Halala Ngwenyama yeMaswati for attaining 58 years on earth, this is a noteworthy achievement indeed, my humble gift to you is this article.
Taking into consideration how yesterday April 18th, the nation presented gifts for this double celebration of birthday and Ruby Jubilee. Prior to delivering my humble gift, I congratulate Ingwenyama for investing in his health, evident in dramatic weight loss; health wealth is a worthy investment.
This was critical decision when transitioning to 60 years where health challenges linked to overweight in turn manifest non-communicable diseases. Evidently managing weight is a smart investment that harmonises sleep, movements, stress and restores the elegance that Ingwenyama was known for, as liswebhu laBhuza.
My humble gift to Ingwenyama is truth as it’s the ultimate expression of service above self, which is important when paying homage to king and country. Ngwenyama, my truth emanates from the past 19 years since returning home, evolving as an Independent Thought Leader that, I have positioned myself.
Therefore my gift of truth is not induced by position or payment incentives, as I share it because I believe you are worthy of this truth. This birthday gift of truth is with regards championing the restoration of indigenous foods as health investment; strengthening the inclusive father of the nation leadership, including spiritual as opposed to positioning as religious leader, who leads prayers of peace beyond Christianity.
RESTORING DIGNITY OF INDIGENOUS FOODS
One day, I was extremely excited hearing Ingwenyama promote the eating of indigenous foods and the health benefits thereof. Hence my gift of truth, on this birthday is humbly request Ingwenyama to champion the restoring dignity of indigenous foods as health investment.
This would remove the stigma and change mindsets on how eating indigenous foods is associated with poverty. Ingwenyama with his health investment evident in successful weight loss, could champion the restoration of indigenous foods as a symbol of maintaining healthy lifestyles.
Currently majority of the Swati plates are lopsided towards starch and soup, as meat is extremely expensive while there are no greens within these meals. Evidently, the negative mindsets towards indigenous foods is creating unhealthy Swati plates, as the meals indicate resistance to healthy lifestyles, requiring Ingwenyama’s influential voice on restoring the dignity of indigenous foods.
Hence my gift to Ingwenyama is seeing him as the perfect leader for this championing the restoration of dignity within indigenous foods. Particularly after leading by example on how it is possible to excess weight loss towards restoring his elegance after many years of carrying excess weight.
Therefore advocating for change in mindset for Emaswati to see indigenous food as worthy for health investments would transform the Swati plates. Currently hijacked by modernity, which is proving to be unaffordable daily, this manifests in unhealthy Swati plates.
Due to chasing the illusion of modernity, yet healthy solutions lie within the understanding that indigenous foods are rich in nutrients and highly nutritious. This message would carry so much weight when originating from Ingwenyama, indicating how modernity is an unaffordable pipedream that has resulted in unhealthy lifestyles.
INCLUSIVE FATHER OF NATION
The inclusive father of the nation image has emerged with high level of intensity, particularly with regards to differently-abled persons. This has been visible during cultural events where persons with disabilities have enjoyed inclusivity that has transformed Ingwenyama to being inclusive father of the nation.
Now celebrated by majority members of the nation, as persons with disability have carried the ‘shameful stigma’ within their families, communities and nationally. Now who can continue with these negative connotations when their father, Ingwenyama, has visibly embraced them?
Thus, transforming persons with disabilities into distinguished members of the nation, indicative of how transcending stigmatisation requires the country’s leadership to influence. This is work in progress considering there will always be voices resisting change until their voices are no longer relevant.
My truth gift to Ingwenyama is that this inclusivity has created the expectation from other ‘minority’ members of the nation to be considered in time. This was evident when the clergy put Ingwenyama in a host seat, to test whether this inclusivity will rattle their treasured stigmas on same-sex relations.
Ingwenyama responded to this debate in biblical context, leaving behind a ‘minority’ section of the population publicly out in the cold. Hence, my truth gift to Ingwenyama is, these ‘minority’ members of the nation belong to the king; regardless of their sexual orientation, and stigma will end at some point.
SPIRITUAL VS. RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP
My birthday gift of truth to Ingwenyama is how this birth position is anchored through spirituality, and not religious leadership. The historical contexts provide evidence of how religious leaders since immemorial held close proximity to kings in order to influence their agenda.
There were instances where the clergy manipulated kings and captured the State due to their high level of influence within the monarchy. Hence kings are called to be spiritual leaders that transcend religious leadership, and retain their position of dignity as inclusive fathers of their nations.
Ingwenyama is a spiritual leader, who sits on the throne that has historical roots within his ancestral lineage, and continues leading traditions, customs and rituals that were practiced by his forefathers.
Ingwenyama’s spiritual role is inclusive of those who lived before us, the living and future generations and this is spiritual leadership that should not be manipulated by Christianity. Particularly when taking into consideration how the demographics of this nation have transformed, calling on Ingwenyama to be an inclusive father of the nation beyond Christians.
Thus, requiring spiritual leadership to embrace ‘minority’ members of the nation, including those who are not from the Christian faith. As an inclusive father leaves no one behind, indicative of how spiritual leadership embraces all faiths, particularly when legally registered within the kingdom.
Ingwenyama is a spiritual leader who understands that all religious leaders wish to hijack the monarchy to pursue their religious and business agendas, but engages them through wisdom and diplomacy.
Conclusion
This 58th birthday towards 60th is a significant milestone for king and country, particularly as these milestones are in sync. As the king celebrates, the nation must think about what this will mean to them on September 6th, 2026, particularly towards September 6th, 2028.
When looking at the lack of political maturing that has been brought into public domain, one wonders what it means when the country is about to celebrate its 58th Independence. This immature public discourse is negating the kingdom’s image and brings into question what independence means when political leadership remains immature years after 1968.
My gratitude to Ingwenyama for understanding my wish to remain an independent thought leader, as I cannot study a doctorate to participate in immature political leadership. However, I continuously engage in knowledge politics as a leader of knowledge liberation that keeps me strategically thinking about the image of this nation.
Particularly with regards to contributing to the knowledge economy, when asked to share perspective on indigenous knowledge, my spiritual and academic leadership is fulfilled. Therefore, I cannot afford to use electricity and water for shower, food, ironing; fuel to drive to a political office to discuss politically immature agendas.
Moreover, I would rather walk while reflecting on knowledge contributions that enrich humanity.
