By Dr. Andrew Mulenga
Artists, across various branches of the creative tree, often act as social agents in the public sphere, advocating for social justice issues like artistic rights, creative freedom, and economic equity. Using platforms such as social media, a new generation of artists, in particular, is leveraging their artistic abilities to express their concerns through comedy, painting, and more. They raise public awareness of complex issues by simplifying them into more approachable and enjoyable interpretations. Among these creative practitioners are the comedian Ackim Chibale and the painter Nukwase Tembo from Zambia.
In addition to stand-up comedy, Chibale frequently writes short articles on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, where he has a sizable fan base. He also has a YouTube segment where he parodies serious news stories. He feels that his satirical renditions encourage his audience to consider current events more critically.
He is also driven to discuss artists’ rights because, for the longest time, being an artist has been his primary goal. With that in mind, he strives to give his all in everything he does, as it has taken him a long time to hone his craft and find a platform.Given his dedication to honing his craft, Chibale believes it’s vital for artists like him to address socially conscious issues that resonate with the public.
Chibale emphasizes the importance of personal conviction for artists before involving organizations or government, noting that: “Artistic intervention in the public sphere is crucial, but artists should take a personal stance before involving organizations or the government. When you get to workshops and meetings, artists will be asking about lunch and transport refunds because it takes a long time before you start reaping benefits as an artist,” he says. “Artists should believe in their ideas before engaging in public intervention, as it can champion the wrong ideas in the wrong hands.”
Chibale sources material not only from the news but also from life experiences and travels. He recalls a dry spell when he was staying at home with his parents and had very limited material to work with.
“If I was going to make a joke, it would just be about the amount of pornography on the internet; outside of that, I had nothing going on. Shortly in the second half of the year, the stars aligned, and I started to travel,” he says. He traveled around the country to Sou