Hon. Bowman Chilosha Lusambo Writes…
“RIGHT MESSAGE, WRONG AUDIENCE: THE CASE OF MUSICIANS AND SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVISM
The Bible instructs us in Proverbs 13:24 that “Whoever spares the rod hates his son. but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
The Holy Book is instructive to us parents who choose to care for and discipline our children that we truly love them and are following the Lord’s command.
| wish to stress my point that my address on Tuesday centred on Kings Malembe Malembe because I consider him as my young brother. I know Kings very well. The Kings some of you are seeing today can be considered as a finished article, I met Kings before he even got started. And given the unique relationship he enjoys with the First Family, I offered counsel and asked him to apologize for the manner in which he addressed himself because I believe the route he took was a wrong one. I am pleased that I heed my advice and almost immediately, he apologized.
The principle in communication is you can have the best message in the world, but if you deliver it to the wrong audience, it will fall on deaf ears and not resonate.
Have you ever wondered why the same joke you which was a big hit to a group of your friends was a flop when told to your parents or grandparents? The reason is simple, you didn’t change the tone of your voice, the words, the delivery. Classic case of mixing up audiences. Before creating any message, you must consider who the audience is and how they will take that message. What do you want the audience to do?
With that said, addressing the Head of State requires that one attaches the decorum and sedateness that comes with the highest office in the land. Like him or not, the President carries the collective aspirations of all the 17 million Zambians and therefore he deserves to be respected. You do not address his Office as if you are addressing your drink buddies in a Sunday Pub.
As for others, I was offering brotherly advice because I do not want to see them make mistakes in their young careers. l have been a politician for a very long time and most of that time, I spent it as a Youth Activist. I understand Youth Activism better than most of the young people speaking out today, my fear is that they are going about it the wrong way. I spoke out on key national issues when most of the youths choose to remain silent and records are there for all to see. There was a time l was also about to make similar mistakes but I listened to the counsel from elders like Dr Nevers Mumba, I am here today because I listened and young people should learn to listen. Let me also stress that I respect youth voices but I also believe that the mode of delivery and the audience ought to be correct.
Artists need to respect their fans. If they wish to do political activism, let them become politicians and we will address as such. There is a clear distinction between performing at political functions and raising political messages. When they perform at political events, that is a purely commercial undertaking and they are paid as stipulated in the agreed contracts. Instead of recording short videos disparaging the Head of State, they should be in the studios recording music that will put food on the table even when times are hard for everyone economically.”