Just the other day I was drawn
into a very passionate polemic with fellow scribe Dikembe Disembe.In my
submission I argued that Dikembe,a revered literary boxer had folded
tail and was slowly slipping into unintellectualism, even
sensationalism.
Then,Dikembe introduced someone he called our senior scribe Sudi
Baraka.It was somehow overawing,but i stuck to my guns,I stood my
ground.This very interesting debate caught the attention of wakili
Dennis Onyango,a close Dikembe confidante(judging by the way he cuddled
Dikembe) and a member of Raila's inner sanctum.Wakili came out guns
blazing to protect and proclaim the versatility and dynamism of our
favorite pen-master.
As the friendly confrontation ebbed,Shem Beverton,another mercurial
wordsmith joined the bandwagon.I adore Shem for one thing,just yesterday
he excoriated with bare-knuckles,Gitungo Wamere(Dikembe's protege) for
his unruly slander of ODM's party leader.Shem stated thus,"a scholar of
your caliber should be beyond these alarmist obfuscations".Hehe! really
magnificent.Its noteworthy that Wamere is a victim of Railaphobia and
this is really disturbing.How can a man accommodate so much hate and
fear?But as they say, that's a story for another day.
Truth be told,Dikembe is a literati,a literati in every sense of the
word,but that is not the reason why i write this,that's not the
deal,in fact,there's no nexus betwixt what I have written and what I
intend to write.
Reader,I am writing this to defend literature,not literature the subject
or literature the classwork that has constantly been brought to
disrepute,but literature the art,the living art,that art that
lies unexplored in our hearts.
For eons we have played audience to unconcerned teachers of literature
with the effect that soon,very soon,if nothing is done,this fine art
will be turned into an empty shell.These clownish prattles must grind to
a halt.
How can it be that progressiveness and productivity no longer accompany
this discipline? A perceived good teacher comes to class with a
textbook,delves into the songs of Ocol and Lawino,albeit superficially
because of want of time,tackles with neglect the text by Margaret Ogola
and then exits.This teacher probably in Alliance or Maranda may produce
very good grades,but really! What will be the destiny of.literature in
these students lives?
I want us to pick it from there going forward.I want us to mould these
half-baked students bequeathed to us. I am writing to awaken you to this
revolution that is broiling in the hearts and minds of avid lovers of
this noble discipline.
I am writing to safeguard the gains we have made so far and to beseech
you ooh dear reader! not to be discourteous to the father of life,the
destiny of us all,Literature. Everyday i interact with you and the
mirth,the enthusiasm with which you respond to serious questions sticks
in the craw.Lets fight this fight,lets tell Taban lo Liyong that the
literary swampland is no more.it is now a throbbing gold mine.
Dikembe was gunning for ODM's publicity and communication secretary.He
didn't make it ,he couldn't make it,the odds were simply insurmountable
and then the Men in black and so on and so forth.I believe there will be
a
second act for that party,then, we'll consider him
accordingly.
I invite you to spar with me.join me and those of our ilk as we attempt
to effect this reconstruction,this metamorphosis.
Cheers msomaji,I speak for literature.
