The body of singer Yvan Buravan, who died on Wednesday, arrived in the country from India on the morning of Friday, August 19.Buravan, real name Yvan Burabyo, succumbed to pancreatic cancer on August 17 in India where he had travelled for treatment earlier this month.The deceased singer’s sister, Raissa Umutoni, told The New Times that the body arrived aboard RwandAir and was taken to Rwanda Military Hospital-Kanombe where it will lay till Tuesday next week.“The send-off or farewell ceremony will be held on Tuesday, August 23 and will be followed by his burial on Wednesday, August 24,” Umutoni briefly said in a phone interview.Upon arrival, Buravan’s body was received by relatives and taken to a mortuary while the vigil continues to be held in town, in Nyarugenge district, near CHUK, at his sister’s home.Buravan’s death followed weeks of being unwell and seeking treatment in different hospitals in Rwanda and Nairobi, before he was transferred to India, with the support of the Government of Rwanda.Tributes continue to pour in for the ‘Big time’ singer, who was posthumously awarded the 2022 Prix Découvertes by Radio France Internationale (RFI). He won the prize in 2018.Many Rwandans, including high profile officials like the Secretary General of Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Louise Mushikiwabo and the Minister of Youth and Culture, Rosemary Mbabazi, joined in to express their sadness over the passing of the singer.“Very saddened tonight by the terrible loss of a very talented musician Yvan Buravan! At 27... ah, how unfathomable the paths of life are! I remember you from the evening En français, s'il vous plait last May in Kigali. Rest in peace beloved brother!” Mushikiwabo tweeted.Several events in honour of the singer have been organised, including a tribute concert being organised by Intore Entertainment in BK Arena.According to Bruce Twagira, the proprietor of Intore Entertainment, in a tweet, Yvan Buravan had hoped to hold a concert in the Arena if he recovered but it was never to be.“Those were his last words to me, smiling. @yvanburavan had so much hope to get out his hospital bed so we can do our @bkarenarw show #Twaje,”“Brother, I promise, we must do the show in your honour King,” Twagira tweeted.Several artistes including Ariel Wayz, Kevin Kade and others have released songs paying tribute to their deceased compatriot.Who was Buravan?Born 27 years ago on April 27, 1995 in Gikondo, Kicukiro district, to Michael Burabyo and Elizabeth Uwikunda, Buravan was the last born of six siblings.He went to Ecole Le Petit Prince for his primary education and College Amis des Enfants as well as La Colombiere for his secondary education before joining University of Rwanda – College of Business and Economics, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Business Information and Technology.He started his music career in 2009 under the stage name Yvan Buravan, but it was not until 2015 when he had a major breakout as an R&B and Afrobeat singer and songwriter who went on to release songs such as ‘Urwo Ngukunda’, featuring Uncle Austin, ‘Malaika’, ‘Just a dance’ and many others.He was the first Rwandan musician to have won the Prix Decouvertes RFI musical award in 2018, which propelled him to the bigger stage and put him among the most promising artistes in the region.Buravan released his debut album, ‘The love lab’, in the year 2018 after winning the Prix Decouvertes RFI and as part of his winning package, he toured 12 African countries.He is known for songs like ‘Low Key’, ‘With You’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Bindimo’, ‘Si Belle’, ‘Just a Dance’, ‘Gusaakaara’, among others, which made him a household name over the past decade.
