For they say, “People follow your example and not your advice.” A lot of Malawian musicians are not just disseminating information about matters of public interest and entertainment. But rather practically living the messages they preach so as to bring an effective change in our lives. This makes their messages effective.

In the past, most musicians used to sing songs that advocate messages about life issues and their lifestyles, yet had no practical evidence to show they lived what they preached. Gospel artists could only produce albums that were rich in spiritual content. Secular artists used to produce songs that aim at attacking each other for fame and boasting about things that most of them didn’t own. And others produced songs that were mainly meant for criticising and underrating lyrics of other musicians in the country.

This caused people to not take Malawian music seriously, and opt for music from oversees. Others even reached a point of saying “Oyimba aku Malawi samadziwa tanthauzo la nyimbo kuti ndi chani. Amaona ngati nyimbo nde ndi malo oti atchukile.” (Singers in Malawi do not know what songs are about. He feels like a song is a place to be popular.)

Now, a lot of musicians have effectively reached a point of realising their roles in their societies. Musicians are now practising what they sing in their songs.

For example, Patience Namadingo launched his foundation which aimed at helping needy students across Malawi to continue with their education. He was quoted saying that, “If you can educate the nation, then you are in the right direction,” which just strongly depicts Namadingo as an ambitious artist who is helping to develop Malawi.

Namadingo further argued that from the little money he makes in music, he was able to donate some items to people at the hospital and that one does not need to have millions to help needy students. But through the small things we have, we can be able to help the needy students with items like mathematical instruments, uniforms and others.

Princess Chitsulo is one of the local celebrities who is well known with her gospel music. This is another musician in Malawi who has so far played an important role to some part of Malawi. Chitsulo founded a charitable organisation named after her, Princess Chitsulo Foundation. The foundation’s main aim is to reach out to the poor, the elderly and vulnerable children.

As Chitsulo was launching her Nyimbo Yanga album at Sunbird Hotel, Chitsulo, managed to reach out to a business woman with albinism. In an interview with Nation Newspaper, Chitsulo uttered that, “After passing through so many tribulations and trials in my life, I have learnt that we need others in life to push us into our destiny. So as an artist who preaches Christ, it is my social responsibility to see that the well-being of our dear brothers and sisters are taken care of.”

Duncan Zighambo is one of the famous local celebrities in Malawi who is well known by his stage name “Gwamba.” Gwamba donated 500, 000 Malawi kwacha to Pashello Charitable Trust belonging to a wife of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Member of Parliament for Chikwawa Nkombezi Constituency. The money helped the organisation to buy charitable items, such as food, clothes and blankets for orphans, poor people and even those suffering from different diseases in hospitals.

Furthermore, this charitable work from Zighambo encouraged other celebrities to be engaged in such charitable activities with the little they have. This is evidenced when Lloyd Malola was quoted on the same day saying that, “It doesn’t need someone to have billions or millions to help others.”

Again, it also helped to create trust on Gwamba from people of different ages because he fulfilled his promise. This might not only create trust on him alone but including other local celebrities that are in his society. Since everyone does certain activities in society with a purpose, during an interview with some other news reporters. Gwamba uttered that, “Each and everyone has to share the little things they have in order to make sure that lives of people change for the better. I don’t know what comes in my future but I always pray that God should give me long life that I keep helping those in need.”

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Tell us: Do you think that it’s important for anyone to practice what they preach?