Self-proclaimed prophets

Dear Editor,

THE evolution of self-proclaimed prophets cannot be detached from the post- era of rural urban migration, an historical perspective of how rural dwellers changed their residence in preference for urban life to search for greener pastures.

Most of the people that left the rural community have nearly become stranded in the city and lost the courage they gathered from their figment of imaginary zeal whilst they were in the village. As they joined the long queue of job seekers, their hope was lost and what their future holds suddenly became uncertain than ever.

Gradually, traditional fortune tellers tracked their footsteps and trailed them to the city and they too massively left their villages to target those youths that were stranded in town as they relentlessly searched for jobs. With these dynamics, traditional fortune tellers started giving inspiration words which lifted the spirits of the hopeless and helpless young men of great promise. Their message was very simple with due brevity and clarity; “not all hope was lost and they will soon reclaim their dignity of being human beings.” some youths who had lent their ears to the unsolicited fortune tellers came to realise that these rogues were credible and their message was resoundingly reliable. The church and the city has now been invaded! Since old habits die hard, the newly converted believers could not easily give up their habits of seeking commercial advantage from being sweet-talkers their lips of manipulation which were exchanged with some economical reward.

Lest my thoughts which I have put on paper be construed to be violating any religious order, this is how far I can go in sharing my thoughts on paper. MARVIN CHANDA MBERI, Youth Rights Activist, Lusaka.

Most of the people that left the rural community have nearly become stranded in the city and lost the courage they gathered from their figment of imaginary zeal whilst they were in the village.