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Mr Chama Chipo
By Munyal Markus Manunyi
Life can pose as a dilemma sometimes. Our ability to sit and reason usually juxtapose our actions more often than not. The emergence of different schools of thoughts on the issue of abortion has set ablaze the minds of many on a burning fire of confusion. So many activists are of the assertion that the right to abort unwanted pregnancies should be accorded to women, even though not all pregnancies requiring abortions are tagged ‘unwanted’. There are exceptional health conditions that place doctors to choose between the mother and the foetus. And hardly do these doctors’ choices go without having the mother, spouse or relative sign up a consent form prior to the commencement of these procedures.
Notwithstanding, as more advocates rise on daily basis fighting for abortion rights, others still stand by their popular principles of ‘No abortion’. They feel certain factors like freedom from parenting, the need to cover shame for an unwanted pregnancy among others are things that makes women commit abortions. But deep down into the heartland of Zambia, lies a poet with a ‘bleeding pen’ which pleads for the lives of these unborn babies to live.
Chipo Chama’s poem titled: ‘Innocent Soul’ is a poem that stands to advocate for the right to live, condemning the conscience of the bearers of these unborn babes.
His poem below says it all; especially when focus is made on lines 1 of the first stanza: ‘If you are not ready, why let out the seed of Adam? To bring forth a life only to destroy it?’. Lines 1 and 2 of stanza two emphasized more saying; ‘You seeded a land so fertile yet deny the seedling chance to see life…”
Poem of the week
‘Innocent soul’ by Chama Chipo
If you are not ready,
Why let out the seed of Adam?
To bring forth a life only to destroy.
You seeded a land so fertile
Yet deny the seedling chance to see light.
Shame on you Son of Adam.
Why trail the path of such choice?
Is it fear of ridicule,
That you deny life the unborn?
Does it make free your mind,
To end her, before you could
See her innocent little face?
You have become a disgrace
Even if you have cemented it as a secret.
The one whose eyes pierce the dark, saw.
Your Ancestors in their tombs,
Now sleep face down in shame.
Their hope for their legacy, you have terminated.
About Chipo Chama
Chipo Chama is a 27-year-old Zambian young writer. He was born in Mazabuka, Zambia, in 1994. He is the first born of the family of seven. He did part of his primary education at Kadeshi Community School and Kwacha Basic School and his high school education from Libala High School. In 2014, he enrolled at the University of Zambia and completed in 2018 with a degree in Economics.
Chipo is an Economist and partly demographer by profession, but his passion goes deeper in research consultancy and general academic consultancy.
Besides the professional life, Chipo is highly involved in fine and abstract Art, he facilitated an art competition and tutored on the principles of art. He is also a daily writer of poetry, articles, and short stories as well as Flash Fiction. His works have been published in Arise Magazine, WSA magazine, Glambiz Magazine and several other websites such as StoryMirror, poetic club, write to the word and African Poetry. And his short story was adopted to be published in the IAWA Mega Anthology.
Chipo has worked as the chairperson of the Arise Magazine from the University of Zambia Catholic Community. He is a member of Writers Space Africa and a facilitator of creative writing, Jiya Writer, a member of Authorship and Career Network, an executive member of Write to World and a Writer at StoryMirror. He is the current President of IAWA Zambia, and a tutor of poetry and creative writing at the three schools of Great North Academy.
Munyal Markus Manunyi is Global President of International African Writers Association (IAWA)
