Okonkwo

-
I just finished re reading one of my all time favourite books by Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart.

Quite apart from the thrill of recalling the events in Umofia and Okonkwo's life, it was a fun trip down memory lane. Back to secondary school, literature class, the discussions, arguments and essay writing ...

Coming across names like Ezeulu, Obierika, Ikemefuna was like stumbling upon old buddies .

Hey, Unoka, I remember you, Okonkwo's dad right? boy was Okonkwo ashamed of you, you're probably the laziest man he ever knew. You just liked to party didn't ya?!, I hear you were most blissful drinking, playing your flute and dancing with the locals.

Obierika, man! you represented the epitome of friendship, the way you stood by Okonkwo when he had been exiled to Mbanta ( his mathez home) was really commendable.

Uchendu, you were one dry fellow, you didn't mince your words around your nephew Okonkwo. As you knew how to rub salt in a wound?!, but I guess it was sawa because then Okonkwo sobered up and faced his situation like a man.

Ikemefuna, things were tight for you, I mean first they grab you from your home (no fault of your own), they take you to live in a different village, then the man you ended up calling father (Okonkwo) killed you just like that.

Looking at Okonkwo, it seems that even though he despised his dad's laziness, and worked mighty hard never to be associated with such "fakeness", when it came to their demise, they both died miserable men. Unoka died an old, poor man with a lousy reputation - Okonkwo hanged himself.

Is it that the very thing we loath in our parents is what becomes our destiny some how?

Comments

Post a Comment

Hey! Thanks for dropping by :-)

Popular posts from this blog

Kitante Primary School Circa the 1980's

-
Image
In memory of A.D Ssozi the former headmaster of Kitante Primary School who breathed his last on March 19th 2014 at 5:45pm in Texas. He was 81 years old. May his soul rest in eternal peace. Kitante Primary School Emblem: Child between two parents Kitante Primary School anthem: "There's a school near the museum by the road side,   Oh come to the school of the world  No school is so dear to your child   Kitante is the best in the world.  Oh come come come come  Come to the school by the road side  Oh come to the school of the world  No school is so dear to your child  Kitante is the best in the world " The children sang loud when it came to the chorus:  "Oh come come come come COME to the school by the road side " - even those who didn't know the song well knew this part. School prayer: "Look at me Oh God As my heart silent all To you all I turn For all the sins that I have committed I beg to be forgiven Where I have be...
Read more

Uganda Television shows in the 80's

-
Image
When I have time to twiddle my fingers my mind goes into flash back mode--to my childhood. These particular memories get tickled when I have to seriously screen and re screen what Mich watches.  Gone are the days when the mere mention of cartoon sufficed--when you knew that it was something for the kids to watch and it was safe. This is where my love for UTV (Uganda Television) back in the 80’s gets rekindled. I would rush home from school to watch “ Clue Club ” “ Blue Falcon and Dog Wonder ” and “ Scooby doo ”, any body identify? Ok, what about Electric Company and Sesame Street ? Yeah, I knew that would be more familiar. There was even a time I thought if I happened to land in Germany I would find my way “ Pappenheimer ” taught us basic German phrases. Then when the tapes were over and UTV had overly repeated them and finally got ashamed they brought “ Peter and His Toy Box ”. Oh! that was fun, he showed us how things like rubber, glass, and wood were manufactured and used (imag...
Read more

The Peeping Petticoat

-
Image
Petticoats! Remember them? If you landed on this planet after the 90's you'll probably wonder what I refer to and no! it is not some fancy coat worn on top of a boob tube. Petticoats or half-slips are little nylon skirts worn as undergarments. Sound like the dark ages? Yeah, like who would wear extra clothes in the African heat? Probably explains why they were made of nylon and light cotton material. It was an essential item on every school girls shopping list next to Always and Vaseline. These skirts were everywhere; in suitcases, hanging up on a bathroom peg, sometimes they showed up on the clothes line outside; black and white - the two most preferred colors. We giggled when girls in primary six and seven begun to wear them - they were mature, things we studied in biology were taking place in their bodies.  Woe unto you if the elastic around the waist came loose or the lace on the hem came undone. It wasn't any of our business but when those little skirts pe...
Read more