LIONS DECOR ON GATE SEEN AS DISRESPECT TO KING

NGINAMADVOLO – An adult man of Nginamadvolo in the Hhohho region has voluntarily removed pictures of two lions on the gate leading to his homestead after he was accused by some residents of showing disrespect to the King.

For two years now, the pictures of the two lions formed part of the décor for the man’s gate but it seems this has not been sitting well with some residents. In their view, the man’s decision to display the pictures of the two lions outside his homestead’s gate was an act of disrespect towards not just the country’s culture but the King himself.
In the Eswatini culture and customs, a lion is associated with the King while an elephant is aligned with the Queen Mother.

Some residents in the area are said to have taken up the matter with some umphakatsi members to whom they voiced out their displeasure about the impression the man’s gate was giving in as far as culture was concerned. It must be revealed, however , that the two lion pictures have been outside the gate for about two years now allegedly without anybody complaining, as attested by the home owner  when speaking to the Eswatini News this week.

Disappointment

He did not hide his disappointment at the manner in which this issue is being handled, pointing out that the pictures of the lions have been in existence for a long time. “I am very surprised that there are people who have issues with the pictures of the lions on my gate because if my memory serves me well, they have been there for about two years.
“Why have an issue now? It really beats  me, but I have to respect that people will always have their opinions on things and you cannot control that,” he said.

Adding, the man said he has not been summoned or interrogated about the pictures in question either by the police or umphakatsi. “Just the other day, I was speaking with the chief in Pigg’s Peak town on other issues and he never mentioned the issue of the pictures. This is a décor I bought because it looked nice on my gate, there was no malice intended to the King or my culture as liSwati,” he added.

The man did not hide his growing suspicions that some people in the area were jealous of his success in life.
“Eversince I built this house, I have been observing negative energies from some people in my area. I am now even suspecting that those are the very people who are creating unnecessary drama about the two lion pictures on my gate,” he said.

Adding, he made it known that he would never disrespect the King because he is loyal to the country’s authorities.
“Not long ago, some police officers came to my home looking for a boy they thought was hiding here but they never said anything about the lion pictures on the gate. Before that, bemanti also came here during the Incwala period but they never raised an issue about the pictures. That is why I am puzzled as to why it is an issue now to people in my area,” he said. Out of respect for the King and the country, the man revealed that he has decided to remove the pictures.

Spite

“I can see that some people want to deliberately take this matter far and create trouble for me out of spite. I do not want to be seen as a disrespectful person, which is the reason I have decided to remove the pictures. As we speak, they are no longer on my gate,” he said. The man said he was now even sceptical about wearing a t-shirt bearing a lion because some would view it as being disrespectful.

One of the residents, who claimed to have ‘blown the whistle’ on the man with the umphakatsi insisting that this was nothing personal. “This was done purely out of respect for culture, not that anybody has a vendetta against him. Look, he built his home on Swazi Nation Land, which in cultural terms, is authorised by the King. “We also all know that a lion is associated with the King in our culture and you cannot therefore put pictures of lions on your gate. It is disrespect to the King,” the resident said. Another resident supported these sentiments, adding that the man’s actions amounted to a fine by the umphakatsi.

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