Masses of fans have flooded the streets of Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic Of Congo's capital, to celebrate the life of Madilu System, a musician affectionately known as 'Congo's King Of Rumba'. The legendary singer died earlier this month aged just 57, causing widespread grief throughout Congo, with many radio stations leading the tributes by playing his music back to back for hours on end after the news was announced.
Madilu was a member of the renowned TP OK Jazz band in the 1980s, building a formidable reputation and becoming tagged, as many have called him, "Congo's greatest composer", a sentiment that seemed to echo around his funeral procession with many leading musicians singing "since you are gone, we do not live, we do not eat" whilst surrounding the singer's coffin. Indeed, that his procession was one of the most heavily attended in recent years, with thousands accompanying his coffin on the walk from Kinshasa's main stadium to the cemetery, is testimony to his extraordinary talent and popularity.