Johannesburg - Fatherhood is a special journey and at times requires one to incorporate how they were raised and what they would like to do differently.
It’s the same with composer and producer Lebohang Morake, known as Lebo M, one of the many fathers who sat in conversation with entrepreneur and businessman Thato “TT” Mbha to drive the Amatyma movement forward.
The conversation between the two started when Mbha said he liked what he saw on Morake’s reality television show, “Lebo M – Coming Home”, which aired on Mzansi Magic last year and the relationship he displayed with his children.
“I’ve got a very strong opinion about fatherhood and it comes from how I was raised and how the person who raised me was raised. I was fortunate enough to have both my grandfathers (maternal and paternal) alive until I was over 21 because I was able to absorb wisdom and lessons from both sides of the family,” said Mbha.
Morake said when he stumbled across the Amatyma movement on social media, he felt the instant need to connect with Mbha and become involved with the movement.
“It dawned on me that I had been dealing with backlash from people about my reality show. I felt compelled to call you because the perceptions that people had of my show were just perceptions. They were not aware of what went on behind the camera, as well as the family dynamics involved,” he said.
Morake, who grew up in Tladi, Soweto, said many South Africans knew him as the “Lion King guy” and “the guy who’s had many marriages” but did not know much about him nor his background. He said this then hurt him as a human being and as a father. It channelled him to begin a reality TV show where viewers would get a sneak peek into his personal life.
“As a South African black man from Soweto who’s gone around the world, my deep desire has always been to participate in society as a citizen first. So I didn’t want my professional life and career to reintroduce me to South Africans. I felt that my role was to be part of the big conversation about family through the angle of fatherhood and raising children.”
Everything starts with the father, he said.
“For a child to be conceived, it’s the father that makes the first move – biologically, scientifically, it starts with him. So if there’s dysfunction in society, such as crime, the solution has to come from the fathers. This is why this movement touches me – because it has to start with us,” he said.
He said with the movement of Amatyma comes great responsibility from men.
“You (men) have, by default, become custodians of what real men and real fathers should be and what they should be doing. We, as men, need to have an honest discussion about fatherhood and our responsibility as men and fathers. Where are we with the conversation of deadbeat men – famous or not? These are the consequences and results of abusive men. There’s more work that needs to be done,” he said.
In closing, he said he was interested in being part of the movement going forward.
For more information, the Amatyma movement carries the Amatyma Wellness Check-in conversations every Tuesday on the Amatyma_SA Instagram page.
This is a partnership between “The Sunday Independent” and Amatyma – seeking to highlight challenges faced by men in our society that prevent them from being supportive fathers, brothers, lovers and partners.