The news of the death of Samy Mikobi, better known by the nickname “Strategist”, has shaken the Congolese art scene. A public man and friend of musicians, he was well known to the Kinshasa jet set. But who was he really?
Samy Mikobi was from the commune of Bandalungwa and had studied at the Athénée de Kalina, which became the Athénée de la Gombe, a place where children from a certain class of society mixed together. He remained in this line and had a great facility to evolve in influential circles and to play with his relationships. A natural interpersonal skills that led him beyond his sphere to all layers of society.
It was a frail figure, but effective in action. He was of the race of the wood from which flutes are made, very accommodating with a rich network of relationships that opened doors and brought people together.
His professional life was punctuated with great feats of arms. He had left his mark in ACEC, a Belgian electrical company of which Papa Ngonda was a representative in the former Zaire. Since 1990, he was, with his friends the Rodalls, at a structure whose center of interest is the customs of the name of Socodam, housed in the building of the ACP (Congolese Press Agency).
Naturally faithful in friendship, he was in the backyard of the honorary Prime Minister and current Vice-President of the Senate, his namesake Samy Badibanga.
In short, Samy Mikobi was an influential and well-known personality on the Congolese art scene. His early death left a great void in the hearts of his many friends and loved ones.