As we are approaching that time of the year when the boys have to undergo the transition process to become men, our government is up in arms to ensure the custom is safe and done in the right way.
The other day I was with my friends discussing the interference of the government in the custom.
One of them said something that I never thought about. He indicated that the custom is no longer the same.
He said it changed after some government interventions, including introducing laws that needed to be followed.
He said regardless of one’s tribe, the custom has been diluted.
And looking at how things are done tells you that something is indeed amiss.
Yes, the government didn’t just jump into our rituals but was forced to act to avoid more casualties.
We invited the government to dictate to us. Now our hands are tied. We have to allow the government to tell us what to do.
Irresponsible behaviour by a particular group or tribe has affected the whole nation. The Customary Initiation Act 2021 states what must be done or expected of all the parties involved.
Now, the government has an obligation to conduct workshops prior to the season to ensure that all the stakeholders are ready.
So, it is clear that we are not practising what we know or used to do, but we must follow what is in the book.
That means we are gradually losing the essence of our culture. Now we are fighting a losing battle for thinking that we are still preserving our culture.
Let’s not be short-sighted. Things have changed and there is nothing we can do. The fact that the government tells us what to do or when to do demonstrates that we have no power.
Now we need to go with the flow and let the law take its course.
