The Men and women we’ve lost during this COVID-19 season.
Rose Marie Compaoré
A dedicated leader who served as the second Vice President of Burkina Faso’s parliament, Rose Marie Compaoré was the first recorded person to die from novel coronavirus in both Burkina Faso and Sub-Saharan Africa. She succumbed to the coronavirus on March 18, 2020 in Burkina Faso. She was 61 at the time of her death.
Manu Dibango
This songwriter and saxophone wizard made a name for himself fusing jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian music. His most popular song was “Soul Makossa” which he released in 1972. At the peak of his very accomplished career, Manu was nominated for multiple Grammys. He was born in December 1933 in Douala, Cameroon and passed away on March 24 from the coronavirus in Paris, France. He was 86 years old.
Pape Diouf
Starting his career as a sports journalist for La Marseillaise newspaper, Pape Diouf’s involvement in the world of sports began to grow, and working with the club Olympique de Marseille led to him becoming an agent to some of the best talent there. Diouf was appointed Marseille club president in 2005, making him the first Black president of a major soccer club. He died on March 31 in Senegal as the first coronavirus casualty documented there. He was 68 years old.
Prof. David Driskell
Prof. David Driskell was a pioneer and pivotal champion of Black art, known for his “Two Centuries of Black American Art” exhibition that featured over 200 works by 63 named artists and some anonymous crafters. The exhibition moved around the country making stops in Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and New York. Driskell did more than discover known Black artists; he established African American art as a legitimate field of study. He was born on June 7, 1931 in Eatonton, Georgia, southeast of Atlanta and died on April 1, 2020 in Hyattsville, Maryland after succumbing to the coronavirus. He was 88.
April Dunn
The champion of the disability community, April Dunn worked alongside the governor of Louisiana and fought for people with disabilities. She grew up with fetal alcohol syndrome and cerebral palsy and struggled through her youth. Having faced the same issues daily as those she advocated for made her a voice that people respected. She was able to win legislation that provided alternate ways for children with disabilities to earn their high school diploma. April was born on July 6, 1986 in Louisiana and died from complications caused by coronavirus on March 28 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was 33 years old.
Mohamed Farah
One of Somalia’s greatest soccer talents, he played for Baltroolka’s soccer club and went on to represent Somalia on their national team. Later on in his life, Farah worked as an advisor to the minister of youth and sports. He was born on February 15, 1961 in Somalia, and lost his battle against coronavirus on March 24, in London. He was 59 years old.
Ahmed Ismail Hussein
Known famously in Somalia as the “King of Oud”, Hussein was a huge musical figure in his country. He traveled worldwide spreading his musical influence over his recording and performing career. Hussein was essential in defining and popularizing the traditional Somali music style known as qaraami. He was born on April 15, 1930 in Berbera, Somalia and died in London on April 7, 2020, eight days before his 90th birthday.
Nur Hassan Hussein
The former Prime Minister of Somalia, Nur Hassan Hussein led his country’s government during a crucial transitional period beset by insurgency and humanitarian crises. He served as the attorney general starting in 1987, and 20 years later he was appointed as the Prime Minister in 2007. After leading the charge to a peace agreement with some Somalian insurgents, his place in history was further solidified. He was born in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital on February 2, 1938 and died on April 1 in London from the coronavirus. He was 82 years old.
Pearson Jordan
One of the fastest men in Barbados in his prime, Pearson Jordan’s speed led him to compete in the men’s 100 meter dash in the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was a champion relay runner for the Louisiana State University Tigers from 1976 to 1979. He was Born on October 22, 1950 in Barbados, and passed away from complications due to coronavirus on March 28 at the age of 69.
Aurlos Mabélé
A true performer, the Congolese “King of Soukous” (the energetic dance hall music that blends traditional African and Caribbean rhythms with pop and soul), was known for his up-tempo music and high energy dance moves. Rising to fame in the 70s and 80s, he founded the musical group Les Ndimbola Lokole and produced hits like “Waka Waka”, and “Zebola”. He was born on October 24, 1953 in Brazzaville and died at the age of 66 from coronavirus on March 23 in Paris.
Zororo Makamba
As the son of Zimbabwean businessman and politician Dr. Jones Makamba, Zororo was raised as a scion of one of the wealthiest families in his country. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Michigan State University in 2012 and went on to pursue his masters in producing from the New York Film Academy. Makamba became an eloquent patriot, appearing on and hosting several programs discussing climate change and other political and social issues. He was born on January 17, 1990 in Zimbabwe and became the first casualty in his southern African nation, where he died from coronavirus on March 23, in Harare, Zimbabwe. At the time of his death he was 30 years old.
Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
Starting his music career in the late 1940s, he rose to new levels of attention as the patriarch of a musical family, winning the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award along with his sons Branford, Delfeayo, Jason, and Wynton. A jazz pianist and great teacher, he encouraged his students to learn from history while also making musical discoveries on their own. Marsalis was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2018, and the Ellis Marsalis Center For Musicians’ Village in New Orleans is named in his honor. He was born in November 1934 in New Orleans, Louisiana and died after a battle with coronavirus on April 1 in his hometown. He was 85 Years old.
Orlando McDaniel
Orlando McDaniel used his track and field background to become a standout wide receiver for the Louisiana State University Tigers. NFL scouts noticed his potential and he was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the NFL draft where he played for the entirety of his career. After his playing days concluded, McDaniel worked with youth in the Dallas area as the head coach of the North Texas Cheetahs Track Program.. Orlando was born on December 1, 1960 in Shreveport, Louisiana and died at the age of 59 from coronavirus on March 28 in Texas.
Jenny Polanco
An innovator in the fashion world, Jenny Polanco was a Dominican designer who worked across the Caribbean, in Paris, and in New York. She had a flair for fashion since she was a child, creating costumes for her Barbies, then going on to make her own clothes when she went off to college. Her career as a designer spanned 40 years and she was well regarded in the industry. She was born on January 18, 1958 in Santo Domingo and passed away from coronavirus on March 27 in her hometown. She lived to be 62
Gita Ramjee
Ugandan-South African scientist and researcher, Gita led studies and drug tests in South Africa hoping to find a cure for HIV while also demolishing cultural barriers to stopping the spread. Doing most of her studies in South Africa, she earned her PhD there at the University of Natal. Gita Ramjee was the chief scientific officer at the Aurum Institute in Johannesburg and was at the forefront of the effort to contain AIDS. She was born on April 8, 1956 and, after returning from giving a lecture in London, she fell victim to the coronavirus and died on April 1 in South Africa. She lived to be 63 years old.
Dr. Alfa Saadu
A master of medicine who completed over 20 years of education in order to further himself in his field, Dr. Saadu, a native of Nigeria, obtained a master’s degree in clinical tropical medicine, and a PhD in infectious diseases. After schooling, he worked as a physician at General Hospital Watford in London and was eventually given the position of executive director at Ealing Hospital and subsequently Princess Alexandra Hospital, where he retired in December 2017. He came out of retirement in response to the UK government’s plea for help in treating the rise in COVID-19 patients. He died after a two-week battle with coronavirus on March 31 in London. He was 67 years old.
