Rumours abound about this larger-than-life figure, musician Mohamed Bakari Naaman, who went by the stage name Prof. Naaman.

It is said that he was a ghostbuster, and indeed he was. That he was an herbalist, in fact a renowned one, whose services were sought beyond the borders. That he was the heaviest musician ever, perhaps true, although there are no documented records of musicians’ weights. Since he visibly weighed far more than Pepe Kallé, who himself could be considered among the heaviest, then probably Naaman truly was the heaviest.

It is also said that he ate a whole tray of eggs for breakfast. That is speculative. He did eat quite a lot, but not an entire tray in one sitting. As for the claim that he ate a whole goat, that is an outright lie. He often slaughtered a goat a day, but he hardly ever ate it alone.

The story that he could not fit into his car after buying it at the showroom and that the doors had to be modified to accommodate his burly frame is absolutely true. However, the tale that he had dozens of children from a dozen women was most likely false.

Many more myths surround him, but the above were debunked by his son, Diwa Alfamazi Mbwana. Naaman also remains somewhat mysterious; even those considered close to him did not fully understand him. Yet, some aspects attributed to him are not even debatable.

Naaman was big, truly big. Although no authentic records of his weight exist, those who saw him attest that he was far larger than any average human being. Some people say they were frightened the first time they saw him, while others estimate his weight to have been not less than 300 kilograms.

Adam Ndaro Solomon, a Kenyan musician based in Montreal, Canada, was a guitarist and vocalist with Prof. Naaman’s band, The Nine Stars. In an interview with Jabulani, Adam said that the musician’s sheer size and his reputation as a herbalist made him a star attraction.

Each time they staged a concert, the hall was packed with fans eager to catch a glimpse of the singing giant. Adam, who joined the band in Mombasa before later travelling with it to Nairobi, said that although Naaman was a Mijikenda born in Mombasa, he lived in Kitui with his family and only visited Mombasa, which had been his musical base. Naaman also had family members in Uganda and Tanzania.

His Nine Stars band was very popular in the country at the time. The band was versatile and performed music across genres, mainly benga, reggae, and coastal beats. It also featured the legendary guitarist and singer Joe Lipuka, the dreadlocked musician from Mombasa who later became a reggae sensation in Kenya in the 1990s.

Lipuka played rhythm guitar, while Adam, who had also played for Kabasele, Kamaru, and others, handled the solo guitar. Willy Mazera played bass guitar and had previously performed with Adam Solomon in several other bands.

“He could not resist the urge to join The Nine Stars, which had become very popular,” Adam said of Willy Mazera, with whom he had played in Zetta, Utamaduni, and other groups.

The band’s drummer was Maina, who was later replaced by Jacky. Solomon Kombo was the band’s manager, responsible for prospecting and securing concert contracts. He was also a bass player, vocalist, and the man who fixed and set up the band’s equipment. Omondi played guitar and sang, while Yussuf Mhando, who came to Kenya with Arusha Jazz and had been a member of Jamhuri Jazz, served as a backup vocalist.

Adam says Naaman was a star attraction whom fans followed everywhere he went. He travelled in a modified Nissan Kombi fitted with a single seat in the middle just for him. Wherever he went, there was always someone who wanted to see him, sometimes not for his music, but to seek herbal treatment.

“Baba Kambo na Mama Kambo, nani aliye mbaya” is one of his most popular songs. Unlike most bands that stuck to a particular genre, Orchestra Nine Stars was a reggae band that also performed benga, rumba, and other styles, making it everyone’s favourite.

In the song Baba Kambo na Mama Kambo, Naaman roars behind the microphone in a reggae hit backed by a heavy bass guitar. He had a commanding baritone voice, almost similar to that of Pepe Kallé, the figurative and literal giant of Congolese music, to whom Naaman could also be compared in physique.

His other songs include Mwana Siti, Christina, Amina, Dada Batuli, and Amin, among many others.

Mohamed Bakari Naaman was born in Mombasa on February 12, 1946, and died on October 26, 1992. He was buried in Nairobi.

He remains one of the most prolific musicians Kenya has ever had.

By Jerome Ogola