Oliver Mtukudzi’s lifetime achievement and outstanding contribution to the arts continues to be acknowledged by the academia.

The Women’s University in Africa today conferred Mtukudzi with an honorary MSc. Fine Arts degree in Harare - Mtukudzi’s second honorary degree in six years.

In 2003 he received his first Arts honorary degree from the University of Zimbabwe in recognition of his work spanning over 35 years creating music…composing, arranging, singing, producing, acting, directing and developing young talent in diversified disciplines of the arts.
In conferring honorary degrees universities consider nominees in either the academia or the community at large. But they particularly look at how sustainable a nominee’s contribution has been. In other words it is even harder to get an honorary degree than it is to get a taught degree which is almost a lifetime effort without a lecturer, without homework, without exams…it is just your life and your work.

In their citation the Women’s University in Africa said Mtukudzi was arguably the most powerful creative force to emerge from Zimbabwe in the last three decades. Mtukudzi had contributed work that was politically and socially relevant and still entertaining and accessible to the audience.

Mtukudzi’s music is instrumental in strengthening our freedom, socially, politically and economically, noted the university’s Chairperson of the Honorary Degree Committee Professor Gudyanga.

Mtukudzi’s music is full of advice, encouragement and wisdom as one travels the journey of life in this thorny world. He is acknowledged as a prolific song-writer, highly skilled producer, arranger and formidable lead singer. His cultural influence is evident in his traditional form of mbira, mbaqanga and jiti.

Mtukudzi is also into film and theatre and played a leading role in the cast of Neria a drama dealing with the complex issues of women’s rights in a chauvinistic culture. He composed and arranged the sound track in the film. He wrote and directed a song on the plight of street kids while his music has been used widely in documentaries to do with HIV and Aids issues worldwide. – www.tukumusik.com