Sontonga passed away on 1905, April 18 in Pimville, Johannesburg, at the age of just 32. In his short life, he wrote a song that would become one of the most important anthems in Africa’s history. He composed Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika in 1897, the same year that Afrikaans poet C.J. Langenhoven wrote Die Stem van Suid-Afrika, which would later become the national anthem of apartheid South Africa (SA).

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was adopted by the African National Congress, SA’s oldest liberation movement, and quickly became more than just a hymn, it became a prayer, a song of protest, and a rallying cry for freedom across the continent.

When African nations gained independence from colonial powers, several, including Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and SA, embraced the hymn as part of their national identity, either in full or in part, cementing its place as a cornerstone of African unity.

Though Sontonga's life was tragically short, his anthem continues to resonate. It is a powerful reminder of the role music has played in Africa's fight for justice and freedom, one that still echoes through stadiums, parliaments, and streets across the continent.

--ChannelAfrica--