MINGO SURVIVES JUNKIE LIFESTYLE
Gabs Block 3 Councillor Motamma helped him
Through life’s vicissitudes, many people have emotional and mental breakdowns, and while some succumb to depression or commit suicide, others, such as Aminoni Mujokeri, popularly known as kwaito artiste Mingo Touch fight gallantly and live to tell their story.
The musician recently opened up about his battle with alcohol and drug addiction. Before getting help, he drank alcohol almost daily and used hard drugs such as cocaine, weed and madaina.
For Mingo Touch, the first step to fighting the addiction ‘demon’, was admitting that he had a problem. “I really didn’t want to be that person whose life gets ruined because of alcohol and drugs”. Most drug rehabilitation facilities are in South Africa, and they cost an arm and a leg, so he had to deduce a plan. His guardian angel came in the form of Councillor for Block 3 in Gaborone, Motamma Horatious, who reached out and encouraged him to turn over a new leaf. “She identified Sbrana Hospital in Lobatse and helped me get in there for assistance”. Mingo Touch has had a series of public meltdowns and he reached a point where he would break down and cry even when he was among friends and industry peers.
“I was overwhelmed and easily triggered. Some people took it as a joke but deep down I was crying for help”.
His breakdown was a culmination of many events, some from as far as his childhood. “I faced several challenges such as loss from death from a young age…” When he was 16 fame came knocking on his door when his first single became a hit. Fame went to his head and he fell in with the wrong crowd. He had a void within and he started having depressive episodes. To add salt to injury, his romantic relationships didn’t work out.
“I had a fall-out with my child’s mother and the woman I proposed to dumped me; this added to my growing depression”. Things got worse during the Covid19 pandemic lockdown last year.
“I suddenly had no income. I could not even take care of my child and was forced to hustle”.
He said music and performances had also kept him distracted but now that he was twiddling his thumbs and dealing with anxiety and uncertainty over the future, his problems resurfaced.
He hit the bottle as a coping mechanism to “reduce his stress.” He also battled with recurring suicidal thoughts. The artist eventually hit rock bottom and attempted suicide once but the mission was aborted because someone saw and stopped him. He also got into trouble with the police as he would sometimes break curfew regulations to get alcohol and drugs. He didn’t like the person he was becoming and he introspected.
“I thought to myself: ‘I have a daughter and a family that loves me, why am I doing this’? I went down on my knees and prayed to God asking for help. “I was tired of being a joke, especially as my stunts affected my loved ones”. Mingo Touch is now feeling inspired and has received many positive messages since he decided to fix his life. He has also received messages from parents who want him to speak to their children. “There are some young people from as far as Mandunyana and Magotlhana, who I am helping. I also want to go on a school drive and have so far engaged Maikano and Khuduga schools because youth are the most vulnerable”. He is now a born-again Christian who consciously chose God, and the Kingdom of Light. Mingo Touch says many people have had great prospects in life but it all went down the drain because of substance abuse. He says many people keep quiet when they have problems because in Botswana communities, asking for help is perceived as a sign of weakness. “Many people are depressed… People are going through a lot but some won’t say it. All I can say is: Don’t give up, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help”.