PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug 10, CMC – Calypsonian Might Power, who contested the first ever Independence Calypso competition in 1962, has died, a few days before he would have been honoured at this year’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) confirmed that Power, whose real name is Sonny Francois, died on Thursday after being diagnosed with cancer. The only other two surviving members of the 12 finalists in the 1962 competition is the Grenadian born, Slinger Francisco, the Mighty Sparrow and Bomber (Theophelus Woods). “We were looking to honour Power, Bomber and Sparrow at the finals and he was preparing to sing the song he competed with. Is only some weeks ago they discovered some kind of growth in his stomach they said was cancerous,” said TUCO’s public relations officer, Karega Mandela, adding “we have lost a giant in the culture”. Power’s most popular song was the comical double entendre, “Tun Tun” about a world famous female comedian from India who visited Trinidad in 1980. The song was the runner-up for the National Road March title in 1981. Trinidad and Tobago will observe its 50th anniversary of political independence from Britain on August 31 and a number of activities have been planned to mark the occasion.