky to have both a supportive family and fans across the world,” Tuku said.

Being largely an academic audience students wanted to know the philosophy behind his music and whether in the fullness of time Tuku Music would survive.

“Music has been passed on at family level to my own children and those children whom I have helped develop and continue to do so at my arts center (Pakare Paye Arts Centre). So, already there is the younger generation who draw from the same source of inspiration as myself who will continue the music.” Tuku said.

As a filmmaker also Tuku distinguished himself amongst musicians for his contribution to the academia by producing films some of them adapted from high school vernacular set books such as Sarawoga.

The film has already been shown last year at high schools in Mashonaland West Province and has helped students enhance their understanding of the story of Sarawoga and its cultural values.

“I am always trying to contribute to the academia through my films and in that small way students can appreciate their culture, where we come from and where we are going as an African, traditional people.”

Before the lecture Tuku and his wife Daisy, son Sam and board members of Pakare Paye Arts Centre chairperson Nicodimus Manyame, directors Watson Chidzomba, Francis Mwendamberi and Shepherd Mutamba toured Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital and visited diabetic patients among them children.

Tuku is diabetic and has committed time to raise public awareness on the condition - one of the biggest killers around the world. He spoke with the patients and later went around town handing out leaflets on diabetic awareness and bringing the small town to a grinding halt as passersby jostled for a handshake and photograph with Tuku. Police had to provide escort.

Later in the evening the crowds were there to witness one of the vintage performances by Tuku at the university. There was quite unprecedented public interest in the show Tuku having last performed in the town nearly 10 years ago. – tukumusik.com

Tuku shakes hands with the Vice Chancellor of Chinhoyi University of Technology Professor Simbi soon after his public lecture.	Tuku addresses diabetic patients at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.
Tuku visits diabetic patients at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.	Daisy Mtukudzi hands out fruits to a young diabetic patient at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.

Tuku with a young diabetic patient at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.

Tuku fans jostle for a handshake at the People's Market in Chinhoyi.	Tuku meets fans as he hands out leaflets on diabetes awareness in Chinhoyi.
Tuku, wife Daisy and Nicodimus Manyame (Chairperson of Pakare Paye Arts Centre) far right walkabout town after distributing diabetic leaflets in Chinhoyi.