Achieng’ Abura – He makes me the real diva

Songstress, pianist and song writer, Achieng has graced your screen doing what she loves—music. Now 20 years in the music industry, she specializes in gospel, Afro-Jazz and Afro-fusion and her distinctive, powerful voice has made her a household name beyond Africa. Achieng’ Abura tells Linda Karimi about the song she can’t sing loud enough—motherhood.

Achieng’s awesome performances on the screen and in various concerts definitely got me curious and so I sought her out and we met at one of the shopping malls in the city. Our conversation went something like this: I do music for music’s sake, and not just to make the biggest hit.

I want people to enjoy listening to my music and God has been gracious to me and has always lifted me. I feel that my music should have a message that changes someone’s life. I do a lot of advocacy music and on things that we go through in life—about peace, love, and the environment.

The unsung song
I am a mother to a wonderful boy who turned seventeen recently. I had a pretty easy pregnancy, to begin with because my energy levels were sky high. I worked in the sugar industry, besides recording my gospel music. I loved work!

My biggest problem was nausea.
From the minute my bump was visible, I had trouble keeping food down. As a result, I hated food except for my newfound craving—chicken. I could neither stand sodas, despite my huge appetite for them previously. This saw me lose some weight making me discover that taking sodas was the main contributor to my weight gain.

Despite my repulsion to food, I still put on quite some weight—so much that people didn’t notice that I was pregnant. I went to talk to my managing director and told him, ‘You know that I will be leaving soon, to go have my baby. I want to know what the company’s policies regarding this issue are.’ He said, ‘Oh! So you’re thinking of having a baby in the future.’ I said, ‘No, really, I’m pregnant and any day now, I’m actually dropping something!’

Run-&-fell business
I was running down the stairs in the factory in my eighth month when I fell and hit my foot very hard and had my back go into a lot of pain. I was rushed to the hospital and was admitted for observation, in the maternity wing. When the news floated with the wind, everyone was exclaiming, ‘Oh gosh, she is pregnant!’ Nonetheless, they were so sweet and they embraced my new state. They said they were pleased to see me coming out of my wild years, into a new level of maturity and responsibility.

Under the knife
One week after the fall my body was threatening to push my baby out. This was incidentally attributed to the high blood pressure that I had developed following my weight. So I was taken in for a C-section immediately.

It was a very difficult C-s. I remember coming round right in the middle of the operation and could vaguely make out the medics talking about the situation being more complicated now that the baby was in breech position, and thus the hours and hours in theatre. Eventually, I heard the doctor say, ‘Wow! She’s got a beautiful, bouncing baby boy!’ I wonder whether they knew I was awake and in too much pain to talk.

Thankfully, the anaesthesiologist realized that I was awake and suggested that they sedate me again. They got into a bit of a row that wasn’t good for my heart but I eventually drifted off again. I woke up in the ward in their efforts to revive me to life. Thereafter, when the doctor said that I could start feeding slowly, I told my brother to bring me Coke, Fanta, Sprite—all of them!

In a different turn of events, my mum was unwell but in another hospital, at that time. In fact, I lost her that same year my son was born. But my lovely family stood by me through it all.

What I’m trying to say is that it was a trying time, actually a near-death experience, which makes me love my son double-fold.

Parenthood then vs now
I was raised by pretty strict parents. There were no two ways about rules but to obey them. Now, our children rule the home. They tell you when, how, and even why! A good number have even succeeded in manipulating their parents!

However, it should not go unsaid that we are closer to our children than we were to our parents, which is a blessing in a very special way. My son and I are so close that we discuss everything.

I had a strong bond with my father, and I just loved being around him, though we wouldn’t talk much. My mother was so active, tough, and very powerful. I loved watching her. I learned to be like her from my gaze; not by talking. The difference is my son and I are so open with each other that he can tell me my weaknesses. I tell him his and our tomorrows only get better.

From a perspective
Motherhood has been my biggest gift from God. Every time I see my son, I see how much God loves me. I think mothering is so beautiful and I think God chose my son, especially for me. He actually makes me the real diva.

Heart to heart
Pregnancy should never be a mistake. It should be planned. The world is full of challenges. Get pregnant when you are ready to care for your baby.

When it comes to parenting, make room for friendship so that you can talk openly. This is because our children are currently exposed to a lot of wicked information and events. Listen, watch them, and cautiously advise.

Latest
I am busy with a movement that I am creating—the Environment-Friendly Africa movement which is about connecting artists around Africa to work with information that advocates for the environment.

I have also just released an environmental album, which is a project album, whose videos are in pipeline. What’s more, I’m writing my next album—the Achieng’ Abura Line Album.  A book is also up my sleeve.

END: PG32/15-16