Recolonising the Mind

Prof Taban Lo Liyong, was at his usual best at the Kenya National Theatre on 15th Dec 2006, as he Recolonised Prof Ngugi’s mind, in the last of the series of public lectures in honor of Prof Issa Shivji, formerly of Dar-es- Salaam University. The public lectures were organized by the African Research and Resource Forum [ARRF].

The works of Prof Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, or James Ngugi before, has been a challenge to most scholars. A challenge in that critical analysis of his works is rarely given preference by publishers. Madam Oluoch-Olunya of the Literature Department at Kenyatta University has been stuck with her manuscript on the critiques on the works of Ngugi for the last 2 years with no publisher bold enough to pick the challenge. For in the publisher’s mind, and I want to challenge Migosi Barrack Muluka and other publishers, Ngugi does not pay, or rather, critical thinking works does not rake in more money for the publisher.  

Prof Ngugi Wa Thiong’o in Decolonising the Mind, tended to shift from capitalism and neo-colonialism to Marxism and socialism. Prof Lo Liyong in Recolonising Ngugi, brings back the thought process back from capitalism and neo-colonialism to Africanism. Lo Liyong holds the view that Marxism and socialism were not the answers to capitalism and neo-colonialism. They are all foreign ideals.

He looks at Ngugi’s works and finds some disconnect. He finds Ngugi’s thought process at variance with his actions. When Ngugi got detained by the Great Jomo, he comes out and escapes to the West, where he seeks academic refuge. The West is the seat of capitalism and neo-colonialism, two systems Ngugi is at variance with in his writings. Why does he not escape to Havana, Pyong-Yang or Moscow, the citadels of Marxism and socialism?

It basically calls for critical thinking. Was Ngugi not convinced in the practice of his writings? Maybe Madam Olunya, or Selline Oketch of Catholic University, or some critical mind, can help Taban more here. Was it mere posturing with lack of conviction on the part of Prof Ngugi?

In Recolonising Ngugi, Taban awakens some thought provoking scenarios. How averse can we be to capitalism, neo-colonialism and foreignism? And then embrace the same at the slightest opportunity! This basically falls in sync with my oft taken position, Kenyans must reclaim back Kenya, and match forward majestically. Forget the many political lies that Kenya is doing well. We are not doing well. We must all accept that we are caught in a time warp and doing so badly, to enable us retrace our roots and take off. In Recolonising Ngugi, Taban calls Ngugi back to reality, just like we must call Kenyans back to reality. Things are going bad and we must fix it.

We must thank African Research and Resource Forum for organizing these series of lectures in honour of Prof Issa Shivji at the Theatre. We know the Forum reserved the best for themselves at Windsor where the proletariat could not reach as they served themselves with sumptuous meals, however, the crumbs in form of talks that we were given at the Theatre still served us well. But at the end of it all, what lessons do Kenyans learn, or are we just happy that we have been in great company? Company of Professors Issa Shivji, Taban Lo Liyong, Michael Ngugi, Anyang’ Nyong’o, Haroub Othman, Mahmood Mamdani, Thandika Mkandawire, Archie Mafeje, Peter Wanyande? Or do we come out with something to help ourselves? For in my mind, we must Recolonise our thought process to make Kenya great, as it was destined.

If we relate Tabans theories of Ngugi, how he lived a lie, and juxtapose the same to Kenya, how easily do our political leaders live a lie? And how do we take it? When we are told of a booming economy, and today, yes, today, Kenya is faced with a bitting sugar shortage, how realistic is the ruling class with abstract theories about economy doing well at 5.8%?.  Phantoms. We must subject all growth and feel good theories we are told by this government to some iron curb of reasoning, before we start fighting amongst ourselves over things we do not know. Trying to give reason to what was not intended.

In most cases when the government has goofed, it is us, people who were not in the picture even in the first place, who try giving reason to what might have been intended. No. We must Recolonise this government also, and direct it once and for all to the right direction.

Prof Michael Chege got it right when he encouraged Madam Olunya to carry on with her works on Ngugi and forget the detractors; people who question her competence to critique Ngugi on the basis of her name. Taken to the Kenyan contemporary situation, the President must see in Kenyans the quality to be competent regardless of where one comes from. If you are a Luo president, appoint a Kikuyu as your defense minister with no fear of being undermined. Never again must Kenyans be defrauded of their collective will like Kibaki did. Kenya belongs to all Kenyans and we must all enjoy Kenya.

We must also Recolonize the minds of the publishers, so that manuscript that are potent with academics and critical thought processes, are passed for printing. Publishers must not only look at the syllabus from some fellow who pretends to know what is good for our students, from the ministry of Education. In most cases, the fellow at the ministry is bribed to pass junk for school teaching material, and deserving works are denied access, just because the author does not have the capacity to bribe. Creative and critical writers must be allowed free reign. The market will be the judge, and literally scholars will surprise you; they will buy all those works. We must Recolonise the mind of the Mr-know-it-all bureaucrat at the Ministry of Education, and disabuse his cash for books mentality that turns our children into zombies, instead of scholars.

Am surprised that in Primary CRE book 3, at some page, I think page 47, I cannot recollect, Luanda Magere, that legendry Luo warrior, is listed as a fore-father of the Luo! This is a lie. He has never been a Luo fore-father, but he was only a revered warrior. Yet this passes all scrutiny, and our children are taught lies just because some bureaucrat was bribed to have this book listed for primary education. We must bring these people back to reality.

We must also Recolonise the minds of the Executive or Managing Director of the print and electronic media. Films and movies are passing through to our screens that you cannot imagine was authorized for airing in a TV station with an editorial policy. We must bring these guys back to reality, and ask where their loyalty lies? Is it with the mega dollars or is it with the conscience of our children whom they are spoiling? Or is education, to them, only limited to the classroom. You must Recolonise your mind. Madam Rose Kimotho, do you hear me?

In looking at the vagaries of life that made Prof Ngugi live a lie, some life which is at variance with his writings, we must ask ourselves what made Ngugi a captive of his theories. After being detained, and unable to get back his teaching job at the University, Ngugi had to flee to the USA where he set base and worked for the capitalist and taught the neo-colonialist, earning their dollars, living in the houses and eating their food. Could life have come full circle for Ngugi?  Was it then apt for Prof Lo Liyong to bring Ngugi back to reality?  His writing in the Kikuyu language, could it have been as a sign of despair? Here being a great crusader against capitalism and neo-colonialism, living and eking his bread from the people he so loathed! Food for thought for other scholars.

Prof Ngugi had to find some solace and escape route, and the end result was to retreat to a language his benefactors could not understand. He must be brought back to reality, and Taban must do it.

In relating the whole of this episode to our Kenyan scenario, we find that at Independence, there was a deliberate crusade championed by our political leaders, and Christened Harambee.  This novel idea of pulling together soon became an idea of Kenyans pulling the political leaders to disenfranchising them of their land, their sweat, and their money under the guise of national development.

43 years down the line, the same people who controlled our economy then, are still churning tales of economic growth, yet our age mates have married and now have big children, while Kenya, with the abused Harambee slogan, is seeing nothing in return. Only the rulers, like the colonialists before them, are all smiles to their banks, both local and foreign.

We must all come back to the basics, and like Prof Taban would put it, Recolonise our mind frames, and move forward. Tell me, what wisdom makes the personal economy of the ruler do so well, and that of the country he rules sink in deeper debt; a debt that even our great grand children are born condemned with, a debt that makes them captives to paying for what they have not seen, felt, nor even experienced. Paying what they do not know. Yet the great grand children of the rulers are born into wealth they do not know how it was got. We must Recolonise the minds of the rulers and task them to work for the country, not for their stomachs.

Where has love for God, and love for one another gone, as is commanded by the great book of love- The Bible? What are we all doing to make Kenya an equal society, where everyone has enough for himself? We must all take Taban seriously and think critically about what we do, how we do it and how it affects our neighbours.

Of what value is land grabbing, corruption, tribalism? And of what value are we to each other? As we reflect on the 36 years of Prof Issa Shivji’s scholarship, instead of Recolonising Ngugi, we must Recolonise the minds of our political leaders, to enable them see the bigger picture, and make Kenya realize real growth just like their personal accounts.

Odhiambo Tobias Oketch.
Komarock Nairobi.

NB The writer is a literary scholar, a prolific commentator on issues social and political and chairman LDP and ODM-K in Komarock.   
 
Can this piece reach both Prof Taban Lo Liyong and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, through African Research and Resource Forum.