By Kemo Cham
The historic Guinean home of the late South African singer and anti-Apartheid icon, Miriam Makéba, is reported to have been burglarized.
The landmark house located in the urban commune of Dalaba in the Mamou Region of Guinea was infiltrated by the unknown burglars who carted away with precious paintings, according to Guinean media reports.
The incident reportedly took place on Friday, September 6th. It occurred during Jumaa prayers, a source told the Guinean publication, Guineematin.com.
The publication reported that a total of five paintings went missing after the incident, citing the caretaker of the facility.
Guinea was one of nine countries that granted Miriam Makeba citizenship after she was rendered stateless by the Apartheid South African regime due to her activism. They included Ghana, Algeria and Belgium.
Makeba lived in Guinea for about a decade, after she and her African-American civil rights activist husband Stokley Carmichael, known as Kwame Ture, moved from the United States in the face of political persecution. The home where they lived in the town of Dalaba, located about 300km from the capital Conakry, was presented to her by the late Guinean independence leader, Saikou Toure.
Oumar Telly Diallo, the caretaker of the compound, was quoted saying that the thieves took advantage of his absence to break into the house.
“The criminals took advantage of my temporary absence to enter the house. They stole several valuables, including old and precious paintings that were part of the house’s heritage,” the elderly caretaker told Guineematin.com.
According to Diallo, the incident coincided during the 2pm Friday prayer time.
He said he discovered it when he accompanied a group of tourists visiting the house later.
Among the missing paintings include a portrait of the late singer herself, which was hanging in her bedroom.
“They took a total of 5 paintings, three of which were designed,” said Diallo.
According to the caretaker, this is the sixth time the premises have been subjected to burglary.
The authorities in Dalaba are reported to have initiated investigation to the incident, with the goal of recovering the missing items and bringing those responsible to book.
