Acholi Tradition Forum President Jongole Moses has challenged arguments advocating stricter moral control over contemporary music, warning that cultural preservation should not become an excuse for suppressing artistic freedom and creative expression.

Reacting to concerns raised by Bsg Labongo about morality, cultural identity, and the influence of modern music on children, Moses acknowledged the importance of protecting Acholi cultural values but strongly disagreed with what he described as an attempt to impose cultural censorship on contemporary artists.

"While I respect Bsg Labongo's concerns about morality, cultural identity, and the influence of music on children, we must be careful not to turn cultural preservation into cultural censorship," Moses argued.

He noted that music has always been an important instrument of creativity, freedom, social transformation, and generational expression. 

According to him, artists should not be expected to produce music exclusively within the moral expectations of previous generations.

Moses observed that just as their ancestors used music to communicate the realities, experiences, and values of their respective generations, contemporary musicians are equally entitled to express themselves through modern language, fashion, dance, and artistic creativity.

He questioned who should ultimately determine what constitutes morally acceptable music in society.

"Who determines what is morally acceptable music? Is it cultural leaders, parents, religious institutions, or individual personal beliefs? What one generation considers inappropriate may simply represent changing artistic expression to another," he said.

The Acholi cultural advocate further argued that public spaces belong to everyone, including people with different cultural values, musical preferences, and lifestyles. 

He cautioned against allowing one group's interpretation of morality to become a standard imposed on the entire community.

However, Moses emphasised that protecting children from genuinely harmful or age-inappropriate content remains important. He distinguished this responsibility from restricting contemporary music simply because some individuals disagree with its lyrics, fashion, dance, or performances.

He maintained that parents should take responsibility for guiding their children, while broadcasters and entertainment venues should apply reasonable age-appropriate standards without unnecessarily undermining artistic freedom.

Moses stressed that culture is not static but constantly evolves with society.
He argued that preserving Acholi heritage should not mean resisting modern creativity or portraying contemporary artistic expression as a threat to cultural identity.

Instead, he called for constructive dialogue, artistic diversity, professional development, and mutual respect between older and younger generations.

He also emphasised that traditional and contemporary music should not be viewed as competitors, explaining that both have important roles in shaping Acholi identity.

While traditional music preserves historical experiences, cultural values, and ancestral identity, contemporary music contributes to the evolving cultural expression of today's generation.

Moses questioned the contradiction of promoting Acholi culture internationally while discouraging the creativity of the very young generation expected to carry that heritage into the future.

"We cannot promote Acholi culture to the world while simultaneously discouraging the creativity of the very generation expected to carry that culture forward," he stressed.

In his concluding remarks, Moses called upon cultural leaders, parents, artists, religious institutions, and the wider community to embrace a balanced approach that protects cultural dignity while respecting individual freedoms.

He argued that cultural preservation should inspire new generations to appreciate their heritage, not make them feel restricted from exploring modern forms of artistic expression.

"Let us preserve our traditions without policing creativity, protect children without imposing blanket restrictions, and promote cultural dignity without undermining artistic freedom."