Postcolonialism in the Wake of the Nairobi Revolution

Postcolonialism in the Wake of the Nairobi Revolution

Postcolonialism in the Wake of the Nairobi Revolution Ngugi wa Thiong o and the Idea of African Literature Apollo Obonyo Amoko palgrave macmillan

POSTCOLONIALISM IN THE WAKE OF THE NAIROBI REVOLUTION Copyright Apollo Obonyo Amoko, 2010. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2010 978-0-230-10546-1 All rights reserved. First published in 2010 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN in the United States - a division of St. Martin s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the World, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-28995-0 ISBN 978-0-230-11398-5 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/9780230113985 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Amoko, Apollo Obonyo. Postcolonialism in the wake of the Nairobi revolution : Ngugi wa Thiong o and the idea of African literature / by Apollo Obonyo Amoko. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. 1. Ngugi wa Thiong o, 1938 Criticism and interpretation. 2. Ngugi wa Thiong o, 1938 Influence. 3. African literature 20th century History and criticism. 4. Nationalism and literature Africa. 5. Postcolonialism Africa. 6. Postcolonialism in literature. 7. Africa In literature. 8. Kenya In literature. I. Title. PR9381.9.N45Z49 2010 823.914 dc22 2010008771 Design by Integra Software Services First edition: October 2010 10987654321

To my parents, Stephen Obonyo Amoko and Mary Awino Obonyo. In memoriam Lemuel A. Johnson.

Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Pitfalls of Postcolonial Intellectual Consciousness: African Literature in the Wake of the Nairobi Revolution 1 1 Early Fictions of School Culture: The River Between and Weep Not, Child 29 2 Later Fictions of School Culture: Petals of Blood and Devil on the Cross 67 3 The Theaters of School Culture: Imaging the Nation in Ngugi s Plays 109 Conclusion: Between Irony and Tragedy: Cheikh Hamidou Kane s Ambiguous Adventure in Ambiguous Adventure 159 Notes 179 Bibliography 191 Index 197

Acknowledgments To my mentor, Simon Gikandi. To my other mentor, F. Abiola Irele. To Nancy Rose Hunt, David William Cohen, Ifeoma Nwankwo, and Mamadou Diouf. To Carroll Smith Rosenberg. To Leah Rosenberg. For extraordinary support in the face of a continuing medical crisis, to the Department of English at the University of Florida, in particular my colleagues John Leavey, Pamela Gilbert, Phil Wegner, and Malini Schueller. To colleagues at the Center for African Studies, in particular Leo Villalón, Todd Leedy, and Luise White. To Kennie Lyman and Kiren Michael Valjee. To Ngugi wa Thiong o. To Gichingiri Ndigirigi, Joseph Mbele, James Ogude, and Carol and Marvin Sicherman. To the following scholars and artists in Kenya: Mohammed Abdulaziz, Kavetsa Adagala, Peter Amuka, Francis Imbuga, Arthur Luvai, Stephen Mwenesi, Godfrey Muriuki, Oby Obyerodhiambo, Waveney Olembo, and Wasambo Were. To my sisters, Apelles A. Obonyo and Esther A. Obonyo. To Stephen Slemon and Lily Cho. To the following scholars and artists in Uganda: Austin Bukenya, Okot Benge, Susan Kiguli, Abasi Kiyimba, Katebalirwe Amooti wa Irumba, Timothy Wangusa, and Robert Serumaga. To Elias Jengo, Adam Korogoto, and Amandina Lihamba of the University of Dar es Salaam. Finally, a personal tribute to Lemuel A. Johnson, a committee member who passed away on March 12, 2002, weeks prior to the completion of my doctoral studies at the University of Michigan. Lem read and commented on virtually every major paper that I wrote during my tenure at Michigan. He attended every presentation and performance I gave no matter how minor. I benefited immeasurably from his generosity of spirit, his encyclopedic mind, his passion for debate, and his capacity for rigorous critique. Even as he was battling terminal illness, he found the time to read and comment extensively on nearly 300 pages of a draft dissertation. While I cannot claim to have been equal to all the questions, criticisms, and suggestions he raised, I know that my work was much better for his extraordinary sacrifice.

x Acknowledgments Professor Johnson s commitment to my work went well beyond the call of duty. He once insisted on a marathon three-hour dissertation conference quite literally in between chemotherapy treatments. During that meeting, he went through my arguments literally page by page. To complete this exhausting task, he kept waiting a number of valued friends who had come to visit with him in his illness. I learned later that he had not seen these friends, in some instances, for months. At the conclusion of a meeting that had visibly drained him, with a generosity and self-sacrifice that was uniquely his, Professor Johnson insisted on giving me a ride home. Convinced that it was not appropriate for me to walk home after visiting him in the dead of winter, he rather impatiently brushed aside my objections, put on his coat, and got into his car. During the ride, he went out of his way to praise my project and to encourage me. I was somewhat embarrassed at his high praise. I think he took a certain pleasure in seeing me squirm. He also took time to inquire about my welfare. He was more than my demanding professor; he was my mentor and friend. In the weeks following our conference, he sent me several e-mails calling to my attention a range of new issues and new references. At points, I was chastened by the realization that he seemed to be thinking more consistently and more cogently about my project than I was. On at least one occasion, he took it upon himself, despite illness, to go to the library and check out a book he thought would help me develop a particular argument. Having bookmarked the relevant sections, he left it in my mailbox with the suggestion that I return to the library and borrow it in my own name. Amazed by his devotion, I was happy to comply. My last meeting with Professor Johnson took place in the last week of January 2002 when I gave a brown bag lecture at the University of Michigan s Institute for the Humanities. It was a relatively minor event at which I read an excerpt from one of the chapters that he had already exhaustively commented on. A few days prior to the event, Professor Johnson wrote with more comments and more references for my consideration. As a postscript to his e-mail, he indicated that even though he was not feeling well, he would make every effort to attend my talk. Deeply moved, I nevertheless felt obliged to inform him that I would not be saying anything new, as I was yet to formulate a coherent response to the many and varied questions that he and the rest of my committee had raised. Without responding to my e-mail, he showed up for the talk anyway and sat, as was customary, inconspicuously at the back of the room. He listened attentively to a talk that must not only have sounded very familiar to him but also went

Acknowledgments xi on too long. He waited patiently until everyone else in the room had asked questions and then, as only he could, asked a probing question. I may have been saying nothing new, but he had new insights and critiques by way of response. At the conclusion of the talk, though visibly drained, he stayed on and waited until everyone else who desired to speak with me had had their turn. He wanted the opportunity to personally congratulate and encourage me. I learned later that he had gone back home wiped out but delighted. Even without knowing then that this would be our last interaction, even without knowing then that this would be the last academic event that he would be able to attend, I too was delighted he had come. I was sad that Professor Johnson s chair was empty during my dissertation defense. But I am deeply grateful that, due to his extraordinary sacrifice, his imprint will forever remain everywhere present in my project. The lesson of Professor Johnson s life stands before me as a powerful testament not simply to brilliance and accomplishment, but also to integrity, decency, character, devotion, charity, courage, and grace. I am very grateful to have known him.