On Friday May 9th 2014 at a Lusaka Cresta Golfview Hotel – a book titled “The Family Question and Other Plays”, was launched. This important book is a collection of eight most outstanding works and plays written by Prof. Dickson Mwika Mwansa . Prof. Mwansa is the former Vice-Chancellor of Zambia Open University.
This launch was witnessed by many notables from the academic circles like Prof. Lyson Tembo, Diplomats as well as politicians.
Note that, on October 24th this year, marks exactly 50 years since when Zambia attained political independence from our colonialists – The British. When Britain ruled us, she made sure that everything under its influence: – land and its people, where effectively controlled. Zambia’s development path therefore, was culturally and socially determined by them.
It is therefore, quite refreshing to welcome works like that written by Prof. Mwansa. In essence Mwansa, 50 years after independence, he is liberating us from British – cum European cultural bondage. Our minds and thoughts were somehow arrested by this foreign intruder. Our traditions, customs and morals – basically our rich history, was buried under this cloud of dominance.
Through theater arts and drama, Prof. Mwansa has opened up our minds so that we can reflect and see what has been happening to the Zambian society at large. Plays like: Father Kalo and the Virus or Builders and Destroyers amply demonstrate this point.
In “The Family Question and Other Plays” – Prof. Mwansa makes an attempt to try and revive some of our lost glory and respectability. Using theater arts and drama in combination with his vast experience as an educator, Mwansa touched on every conceivable societal issue. That is, social issues and problems which are facing us today are highlighted.
Notable among those themes discussed are: corruption, abuse of power, moral decay resulting even into epidemics like HIV/AIDS, breakdown in love and marriages, and not to forget about ethnicity and politicking. In some clever and craft way, somehow, Mwansa has touched on all of these societal headaches – poverty and the like.
Through a potpourri of acts and scenes, Mwansa is able to entwine issues and in a simple way, show us what is happening to the Zambian society.
Speaker after speaker at the launch among them – ZAOU Vice – Chancellor, Prof. Mutale Musonda, Prof. Lyson Tembo, Prof. Steward Crehan, Mr. Ghankanani Moyo, and Mr. Mark Chona among others, lauded and echoed the innovative and pioneering efforts taken in the publication of this collection.
All of these people and those who attended did not only welcome this important book, but one hopes that more of its kind will follow soon. Indeed, the coming out of this volume poses a great challenge to not only other writers, but also to the whole entire Zambian youth. It is time they took up the mantel and moved things forward – hopefully we don’t have to wait for another half a century.
While the Madalas during the UNIP days had the courage to chase the colonialists, the youth too must take the challenge a step further – the intellectual way.
Fifty years ago, youth specialized in throwing stones. Those of today should specialize in reading. As someone said, “if you want to hide some knowledge from Zambian people – put it in a book” because they don’t read. But a society which does not read remains backward.
In sum, the shape of the Zambian culture, morals and other pillars on which society can be built, should be paved and determined by the Zambian sons and daughters wherever they happen to be including the Diaspora. It is too important a task to leave it up to others to do it for us. Moreover if we fail to savage our past history, who will? Let’s follow Professor Mwansa’s example by digging deeper into finding out who we are as a people.
I therefore see “The Family Question and Other Plays” – as a lovely gift to the Zambian populace at this time when we are celebrating the golden (50th) birthday of our nation. Cheers!!
(Ukzambians.com)
