IT ALL started with the video post on social media of celebrated Congolese musician Koffi Olomide kicking one of his dancers at the Kenyan airport.
The video which went viral within hours caused an outrage not only in Kenya where the rhumba maestro was scheduled to perform but also world over.
The outrage subsequently resulted in the cancelation and eventual deportation of Koffi Olomide back to Congo amid celebratory messages on social media congratulating that country’s government for being proactive in fighting Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Concerns, quickly followed however from most Zambian on social media who had been following the unfolding of events in Kenya because the rhumba giant was also scheduled to perform at this year’s Agricultural and Commercial Show.
Zambian social media both on Facebook and Twit ter went ablaze with the hashtag #ZambiaSayNoToKoff i a campaign to bar the Congolese artist from coming to Zambia to perform.
Campaign which started on Saturday morning quickly gained momentum prompting civil society organizations to add their voice to calls to bar Koffi from coming to Zambia.
On Facebook some of the messages read………
Mabeflav Flav He should not come to Zambia!!!
Joy Lombe We should not tolerate such in Zambia. We are praying for a violent free Zambia, why entertain a violent person.
Mwila Mwila The stupid part about this whole drama is that now the dancing queen says she wasn’t hit by Koffi. Which part of the footage did I miss? Unless she says being KICKED does not amount to being HIT. Koffi had better find somewhere else to go perform other than Zambia
Joy Lombe Some women are a shame. It even happens in homes. She is beaten to pap, you tell her to go to police that no it is love.
Leonora Mwape Imagine what they go thru…when no one is around…If he can do that in public
Paul Champati he must not enter.
Cynthia Kalaluka Koffi has been doing this for years and getting away with it
Malwilo Ngoma This guy hit a woman sometime back if my memory saves me right and he was wanted by the police for slapping a female…anyone remember that? I don’t know how he came back in the country without being arrested
Malwilo Ngoma He thinks his king …well now he’s gonna feel the pressure of acting like you’re above the law when all you can afford to take care of is only your wife and kids… I can’t wait to see how we gonna handle this one Zambia. Let’s walk the talk now…
Malwilo Ngoma What kind of guy bleaches like that even… koffie this is no longer the Africa you left when you went overseas wherever that might have been…if you’d taken some time off dancing to see what’s happening around you, you’d know that man!!
Unfortunately, the response from organisers issued on Saturday hours after the campaigns had started was more reactive instead of taking concerns of fans who in the bigger picture where also expected to attend the Koffi’s performances at the Show.
And this is how they first responded…….. “All is set, he is performing on Friday at Mulungushi Internat ional Conference Centre. The tickets are already on sale and I expect a good show from that. I also wish to dispel rumours that had started circulating via social media that the planned musical performances by Koffi had been cancelled.
“The society would also like to state that the speculations going round on various media about Koffi Olomide’s Lusaka shows being cancelled are not true,” the statement from show society president Ben Shoko read.
According to management of the show society, a contract for Koffi to come and perform has already been signed.
Their response prompted civil society organizations like the Non-Gorvernmental Organisation Co-ordinating Council (NGOCC) to accelerate the call to bar Koffi from performing at this year’s show.
NGOCC Executive director, Engwase Mwale said in her statement: “, “His concerts must be cancelled. Gender-based violence must be condemned in whatever form it happens. This is not the first time we have heard reports of Koffi Olomide violating the rights of his dancers and that of some of his fans, including a photojournalist in Zambia,” she said.
“We call upon organisers of the Koffi Olomide show to review the upcoming show following information that he assaulted his dancer in Kenya. Zambians, like Kenyans have done, need to ensure that his concert does not go on. Kenyans have shown” she said.
And on Sunday, the show organisers rescinded their decision. A statement on the cancellation of Koffi Olomide’s performances during this year’s show was issued.
All these happenings started with just a video post and change has been instituted.
On Twitter the hashtag #ZambiaSatNoToKoffi called for the cancelation of the show and it was done.
The Koffi story might not have started from Zambia but it was spread through social media the world over and it received the attention of many.
The hashtag which caused people to follow events as they unfolded on social media,
blogging, sharing and talking about it all has led to a change in direction.
The power of social media is hard to dismiss. What once seemed like a trivial way to keep in touch with friends, sharing photos and jokes, has become a force for societal change, shining light on subject previously unknown, deepening conversations and empowering citizens of the world to unite and effect change in a number of ways.
Interestingly, social media as a medium for connecting, organizing and communicating is powering and spreading change and advocacy far better than billions of dollars in corners of world very resistant to such change.
The ability of the Internet, and social media particularly, to bring issues to bear is unique. Consider the still-too-common problem of Gender-based violence, this kind of campaign has served as a perfect tool in championing calls to the arrest of the perpetrators. PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL OM JULY 31, 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment