It has been reported that Thierry Kobi Mantuika, ex TPOK guitarist is dead. If true then this is a very sad news.
No musician has ever played Franco style like Mantuika. In fact in a number of TPOK songs, many listeners may mistakenly think Franco played the mi-solo when he actually did not participate at all.
He joined OK as a lead guitarist but later drifted to Mi-solo after the recruitment of Michelino. He later combined so well, with the late Gerry (Dialungana), Papa Noel and Dizzy Madjeku in some of the best TPOK releases.
Here is a young Mantuika ( next to Simaro on the right) in the hit song Mbongo. His guitar defined this song.