AFRICA REVIEW: A LITERARY AND SOCIETAL APPROACH
Africa has been non responsive to the
demands and concerns of African literature and writers
Africa as a continent has lent a deaf ear to the concerns of African
writers. Literature is a reflection of
society and has the purpose of illuminating a problem in society and offering a
solution to it. It is ironic that the very same issues raised by writers in the
1960’s by African writers are still dogging the continent. Furthermore
literature happens to be one of the starting points in initiating change in
society, in Africa however the readers do not
seem to pay much attention to what authors talk about hence fail to understand
the need for change. It is as though readers look at it only as literature and
not as a mirror of the society even with the numerous similarities existing
between the literary works and their
society. This statement arises with keen scrutiny on the political, social,
economic and cultural conditions in African states. Most countries in Africa
have marked or will be marked 50 years of independence. These celebrations will
be largely insignificant since not much has changed since independence. More
alarming is the fact that political instability and corruption have become
highly rampant in the continent. The nature of things in the continent bids the
proverb a forest may change but the monkeys remain the same. I will focus three
texts to illustrate the above statement .A man of the people by Chinua Achebe, Kongi’s
Harvest By Wole Soyinka, A Mercedes Funeral by Ngugi WA Thiongo.
The first point I would like to draw focus to is the manner in which
incumbents are reluctant to relinquish power. The trend especially in the
recent past is an alarming indicator. The way elections are handled ending in
both the incumbent and his main opposition claiming to have won is quite
disheartening. This trend that was started by Kenya
in 2007 has undoubtedly spread to the other nations with the exception of Ghana and South Africa having peaceful and
unmarred elections. The incumbents abuse their power and use intimidation and
bribery to deter any competition. Chief Nanga and chief Koko in a man of the
people by Chinua Achebe are a depiction of these characters in society. Chief Nanga
tries to persuade Odili to accept a bribe so that he can be elected unopposed.
This portrayal in a book that was published in the year 1966 still applying to
modern society is a grim indicator. Literature is meant to initiate change but
in this situation seems to have clearly failed to bring about the desired
change. It has been witnessed that some of the candidates in elections step
down on the eve of the day in question in favor of a desired candidate. A
recent example witnessed in a by- election in Kenya in which one of the candidates
,[1]stepped
down on the eve of the election in favor of a fellow candidate Rueben Ndolo and
had no action taken against him.
Free and fair elections seem to be an illusion in the African
continent. The incumbents intimidate
their competitors so that they can retain their seats. Some political leaders
are known to have had their competitors and their supporters arrested, jailed
or at times killed. The most recent of these incidents being the elections in
Zimbabwe and in Egypt where supporters of the opposition were subjected to
violence, jailed and harassed so that they could not access both voting and
nomination papers. Chinua Achebe sheds light on this in A Man of The People and
Wole Soyinka in Kongi’s Harvest. Odili being put under arrest while unconscious,
in hospital, so that he could not access his nomination papers is a depiction
of such leaders in society. In kongi’s harvest the individuals opposing the
king end up being detained and one of them ends up being killed. Zimbabwe is a
depiction of these activities in modern day. Mugabe literary jailed opposition
supporters and stated that he would not relinquish power regardless of the
result. The elections in Egypt this year
are also to be put to question after opposition leaders and supporters were jailed
and the efforts to acquire nomination and registration papers disrupted. The
nation has being the subject of various human rights queries especially when it
comes to the electoral process.
This spills over to our political leaders actions in power. The brutal
methods used in the elimination of the opposition and those against their
policies in the 1960’s are still rampant. The killing of a journalist in Rwanda for speaking out against the president
and that of Moses Olempoe here in Kenya for opposing government
policy is clear pointers to this undying characteristic. And as is the trend
the investigations into their killings are likely to be dragged out over a long
period of time and in the end forgotten with no justice served to the involved
parties. Chinua Achebe depicts this in Chief Koko’s killing of Maxwell Kumalo
so that he could scare those wishing to oppose him and retain his sit. This is
similarly depicted by Wole Soyinka in his play Kongi’s Harvest. Kongi kills Segi’s
father for having led an opposition against him. These books written in the
1960’s were meant to bring about change and awakening in society. Clearly this
has not been met.
The electorate is also to blame for the lack of change in the continent.
On a number of occasions they tend to elect individuals for what they are able
to show off and not what they are capable of offering to the society in terms
of development. A number of African writers have focused on this characteristic
and tried to warn against it but it seems that what they said was neglected.
The electorate is either to ignorant or blinded to notice the difference
between leaders who promise actual development and those who use development to
hold them hostage. The political elite do not develop some area in their
constituencies so that they can keep the electorate at their mercy as they make
false promises to them. Taking the example of John Joe James in A Mercedes Funeral by Ngugi Wa Thiongo who
only visits his constituency to campaign for votes in the hope of retaining his
parliamentary seat. He does nothing to better the living conditions of his
people and participates in turning Wahinya’s funeral in to a show of wealth and
power. The electorate also does not give much of a chance to people who have
visionary ideas but do not have influence going back to a Mercedes funeral
where the university student has great plans and ideas for the Ilmorog area but
is overlooked for the wealth J.J.J. has to show off. In a man of the people Chief
Nanga disrupts the supply of piped water to Odili’s village of Urua
because he feels threatened and needs to scare the people to vote for him.
Corruption, tribalism and nepotism are other factors that seem unchanging
if not growing worse. The politicians carry out development projects within their
dockets on the basis of favors they owe those who helped them gain power or
those they expect to get help from in the future. It has been witnessed that
unqualified individuals get to positions the do not deserve ending in the
delivery of poor services. African authors focused on this abuse of power to
enable their tribesmen and those around them to get favors. Wole Soyinka points
to this in “kongi’s harvest as he portrays the new Aweri's have some sort of
personal relationship with Kongi. This affects how they advise him since it is
turned into a contest of who knows the king better. In a man of the people the
expert who allegedly advises Hon. T.C. Kobina to hold of on constructing the
road to Urua also got the position through political favors. This is quite
disappointing considering that over the years there has been a lot of talk on
the crack down on impunity but the situation is still the same. Chief Nanga’s
dealings with British Amalgamated also points out the “under the table
dealings” politicians have with business partners so as to enrich
themselves.
Corruption tendencies in the continent and increase in nepotism on the
continent is of concern. The appointment by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni
of his wife to a ministry is another evident sign that Africa is unwilling to
learn from literature. Typical of dictatorial leaders, they pass benefits to
their relatives and kick backs to their friends. This is all in an effort to
consolidate their power. This is no different from the cases portrayed by
Francis Imbuga in betrayal in the city. Similarly displayed in a Mercedes
funeral by Ngugi Wa Thiongo.
Police brutality and abuse of power seem to be unchanged even through
decades. Police killings that go unchecked as long as they serve the government
are becoming increasingly common. The death of Adika in betrayal in the city
and the murder of Kabito at the hands of police or government operatives are
similar to murders in Kenya. The most recent being the murder of a lawyer and
his client are good references to extra judicial killings. These facts that
should not be acceptable are replicated all over the continent.
More alarming are the somewhat indifferent attitudes of individuals
towards corruption that exists in the continent. It is almost as though many
individuals are disillusioned in the fight or would rather condone it as a
necessary evil. A number of people openly state that if they got a
parliamentary seat they would use it to enrich themselves before developing the
regions they wish to represent. This attitude is similar to that of the people
in a man of the people like Odili’s father who would say “it is their time to
eat,” and pretend not to see what goes on. Even with the increased educational
progress, the existence of these attitudes only increases stagnation if not
halting development completely. African
literature sought to create awareness against such vices and help people speak
up against them but what is actually seen to happen appears to be quite the
opposite.
Africa seemingly remains a
continent with no identity of its own. The same ideas that African literature
had ridiculed and rebuked are now popularly accepted and praised. The loud and
over-bearing make up used by ladies critiqued by Okot P’bitek in Song of Lawino and Ama Atta Aido in the
short story ‘in the cutting of a drink.’ This reversal of values gives
testament to Taban Lo Lyong’s ‘Lexicographicide’. This is a continent that does
not read and when it does, it does not see the sense in its study. Characters
portrayed by David Mailu in his novel Jackie
the Ravenous Pest are hailed in society. The society welcomes the open
prostitution of university and college students and the death of morals.
It is not all doom and gloom though. With the right kind of consciousness
Africa might have a chance of shading the dark past it seems to have clung to
for decades. There are some positive strides made in gender empowerment. If the
same energy can be channeled in addressing other problems, change is possible. I
would however urge that the continent take greater notice of the concerns
raised in literature. We should be people willing to change our paths and not
live in vicious cycles of injustice and impunity.
