Saturday Nation
Date: 25.04.2015
Page 35
Article size: 239 cm2
ColumnCM: 53.11
AVE: 108877.77
Queer literature aside, other
themes abound for creatives
BYVIVERENANDIEMO
Prof Evan Mwangi's article,
"I'm coming back to Kenya
but no; I will not teach
queer literature" (Saturday Na­
tion, April 18) raises interesting
and critical issues about African
literature. The article also brings
into sharp focus the intellectual
honesty of the writer. It is good
to know the good professor — who
claims to have seen the light — is
returning home to teach in a Ken­
yan university and on behalf of all
the literary enthusiasts, I cordially
welcome him back.
The prolific literary critic claims
that the teaching and criticism of
African literature in the US focuses
on what the scholars know as
"silly issues". The professor's as­
sertions raise questions such as:
Why didn't he come up with such
a discourse while he was teaching
FILE I NATION
University of Nairobi graduands last year. New African writers have new
themes to explore in their literary works,
in the US?
In my opinion, the professor
should not assume a moral high
ground given that he is also guilty
of producing Eurocentric images
of Africa in US lecture halls. Just
like the African writer in need of
some grants and scholarship and
thereby panders to the whims of
the white liberal establishment,
the professor sacrificed his "lit­
erary Africanness" at the altar of
greener pastures in "the land of
opportunities". I detected the pro­
fessor's leaning towards this queer
literature when he religiously de­
Eurocentric issues at length in
colonialism and its effects in Af­
their works. These were the issues
rica, Ngugi veered off the road of
literary creativity.
But contemporary issues in Af­
in Africa at the time. However, it
is imperative that contemporary
African writers not be held hostage
to these issues at the expense of
emerging issues in Africa.
Prof Mwangi argues that writ­
ers such Ngugi and Achebe are
shunned in the West not because
of writing in the past — since past
writers like Shakespeare are also
taught — but because of writing
about outdated issues. But a writer
like Shakespeare tackled a ray
fended Witi Ihamaera's The Whale
of thematic concerns that still
Rider, amid the debate that it
would promote gayism in schools.
Therefore, Prof Mwangi's lamenta­
tion smacks of hypocrisy.
But it is important to interrogate
the literary issues he raised. Afri­
can literary forefathers like Chinua
Achebe and Ngugi Wa Thiong'o
resonate with the contemporary
world and that the literary aesthet­
did endeavour to address the
issues of colonialism and other
ics inherent in their works are at
the core of modern literature. A
big number of African writers like
Ngugi dwell on reminiscing the
past without due regard to the
rica abound and it is incumbent
upon the contemporary African
writer to address these issues.
Apart from queer stuff, other
pertinent issues include the en­
vironment, climate change, poor
leadership, education, retrogres­
sive cultures, gender, tribalism
and xenophobia.
Such a story is not always so
rosy, but this should not be reason
enough to shun it. African schol­
ars like Prof Mwangi should stop
mere lamentations and encourage
contemporary writers. He talks of
mentoring Africanist scholarship;
he now has the opportunity to do
this in our own universities.
aesthetic value of their works. It
is clear from his works that armed
The writer teaches at
with the enormous urge to address
([email protected])
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