We thought that this country, Kenya, was majorly Christian. When I was growing up, I hoped and believed that this would define my life. It didn’t, at least until I got born again. Is Kenya 80% Christian? If you asked me, I wish that was true in every sense of the word. What would it mean to have a nation that is Christian? The closest that I could compare this with is the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. From the King to the pauper in the streets- all of them were worshippers of Yahweh. But wait: was that the truth about Israel? Not really. Countless times we see the Lord taking them into captivity and slavery because of their disobedience.
Back to Kenya. Are we all Christian? What does it mean to have all these Churches and religious music? The reality on the ground is different. The fruit we are seeing is a significant outcry for a people who have, for a long time, buried their heads in the sand, hiding in wishful thoughts while living our lives in religious bigamy minus the care of what is coming. Let’s face it; Kenya, like the rest of the world, is a Country of ransomed men and women amidst wicked, untransformed men and women.
A song was released called ‘Wee Kamu’ by a well-known artiste. It was so explicit with regards to sex escapades that the nation went on an almost rampage. Parents could not believe that this was happening in the country, while the youth were being taken away with it as a feather in a storm. The hullaballoo receded, the mouths went silent until the next uproar.
And many have come from that time to date. In the past days, a song titled ‘Lamba Lolo’ was released by a group of young guys and ladies. Very youthful that the airwaves and social spaces were on that conversation for a long time. Hardly had the commotion ended, then the same crew released the trending ‘Wamlambez, wamnyonyez’ song. They, again, raised the eyebrows of and increased hits on the ‘like’ on their YouTube playlists. This song has struck so deep in the heart of the nation. Parents are wondering what on earth, for heaven’s sake are their children becoming. The Communications Society of Kenya went ahead and banned the song from being played in public spaces. Is that right or wrong? Is it necessary? What is happening?
The Perceived Problem
The answer to the questions above is going to incline more on internet, Western influence, poor parenting, and maybe even social degradation. I say they implied because, much as they might sound like the real problems, they are a sign of a bigger problem.
The internet is a useful tool and a bad master. Many people have learned many things on the internet. In Kenya, we have an athlete who mastered his skill by merely checking it out on YouTube. I have young people who have sharpened their guitar skills and keyboard prowess only by being online. Sermons, DIY ideas, computer maneuvering skills, audiobooks, marriage counselor, and other meaningful and impactful matters are there. The internet is not as devilish as we purport. However, there are equally many ills on the internet. The propagation of immoral, wicked, unthinkable sins of men’s hearts is also published there. From murder to rape, heists plans, and even terrorism recruitment, the internet is an encyclopedia to many. But weren’t these things there before the internet, Google and YouTube? Is the internet the problem? Or is it an avenue of expression of evils than it is the cause?
Western influence has suffered more in regards to the accusation of moral decadence and waywardness. Just the other day, I read an article about a gay proponent who was arguing that homosexuality is not a western influence but a practice that has been in Africa for many years past. Western was accused of short skirts and nudity, whereas African cultures hardly practiced cloth-wearing for a long time. What was that? (I am not in any way okaying looseness of culture and behavior). However, we need to establish the real stand here. The West is made up of humans just as the East, North, and South are. What do we have to say about the ills brought about our ‘fine African culture’? Wife inheritance and child-marriage?
We have our issues. The sex madness we see now cannot be entirely blamed on Western culture. The Mzungu has his problems just as the Mwafrika does. Of course, we have borrowed a lot from their music videos on BET, MNET, and other music platforms. These issues we facing now have been on our TV sets and CDs for a long time. Our people have finally gotten the boldness to defy the status quo. Let us face it; we are the new ‘West.’ All in all, are they purely to blame?
Parenting is so taxing. Some parents toiled deeply for their children’s sanity and morality. They did all that the ‘parenting-book’ had told them, but still, their children went astray. What was their error? How much had your parent labored to teach you and, yet you have gone astray? Parenting is tasking and can get daunting at times. It can make you lose your head and throw in the towels on things that once formed your foundation. But, some parents have not done their bit either. They have run away from their families in pursuit of money and ‘significant’ life, leaving their children to work out their way in life. Either way, does all the blame fall on them? At what point do we stop pointing the finger? Where does individual responsibility come?
Others may claim social degradation. The fiber that holds the society has snapped. Things are out of control, and as it were we can ask emphatically, “Who has bewitched our children?” Looking at these things, they do not, by themselves, hold water. Endless accusations can arise either of these fronts. What is the problem with our youth? When ‘Wamlambez’ takes the city by storm, what is it saying about our society? What is the real problem?
The Real Problem
Why would a young man, hardly 25 years of age, take his time with ladies, and go viral with a song that is all about sex and the orgies around it? They will tell you they do not care; in fact, they like it. The girls love it when the men gaze at their gyrating hips as they send lustful imaginations down their minds. The guys will tell you that’s what’s trendy for them- to be seen to have conquered girls sexually as they caress and fondle with them rhythmically. But what is at the bottom of such audacity? Of the things we have raised in the ‘perceived problems,’ there is a definite connection to media and visual imagery that has formed most of these young people’s movie and video intakes. There is a problem for sure. But what is it? God! The knowledge of God is scarce and its leading to destruction.
Our country has some Christians, alright, but our people are mostly religious. We have many Church goers but few followers of Christ. The reason for this is that people would instead affiliate themselves to God but not be directly involved with Him. They want the good stuff without the attachments. Obedience, sacrifice, warring against the flesh, and dying to sensuality is a long shot. They want to have their cake and eat it. Check out part two as we look out what the Bible says about the real problem and how to deal with it.
