RIP heroine soldiers!

For the first, let me risk with my life. Anyways, what is life to a commoner in Swaziland? Nothing! Ask Bheki Makhubu.
Again, for the first let me speak to His Majesty. For once, I will not pretend as if nothing happened, as if dogs just had an unfortunate encounter and died in droves! I will not speak in hushed tones like many of my country folks. Today angeke ngibindze ngibona! These girls that died on the afternoon of Friday, 28  August along the Mbabane-Manzini MR3 highway are our children. We were expecting them to come back home. Before they are maidens, they are our intergral part as parents. We release them to this annual reed dance not as seeds upon which this country should be built but as second custodians to our cultural heritage. Now this!

This is one incident I will not alienate myself from commenting. Nature compels me to take this deaths in the extreme. I am tempted too to say all is not well with the death of our girls.So along that tone, I will not play the office of faithful subject or blind loyalist and scream, 'that was just an accident!' No! This will qualify me as a hypocrite yet I am too smart for that. How do I utter such hypocrisy to the ears of the dead young girls?

Your Majesty, the dying of Imbali on every reed dance annually has long dented the good spirit of our heritage. You yourself is aware that such incident are closely associated with  witchcraft. The institution which you are it office-bearer suffers when such accusations fly about with no one from the traditional circles to defend. Umhlanga and incwala are seen as expeditions of Swazi witchcraft in which your personhood as King is strengthened to allow you to reign with little resistance from us, your subject Your Majesty. This above assertion is not my own imagination or make up but is a generally held view among many Swazis. Even among the so called loyalists of the system. It is a generally known fact that annually, we lost a soul during such ceremonies. Ask anybody. Why? Is it true that the blood of our girls is the seed of this nation?

Your Majesty, I am more sorrowful for you than the bereaved parents. This incident has intensified the long held belief that kaNgwane kuyatsakatswa. Umhlanga as we know it is a ceremony that promotes chastity among girls. It encourages our Swazi girls to refrain from sexual activity until marriage. When glanced along this line,  Umhlanga is a good thing to have. Further, umhlanga acts as an added impetus to  our economy as it attract tourists from far lands who boost the economy through bookings in hotels and the buying of souvenirs. The same cannot be said of incwala, which also promotes chastity in boys. These two cultural activities act as prisms through which the indegenous religion of Swazis is lived and the spirit of Ubuntu cultivated.

However, the true theme of umhlanga has been lost in the helm of the current Monarch. The distortion of the ancient theme of umhlanga has seen such a noble heritage used as a political tool by your office in furtherance of popularity for a system that is coming under intense scrutiny from all quarters of Swazi society. This on its own is wrong. Culture is not supposed to be used to settle political support since no one owns it. Culture belongs to us all. It is the mirror through which we look ourselves. It is our pride, not a possession of the ruling elite. The problem that has faced umhlanga and incwala recently has been the illegitimate transformation of both into the ruling Dlamini clan. Therein lies the danger.

What now that fate has overtaken us? I think the noble thing to do now is for the traditional authorities to begin in the beginning. First, let umhlanga be absolutely delinked from politics because we are not at all pleased with this unnecessary relationship.  Why would a system that claims huge support from the governed resorts to such tactics in the increasing sentiments of political change? It boggles the mind. The same voice that calls on unions to focus on bread and butter issues is calling too for traditionalists to focus on culture and leave politics to the appropriate people. In that way, the country will save itself. Now this recent accident has given the haters of Tinkhundla more ammunitions to shoot our beloved kingdom badly. Nyalo batsi niyayibona ke lentfo yaMswati!  When in actual fact lentfo akusiko kwakho, kwesive.
Secondly, let us as the second custodians of our culture be informed on why yearly, maidens die. That they die is an open secret. Arrest me on that one. Let us have  transparent cultural activities  that will erode the  (mis)conception that underneath the cloak of our culture lies the kingdom of darkness. Such perpetrates the conspiracy  that both incwala and umhlanga also serve as  tools of darkness for our Monarchy.

This incident reflect badly on the institution of our Monarchy and the person of you Mpangazitha. We are one with you in this sad moment and I believe God-believing people will give the soothing consolation expected of them. We hope this day will forever be commemorated in remembrance of our fallen soldiers. I also extend my heartfelt condolences to the parents of the gone giants.

Here at Sub-Saharapost, we salute you as martyrs of our culture. We also believe that calling off the ceremony with immediacy would have gone a long way to comfort us all.  Rest in peace and rise in glory.

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Khayelihle Simelane is a degree holder in BA Humanities.

My laughter, my ink!

Now that I can laugh again, I can write again. It pleases me to spit an ink over the paper again, after months of inaction. Let me put that again, hopefully a bit accurate than my initial attempt. I am gay that activity is back on this blog that was going sterile. I use the word gay conservatively, if you catch my drift.Much big ups go to my colleague who have unceasingly ignited the waning fire in keeping the flame of the blog burning. That is not to imply that he was oblivious to the challenges we faced, and I faced personally.  And by  that attempt he saved this baby from sterility.

The last time I posted an article was last year. And the last time I ever put ink on paper was in October 2013, when I wrote to the Times  as a contributing writer. It was one of my highest highlight as a young growing writer and each day I cherish the privilege the newspaper offered me in using their hall. I didn't think at that time that my writing would soon  hit a low. It came too soon. It came as a thunderbolt to me. I lost my laughter. I couldn't laugh anymore. There was nothing left to laugh. Since I could nolonger laugh, I could nolonger write. The demise of my laughter took away the zeal to write.

I am happy I wrote at the time of the thing that masquaraded itself as a judge. Chief Justice for that matter.
To write at that time was equivalent to paving your way to prison. The government of our day had intensified its grips on all free-thinking-non-praising people. You had to think more than twice before going on with an article. That is not to say today we enjoy the right to express ourselves freely. Far from that. It's a given fact that in much of the  developing economies, where democracy is either at its nascent stage or just a dream, the media is censored. Swaziland is no different.  However, there is room for improvement and the kingdom is far better than countries such as Russia, Syria and Zimbabwe where all media is state-controlled.

Michael M. Ramodibedi is languishing in the dungeon of history now following his impeachment by the  Judicial Service Commission and his subsequent firing by His Majesty the King. This, after serving the government so diligently  and enjoying the best hospitality reserved for the Shanmugas of this world. He now lives in the Republic of South After, near his nation's border. In shame.
Living in a luxury hotel at the taxpayer's expense to living in a plush mansion with a bunker in the posh Thembelihle suburb in the Capitol made him feel like he was a member of the royal family. He became too big. However, I will dedicate my time to this'thing' in another space.  What's most important for now is that Bhova paid the price and now suffers the humiliation of stooping so low to being a puppet regardless of being the educated thing that he is.

One thing I experienced while I was writing for the mentioned newspaper was  the many Makhulu Baases that live in every corner. Even where you least expect them. To meet a Bhova  in an institution of high learning  is very thinning. I met my own Makhulu Baas at the University of Swaziland in 2013. And this being a woman's month, I am saddened to reveal that my own Bhova was a woman. This is where I lost my laughter, and my ink. It was in one lecturer's office where I paid the prize for attempting my own analysis and criticism on issues bordering on religion and the Bible. My problem was making myself a now-know-it boy even before I graduated. What ensured thereafter was a battle over supremacy-it was third world war. The lecturer was my project supervisor and ironically a head of department. As the tension intensified, she pulled of as my supervisor and for the whole month of March,  I was on my own. She, being the HOD frustrated all means for me to get a supervisor. Until the matter was handled at upper levels.

Let me say this, though this is not a blow-by-blow account of what really transpired and I never meant it to be thus, however, the motive of this article is to reveal that my Theology and Religious Studies lecturer stole my happiness. It is a given fact that depriviation of happiness takes with it innovation and creativity. That's why I emphasise that my ink got lost inside that lecturer's office when she reduced me into a nonentity. I lost my drive and my esteem was dented. I  was powerless, she was on the other shore powerful. Very. I suffered for my own intelligence. Or rationale.

The above narration shows explicitly the extent people with power can go just to  assert their authority  on others. I am gay I made mention to Swaziland's ex-CJ, who was used by Prime Minister Dr Sibusiso Barnabas  Dlamini to instill fear within local scribes.  Ramodibedi was a pain in the butt of journalism and free expression. This, after being unleashed by the fearsome Makhundu. The Mosotho turned the Judiciary into a one man show before it became a corporate immediately relieved Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs,  Sibusiso Shongwe was appointed into the office. Sibusiso Shongwe is a man who made his name when he was a staunch supporter of the government's tool,  Ramodibedi. Shongwe stood by the man in all accusations levelled against the Mosotho by the  Law Society of Swaziland. He also stood by him against the effort of the media that was drumming sense to the stubborn PM aka Spakatane, that this Mosotho was but a moron. Thus Shongwe got rewarded for being a bullet proof for the disgraced Mosotho  by being appointed Minister of Justice.

As I am resurrecting my writing today, Sibusiso Shongwe is a backbencher now after doing two months in jail for corruption related charges. His initial case and encounter with the law assumed a domino like in that more and more cases of corruption are emerging against the pastor of Calvary Ministries. The firing of Makhulu Baas and that of Shongwe as Minister of Justice is not a way  of cleansing the Judiciary but just a fallout between friends. Attempts at cleansing the Judiciary should start from the Premier who is the main player in this whole mess. That birds are hovering over his head concerning the judiciary mess is absolutely accurate. His hands are dirty and his conscious equally guilt. His style has embarrased the likes of suspended Judge Mpendulo Simelane who became a spectacle during the infamous trial of The Nation editor and columnist,  Bheki Makhubu and Thulani Maseko. Another embarrased stooge is DPP Nkosinathi Maseko who lost the meaning of what it entails to be DPP.

Resuscittating the blog means these main things to me and my co-contributor. It means that this blog will strive for objectivity, consistence, adherence to journalism ethics, professionalism, balanced analysis and respect. Ours is not to please the pundits of the Tinkhundla oligarchy nor to thrill the opponents of it. We are writing to hold our leaders accountable to the  citizens, to offer a new dimension to polítics. As young men, we are representing the sentiments of our age group, the youth and how we wish to see this nation developing in the next years. We pour out of what we like and dislike of our leaders. Ours is not entirely to terminate the obtaining political, cultural and religious dispensations but is to condon and condemn where we feel there is a need for either. We are open to castigation that will not kill us but build as we also strive to build our leaders along the lines of the reasoning of us as the youth. Remember, lelive ngeletfu, sibabolekile labangembili kitsi. We, therefore, not anticipate to inherit a dysfunctional nation.

As a point of emphasis, the contents of this blog is not meant to glorify any person, whatever the social standing. We are not praisers of any individual. We have no boundaries too. We are the ink that stings. We are proudly Swazis.

We hope our readers will enjoy reading our blog the same way we enjoy writing our articles too. We may not agree on every point but we believe our views will help to bring another perspective in our socio-political, economic, religious and cultural terrain.

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Khayelihle Simelane is a holder of a degree in BA in Humanities obtained at the University of Swaziland. He studied History and Theology and Religious Studies. He is set to pursue a Masters in Theology and Religious Studies in the immediate future.

God according to Buddhist

(Since it's a partially free country I might as well exercise my partial freedom.)

The Buddha
said that devas (translated as "gods") do exist, but they were regarded as still being trapped in samsara, and are not necessarily wiser than us.

Since the time of the Buddha, the refutation of the existence of a creator deity has been seen as a key point in distinguishing Buddhist from non-Buddhist views.

The question of an independent creator deity was answered by Buddha in the Brahmajala Sutta. The Buddha denounced the view of a creator and sees that such notions are related to the false view of eternalism, this belief causes suffering when one is attached to it and states these views may lead to desire, aversion and delusion. Buddha says knows the truth that surpasses them.

Religiosity and Intelligence

The debate on religiosity and intelligence explores the link between religiosity and issues related to intelligence and educational level. Debates over religiosity may consider religious belief and/or practice, and may compare to atheism or to lack of religious affiliation or to lack of religious practice.

Intelligence is a property of the mind that encompasses many related abilities, such as the capacities to reason, to plan, to solve problems, to think abstractly, to comprehend ideas, to use language, and to learn. Religiosity refers to degrees of religious behaviour, belief, or spirituality.

In a 2013 meta-analysis, led by Professor Miron Zuckerman, of 63 scientific studies about IQ and religiosity, a negative relation between intelligence and religiosity was found in 53.

Intelligent people are generally more analytical and data-driven; formal religions are the antithesis: they are empirically fluffy.

Intelligent people are less likely to conform, and, in most societies,religiosity is closer to the norm than atheism is. Although this interpretation is based on extrapolation, it still makes sense: first, smarter people tend to be less gullible.

In conclusion Humans will always crave meaning. Religion – like science and logical reasoning – provides them with a comprehensive framework or system to make meaningful interpretations of the world. At times, religion and science are in conflict; but they can also act in concert, complementing each other to answer non-falsifiable and falsifiable questions, respectively.

Emmanuel Adebayor Family story or dirty laundry on Facebook

Emmanuel Adebayor

SEA, I have kept these stories for a long time but I think today it is worth sharing some of them with you. It's true that family matters should be solved internally and not in public but I am doing this so that hopefully all families can learn from what happened in mine. Also keep in mind that none of this is about money.

At the age of 17, with my first wages as a footballer, I built a house for my family and made sure they are safe. As you all know, I have received the trophy of African Player of the Year in 2008. I also brought my mother on stage with me to thank her for everything. In that same year, I brought her to London for various medical check ups. When my daughter was born, we contacted my mum to inform her but she immediately hung up the phone and didn't wanna know hear about it. Reading your recent comments, some people said my family and I should consult T.B Joshua. In 2013, I gave my mother money so she could consult him in Nigeria. She was supposed to stay for 1 week; but 2 days into her stay, I received a call saying she left.

Apart from all that l also gave my mother a great amount of money to start a business of cookies and different items. Naturally, I allowed them to put my name and picture on them so they can sell more. What else can a son do in his power to support his family?A couple years ago, I bought a house in East Lagon (Ghana) for $1.2 million. I found it normal to let my older sister, Yabo Adebayor stay in that house. I also allowed my half brother (Daniel) to stay in the same house. A few months later, I was on vacation and decided to go to that house. At my surprise, I saw many cars in the driveway. In fact, my sister decided to rent out the house without me knowing. She also kicked Daniel out of that house. Note that the house had about 15 rooms. When I called her and asked for explanation, she took about 30 minutes to abuse and insult me over the phone. I called my mother to explain the situation and she did the same as my sister. This same sister says I am ungrateful. Ask her about the car she is driving or anything she is selling today?

My brother Kola Adebayor, has now been in Germany for 25 years. He travelled back home about 4 times, at my expense. I fully cover the cost of his children's education. When I was in Monaco, he came to me and asked for money to start a business. Only God knows how much I gave him. Where is that business today?When our brother Peter passed away, I sent Kola a great amount of money so he could fly back home. He never showed up at the burial. And today that same brother (Kola) is telling people that I am involved in Peter's death. How? He is the same brother who went and told inaccurate stories about our family to "The Sun" in other to take some money. They also sent a letter to my Club when I was in Madrid so I could get fired. When I was in Monaco I thought it would be good to have a family of footballers. So I made sure my brother Rotimi gets into a football academy in France.

Within a few months; out of 27 players, he stole 21 phones. I would not say any anything about my brother Peter Adebayor because he is not here today. May his soul rest in peace. My sister Lucia Adebayor keeps telling people that my dad told me to bring her to Europe. But what would be the purpose to bring her to Europe ? Everyone is here for a reason. I was in Ghana when I received the news about my brother Peter being seriously ill. I drove the fastest I could to Togo in order to meet him and help. When I arrived, my mother said I could not see him and I should just give the money and she would solve everything. Only God knows how much I gave her that day. People are saying I didn't do anything to save my brother, Peter. Am I a fool to drive 2 hours to Togo for nothing?I organized a meeting in 2005 to solve our family issues.

When I asked them about their opinion, they said I should build each family member a house and give each of them a monthly wage. Today I am still alive and they have already shared all my goods, just in case I die. For all these reasons, it took very long for me to set up my foundation in Africa.

Every time I try to help the people in need, they had to question me and all of them thought it was a bad idea. If I am writing this, the main purpose is not to expose my family members. I just want other African families to learn from this.

Thank you.