Greetings. It's fifty-nine years since the country got independence, and we've had some ups and downs over the years. Independence in Africa has become an annual ritual where we meet to blame the white man for our problems, and put forward some solutions as to how we can best move forward our society.
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi uses her writings to propose a way forward. Her book, Kintu - which has been recommended on this blog as part of The Great Books Program for an Afrocentric awakening - posits some solutions. One of the central characters, Miisi Kintu has attempted to suppress the privileges arising from his education and the village folk resent him for that. Nevertheless he continues to publish a weekly column in the Bukedde newspaper titled Obufilosofi bwa Mzei Kintu. One such article for the column is titled Africanstein: Ekisode, a play on Frankenstein's monster from Mary Shelley's novel. Missi posits that despite colonialism making monsters of African states, the Africans must learn to adopt and thrive using the western values and systems imposed upon them.
AFRICANSTEIN: EKISODE
[B]Uganda, unlike the rest of Africa, was sweet-talked onto the operating table with praises and promises. Protectorate was the plastic surgery to set the sluggish African body on a faster route to maturity. But once under chloroform, the surgeon was at liberty and did as he pleased. First, he severed the hands then cut off the legs and he put the black limbs into a bin bag and disposed of them. Then he got European limbs and set upon grafting them on the black torso. When the African woke up, the European had moved into his house.
Though the African was too weak to get up, he still said to the European, “I don’t like what you are doing, my friend. Please get out of my house.” But the European replied, “I am only trying to help, brother. You are still too weak and drowsy to look after your house. I will take charge in the meantime. When you’re fully recovered, I promise you will work and run twice as fast as I do.”
But the African body rejected the European body parts. Africa says that they are incompatible. The surgeons say that Africa discharged itself too soon from hospital—that is why it is hemorrhaging. It needs a lot more continual blood and water pumped intravenously. Africa says the blood and water are too expensive. The surgeons say, “Nonsense, we did the same to India, see how fast it’s running.”
When Africa looked in the mirror, it saw that it was hideous. Africa looked in others’ eyes to see how they saw it: there was revulsion. That gave Africa permission to self-harm and self-hate. Sometimes, when the world is not looking, the surgeons poke Africa in the wounds. When it falls down the surgeons say, “You see, we told you they were not ready.”
We cannot go back to the operating table and ask for the African limbs, Africa must learn to walk on European legs and work with European arms. As time goes by, children will be born with evolved bodies and in time, Africa will evolve according to ekisode’s nature and come to its best form. But it will be neither African nor European. Then the pain will settle down.
In the novel, Miisi shared the draft of the article with the village folk and even entertained a Q&A.
Q1: “If, because of this ripping, grafting, and stitching, societies like ours are of ekisode nature, should we just sit back and wait until evolution smoothens things out?”
Miisi: “No, not sitting back: we must manage the pain. However, whatever we will do or can do, will be within the scope of ekisode. It’s important for us to realize that we’re operating under a different nature so that we do not compare ourselves unfavorably to others or hold grand expectations.”
Q2: “How do we manage the pain?”
Miisi: “Swallow the painkillers as prescribed by the surgeons, keep using our own herbs and do all those things that will not exacerbate the wounds; but all that is just to soothe. Evolution is perfect at perfecting even mistakes.”
Kaleebu: “In which world are we going to evolve? I am not pouring water on your fire, Miisi, but the whole thing sounds too neat for me.”
Miisi: “It’s hope though, isn’t it?”
Kaleebu: “In a perfect world maybe, where all other continents are asleep and would not interfere.”
Ssekito: “Miisi, I say this with a raw mind. But if Europeans outwitted us, no matter how despicable their tactics were—isn’t it time we came up with a strategy for our own survival rather than sitting here crying look what they have done to us?”
Kaleebu: “That is for politicians, Ssekito. This discussion is intellectual: we’re merely thinking aloud, suggesting possibilities.”
Despite Kaleebu’s cynicism, Miisi was satisfied. At least the residents did not exchange worried looks this time.
Ceteris. Paribus.
References
Makumbi, Jennifer Nansubuga, (2014). Kintu, pp. 241-242
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