A new statue called ‘Antelope’ has been unveiled on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square in London.
The artwork depicts Malawian pastor John Chilembwe standing next to a white pastor, John Chorley (see photo below, bottom left). Chilembwe came to faith in Christ in 1893 and was baptised on 17 July that year after getting to know Joseph Booth of the Zambesi Industrial Mission (now Zambesi Mission).
He founded Providence Industrial Mission, which was an indigenous church denomination that pioneered self-sustaining ministry in Malawi. John Chorley was an Australian missionary with Zambesi Industrial Mission who arrived in Nyasaland in or before 1902. He was friendly with Chilembwe, who was later shot dead in 1915 after he instigated an unsuccessful uprising against colonial rule.
Artist Samson Kambalu (see photo above, bottom right) has increased the size of Chilembwe to overturn what he sees as the injustices of Malawi’s colonial past. Malawi celebrates John Chilembwe Day every 15 January. The title ‘Antelope’ is derived from the fact that Chilembwe’s hat rises to two peaks, like antelope horns, the artist says.
