The world paused and stood for a moment to pay homage to Emmanuel Ndjocke Dibango aka Manu Dibango who passed away on Tuesday in France due to the COVID-19.

Such was his influence that personalities across the board, from the political through the diplomatic to the musical world bowed before the memory of a man who succeeded to export African music to the rest of the world at a time nobody expected.

Thus, it was only normal for the world to pour tributes with the Head of State Paul Biya describing the fallen musician as a doyen and an artistic ambassador of Cameroon’s music to the rest of the world.

Other African leaders like Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba described him as an exceptional genius full of human values.

Manu Dibango’s musical career equally took him to Cote d’Ivoire where he found a second home there and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara described him as an extremely happy man.

His peers across the continent and around the world were equally full in praise for the fallen musician who had an impalct in their careers.

From Benin’s Angelique Kidjo, through Congo’s Lokua Kanza to Senegal’s Youssou Ndour, the tributes were touching and showed ’Grand Manu’ was not only a unanimous figure with his music but a great personality to be around.