From kings to traditional leaders

Back in the day, way, way back, when I was still a little innocent boy free of debts and haters, there used to be a category of leaders that went by the fly title of “Kings”. Yes, back then, they were Kings. King this, King that. Then, somewhere along the way, and I don’t recall exactly when, that title underwent some changes. It mutated. So much so that, as I type this, there are hardly any leaders that still go by that enviable and mighty title. Don’t ask me how that happened, much less why, because well, I simply do not know. What I know for sure though, is that where we used to have Kings then, we now have something called “traditional leaders”. Well, at least something along those lines. Which then begs the question: Why, how and when did this make-over take place? Why would a man that used to be addressed simply as “King” now want the longer and more elaborate title of “traditional leader”? This is a question for which I desperately need an answer. So desperately that I’m even tempted to offer some incentive to get to the answer, modest as this incentive may be. The incentive that will go to the first correct entry is a crate of beer of your choice –any beer brand that does not go beyond Rwf 500 per bottle (think along the lines of Turbo King and petite Primus). But incentives aside, Kings are not the only category of people that, somewhere along the way, got bored with their titles and trashed them for something else. Recently while at a Kimironko-based hotel for a nyama choma feast, I stumbled upon a handful of hotel staff decked in neon-bright jackets with the inscription “safety steward” across the back. And to be honest with myself, this is a job title I had never encountered at another hotel prior to this. What on earth would the work of a “safety steward” at a hotel be? Luckily, I did not have to go asking around to know what kind of job these safety stewards were tasked with at the hotel. Just from a few minutes’ observation, it became clear to me that the lads with the words “safety steward” emblazoned at the back of their shirts were nothing but casual workers. Similarly, it is now considered old school to label the people that man entrances to institutions and office blocks “receptionists”. These people, like the kings of back in the day, have decided to come up with something more befitting for this most thankless job: You can now call them “front desk managers”.

Lifestyle

From kings to traditional leaders