By Austin Kaluba –
SATIRE is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself, into improvement.
It is a high form of criticism that calls for intellect and has been used since time immemorial.
In music, satire was used by Griots whose tradition has proved remarkably flexible in West Africa stretching back to seven centuries after its beginnings during the Malinke Empire which stretched from modern-day Senegal to Timbuktu and Gao in Mali and even included parts of Côte d’Ivoire.
The Griots were advisors to court, story-tellers, musicians and praise singers drawn from five leading griot families.
In Zambia among the Bembas, this role was played by Ing’omba who usually praised or lampooned chiefs in what was tolerated and accepted as constructive criticism.
The artistes even chose to have their eyes removed understanding their role as chroniclers of the history of the community they lived in.
In South Africa, the role of Imbongi who is a composer and orator of poems for a chief or other figurehead is still revered.
In Zambian music, while satire has sometimes been put to good use, there are instances when it has been abused exposing the thin line that exists between constructive criticism and unpalatable artistic expression.
Examples of good satirical songs in Zambia include Mukamfwilwa by John Mwansa and the Five Revolutions, Imisango Yaba Chaimani by the Black Power Band, Olemekedzeka by Rikki Ililonga, Common Man by the late PK Chishala, Basakala Nyongo by Impi and Bufi by Petersen.
Most of these songs were well-thought-out and still appeal to listeners long after they were composed.
Now a number of artistes seeking cheap publicity to sell their one-week hit wonders that they compose on their laptops are in a hurry to be ‘stars.’
Enter Pilato, who is a prolific artiste whose songs are released in quick succession that you cannot easily keep abreast with his compositions, many which only use one music device – rhyme.
This time he gives us a poor parody of the late Nashil Pilchen Kazembe 1970’s classic Aphiri Anabwera changing it to an atrocious version of A Lungu Anabwera.
It is a disastrous mish-mash of messages featuring the voice of Michael Sata, with the lyrics that were meant to depict the predicament of a politician called Lungu.
While maintaining the original music arrangement of Kazembe’s song, Pilato, whose real names are Chama Fimba, lamentably fails to convince or persuade anyone to believe him.
Even in what is called artistic licence which is euphemism used to denote the distortion of fact, alteration of the conventions of grammar or language, or rewording of pre-existing text made by an artiste in the name of art, Pilato lamentably fails in driving his point home.