K mourns Post cartoonist Yuss
K mourns Post cartoonist YussBy Brighton Phiri and Chibaula Silwamba
Friday August 31, 2007 [04:00]
DR Kenneth Kaunda yesterday described the late Post cartoonist Trevor Ford as a great contributor in the field of communication. Commenting on the death of Ford popularly known as Yuss, Dr Kaunda said Zambians would miss his unique style and informative way of communication.
"Naturally, we shall miss his unique and informative style of communication," he said.
Dr Kaunda said it would be difficult for the country to replace a cartoonist of Yuss' talent and courage. He urged cartoonists and other media practitioners to emulate Yuss' courageous and unique style of informing the public.
Dr Kaunda said Yuss' cartoons assisted the people to debate on issues of national interest.
"My condolences go to his family and the media fraternity...a replacement of such cases is not easily found. May this not be a problem for his co-workers in the media," he said.
Opposition UPND president Hakainde Hichilema said Zambia had been robbed of a gallant cartoonist, who was focused in his quest to inform the public.
Veteran politician Simon Zukas described Yuss as an outstanding artist and cartoonist.
"It is very sad because he was such an outstanding artist and cartoonist," Zukas said.
Press Freedom Committee of The Post chairperson, Webster Malido, described the passing of Yuss as a loss to journalism and to all those who value freedom and democracy.
Malido said through his sometimes provocative, yet entertaining cartoons, Yuss put to test "our commitment as a nation to free speech and freedom of the press."
"While trying to ignite laughter from his works, Yuss on a serious note always tried to put the face of his jokes on the body of truth. He succeeded in this because his works - imaginative as they might have been - were a true reflection of our lived experiences," Malido said.
"His illustrious contribution to the growth of our democracy cannot be denied even by the most hostile of his critics, because he excelled at combining his imagination and expression in exposing - in a humorous, yet not frivolous style - the contradictions of the world we live in."
Post newspapers administration manager Reuben Phiri said the late Yuss contributed so much to the development of The Post through his cartoons.
Confirming the death of Yuss yesterday, Phiri said the veteran cartoonist died of cancer on Wednesday night.
"We have been keeping track of his health condition until at the time he unfortunately passed on, on Wednesday night," Phiri said. "We wish to take this opportunity to express our sincere condolences to all his family members."
Phiri said Yuss would be cremated tomorrow in Lusaka.
"We will go to Ambassador Saint Anne's where the body is lying, after which there will be cremation," he said.
Phiri said Yuss, who was born in South Wales in United Kingdom, had been associated with The Post from its inception in 1991.
"Yuss has been associated with The Post since its inception, drawing cartoons which sometimes were controversial," Phiri said. "Basically, Yuss is a person who interacted with each and every person at The Post. He contributed so much to the development of The Post through his collaborating of editorial content with his cartoon and was highly knowledgeable about local and international events."
In a profile interview with Post managing editor Amos Malupenga in 2005, Yuss said he did not just draw to earn a living but communicate.
"When politicians say we are here to serve you, they don't mean it. People are promised this and that but nothing happens. This is not just here but worldwide," Yuss said. "So the role of the satirical writer, the playwright, the cartoonist and the painter is to point out all those things. I will continue to deal with poverty, corruption, lack of education, health and many more...From my point of view, the role of a cartoonist should be, to be a thorn in the side of a pompous politician, to burst the balloon, to bring them down when they tell a pack of lies."
Yuss was born as Brian Ford but later changed the name to Trevor after people started calling him by that name.
"One of my relatives, Trevor Ford, was a famous international footballer. He played for Aston Villa, Sunderland, and Ajax in Holland among other teams. I also played a lot of football as a kid so the name stuck. I have been called Trevor from about the age of five," said Yuss.
And explaining how he got the nickname Yuss, he said: "Trevor is another nickname that I have used for years on paintings. On my cartoons with the other publications I used the name Trevor. Robby Makayi and Mike Hall said you can't be Trevor Ford because it would be politically unwise to use a known name. Bubu (my son) at the time was very young and he was asked by his mother if he wanted a glass of milk and he said YUSS. And Robby Makayi said 'that's it, you are YUSS'. And that is how I got the name. I know people don't believe me but that is how I got the name. People think YUSS has some meaning, not at all. The first cartoon I did for The Post was during the rip off of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM). After the first cartoon, there were letters to The Post, people were asking who YUSS was. They said they had an idea who YUSS was. But The Post never issued any statement at all. But what was exciting was that for the first time and for a long time, we had Bill Saidi and Kapelwa Musonda whose columns were very straight. They were like an illustration. There were no political cartoons. And so when we started YUSS, people were sort of against the idea. After two or three editions, the cartoons, especially political ones, became very popular and people wanted to buy me a drink wherever I went. It was exciting and has always been exciting drawing cartoons."
Yuss came to Zambia in 1966 and proceeded to work at Hillcrest Secondary School as an art teacher before joining Evelyn Hone College as a lecturer in 1970 until 1983 when he quit to join Ridgeway Hotel which is now Holiday Inn, as a designer. In 1988, Yuss left Ridgeway to go and re-organise, and headed the art department at International School of Lusaka until he joined The Post in 1990.
Yuss was a painter by training but he was more interested in cartoons and regarded painting as a hobby.
Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, TREVOR FORD
posted by MrK @ 5:26 AM
2 Comments:
I knew Trevor when I was living in Lusaka in the 80s. A truly great guy, sincere, passionate, and always on the side of the workers and the poor. A man of great charm and wit- must be the Celtic side of him. I was hoping to have one more Mosi with him, but just read of his death on the internet. May his soul rest in peace! Mike Kennefick
I think I will never be able to make a comment like you, why I am happy about your post and your post has a different feel
Call Girls Sector 4
Call Girls Sushant Lok
Call Girls Noida
Call Girls DLF Phase 4
Call Girls Manesar
Gurugram Call Girls Photos
Call Girls In Surazkund
Gurugram Escorts Service
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home