@batoto.ba.kenya_0: Joséphine Bowule Bopenge, often called Ya Josée, was a prominent and celebrated businesswoman in Kinshasa during the 1970s and 1980s. She is best remembered today as the real-life muse and subject of the timeless Congolese rumba classic called Testament ya Bowule, which translates to Bowule's Will. In her professional life, she was a beloved and well-known figure in the Matonge district of Kinshasa where she ran a successful fabric and bread shop in Pavilion 5 at the Great Market. She was also a highly influential member of the Association of Businesswomen of Zaire. Following her sudden passing in early 1986, her grieving younger sister named Mathilde Bowule approached the legendary rumba poet Simaro Massiya Lutumba to request a musical tribute in honor of her sister's memory. Simaro Lutumba composed the song on behalf of the bereaved sister by putting the raw pain and disbelief of death into lyrics. It was beautifully recorded and performed by Franco and Le T.P.O.K. Jazz, featuring soaring vocals by Malage de Lugendo. The track became a profound cultural monument across Central Africa. Because of the intense emotion and storytelling regarding the finality of death, it is frequently played as a dirge at many Congolese funerals today.

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Tuesday 23 June 2026 14:22:16 GMT