Hundreds mourn Fatma Dogodogo

Fatma Ali Salimu

        Tanzania One Theatre’s (TOT Plus) vocalist Fatma Ali Salimu, or popularly known as ‘Fatma Dogodogo’, has died at the Mwananyamala Hospital last Sunday afternoon.

Dogodogo’s untimely death was confirmed by TOT’s executive director captain John Komba through a press statement availed to The Guardian yesterday.

It was cervical cancer that claimed the death of the Taarab band’s most popular and hard working lady.

       Komba said the entire TOT fleet of staff and Taarab Music fraternity has been shocked by the demise of the singer who used to win hearts of the fans in and outside the country.

Born on June 11, 1962 at Unguja Urban West in Zanzibar, Dogodogo is survived by a daughter and three grand children.

         The short but stocky beautiful singer crossed over to TOT in June 1998 from an art group with the Zanzibar’s Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture.

Since then she has been an ardent TOT singer loyal enough to shrug off any temptation to join any other group.

The grief-stricken Komba said Dogodogo has left a huge gap not only to the TOT as a staff but also as a family head.

He said the singer used to be a hardworking, tolerant and composed throughout her musical career.

Dodogogo was buried at the Mwananyamala cemetery yesterday with a huge turn up of family members, friends, relatives, music fans and many more.