Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa joins men’s guild
Youthful Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V of the Zongendaba clan in the Ngoni chieftaincy in Mzimba district, is now a member of the Men’s Guild and a church elder in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) in the Synod of Livingstonia.
He was ordained on Sunday at Edingeni Prayer House and he becomes the very first Paramount Chief among the Ngoni of M’mbelwa Kingdom to be ordained as such after 143 years from when the first Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa welcomed missionaries to introduce Christianity in the kingdom.
The Paramount Chief said he found it necessary to follow that path knowing that leadership, let alone kingship, can be successful with the help of God.
“It’s time now that I too can serve God while serving my people in this kingdom. The scripture shows us that King Solomon asked God for wisdom and he successfully ruled his people while fearing God,” explained Inkosi M’mbelwa.
Livingstonia Synod General Secretary, Reverend William Tembo, said it was an honour to the church for the Chief to join the Men’s Guild as that would strengthen him as he will be serving God and his people.
“We expect to learn a lot from him because we consider him as a man of wisdom,” added Reverend Tembo.
Veteran politician and former finance minister Goodall Gondwe, just like human rights activist Gift Trapence, said what happened was historical and should be an important lesson among traditional leaders.
Other sectors of the society, however, feel there will be a clash between the Ngoni culture and Christianity as the culture allows beer drinking and polygamy which Christianity under CCAP does not.
Men’s Guild is a men’s wing or movement within the CCAP that calls for life of Christian values and preaching of the word of God among men just as the Women’s Guild does the same for women.
Members of Men’s Guild are commonly identified by their uniform comprising a white long-sleeved shirt and a white jacket with a black necktie; and black pair of trousers with a black pair of shoes. The Men’s Guild is commonly known as Madodana in the northern region of Malawi.
