Comments for Lesani http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com Let your voice be heard Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:17:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Jambula Tree: A Review by Nkem Chima http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/jambula-tree-a-review/#comment-72 Nkem Chima Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:17:42 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/jambula-tree-a-review/#comment-72 I do not question the excellence of modern writers of African litereature like Monica Nyeko. They have done us proud anyway. However, I urge Mona to think deeply about the kernel of the true African culture of story telling from which we all emerged. It was devoid of today´s unrestricted explicit sexual themes of bestiality, orgy and lesbianism. Even the early masters of african litereature as told in written english were careful to preserve what was TRULY african in their various themes. Achebe saw this cultural invasion ahead of us all and warned that the ´centre can no longer hold´ The white man came and his coming upturned every thing...´ In the process many heads rolled; new words, new usages and new applications gained entrance into men´s heads and hearts and the old soceity gradually gave way. The process continued even till today..´ and then he went on in Things Fall Apart ´..I fear for you, I fear for the clan...´ In the ongoing conflict of cultures we Africans must be willing to slow down the invasion from the western world. This is my position, that the ship of African civilization is already wreacked. What we must do is to rescue as many as we can save before it finally sinks. This is what we owe mother Africa and it does not make any of us an ostritch. I do not question the excellence of modern writers of African litereature like Monica Nyeko. They have done us proud anyway. However, I urge Mona to think deeply about the kernel of the true African culture of story telling from which we all emerged. It was devoid of today´s unrestricted explicit sexual themes of bestiality, orgy and lesbianism. Even the early masters of african litereature as told in written english were careful to preserve what was TRULY african in their various themes.
Achebe saw this cultural invasion ahead of us all and warned that the ´centre can no longer hold´ The white man came and his coming upturned every thing…´ In the process many heads rolled; new words, new usages and new applications gained entrance into men´s heads and hearts and the old soceity gradually gave way. The process continued even till today..´ and then he went on in Things Fall Apart ´..I fear for you, I fear for the clan…´
In the ongoing conflict of cultures we Africans must be willing to slow down the invasion from the western world. This is my position, that the ship of African civilization is already wreacked.

What we must do is to rescue as many as we can save before it finally sinks. This is what we owe mother Africa and it does not make any of us an ostritch.

]]> Comment on Jambula Tree: A Review by Mona http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/jambula-tree-a-review/#comment-68 Mona Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:24:32 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/jambula-tree-a-review/#comment-68 Like the proverbial ostrich, nkem chima buries his head in sand and hopes that by the time he unburies it, there will be no more lesbianism, homosexuality or other 'western' themes. Nyeko's writing is surely excellent, her story even more so. Acknowleding this does not mean accepting non traditional themes as African teens promiscuity, homosexuality, lesbianism etc. it encompasses all that a great story must have. Like the proverbial ostrich, nkem chima buries his head in sand and hopes that by the time he unburies it, there will be no more lesbianism, homosexuality or other ‘western’ themes.

Nyeko’s writing is surely excellent, her story even more so. Acknowleding this does not mean accepting non traditional themes as African teens promiscuity, homosexuality, lesbianism etc.

it encompasses all that a great story must have.

]]> Comment on Jambula Tree: A Review by nkem chima http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/jambula-tree-a-review/#comment-66 nkem chima Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:28:44 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/jambula-tree-a-review/#comment-66 When I was young, a child to be precise, we lived and grew up with rich African stories folk lores, spiced with idioms, imagery and all. The heroic story tellers of the Character moulding stories of those days left us asking for more, soon as the evening shades prevailed. I cannot remember immoral or sensual references in those stories. I wonder why today's heroes and heroines of African litereature have chosen to create so much room to celeberate such non traditional themes as African teens promiscuity, homosexuality, lesbianism etc. I think we all must rise up to a constant subtle invasion of the original labrynth of African tradional matrix..This is not meant to question Monica Nyeko's freedom to nose at what she called 'the gospel according to St Morality' - whatever that is! However since it has suddenly become customary to eulogise western moral standards in order to receive applause from the white man, it is important that the rest of us who feel strongly about the beauty of purity as part of our up bringing ; we should begin speaking out against some of these literary vices. Granted these writers smile to western banks to get western money for celeberating themes our parents would have condemmed in their quest to shape the true African image, nvertheless our effort today can save African litereature from drifting too far in an ocean of ideological conflicts where values have become the victims. When I was young, a child to be precise, we lived and grew up with rich African stories folk lores, spiced with idioms, imagery and all.
The heroic story tellers of the Character moulding stories of those days left us asking for more, soon as the evening shades prevailed.
I cannot remember immoral or sensual references in those stories.
I wonder why today’s heroes and heroines of African litereature have chosen to create so much room to celeberate such non traditional themes as African teens promiscuity, homosexuality, lesbianism etc. I think we all must rise up to a constant subtle invasion of the original labrynth of African tradional matrix..This is not meant to question Monica Nyeko’s freedom to nose at what she called ‘the gospel according to St Morality’ – whatever that is!
However since it has suddenly become customary to eulogise western moral standards in order to receive applause from the white man, it is important that the rest of us who feel strongly about the beauty of purity as part of our up bringing ; we should begin speaking out against some of these literary vices.
Granted these writers smile to western banks to get western money for celeberating themes our parents would have condemmed in their quest to shape the true African image, nvertheless our effort today can save African litereature from drifting too far in an ocean of ideological conflicts where values have become the victims.

]]> Comment on Home by nyangara http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/25/home/#comment-59 nyangara Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:23:23 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/25/home/#comment-59 Wow that is deep ... It just sent shivers down my spine reading it. I am sure you had a whole different idea when you wrote but your poem spoke to my soul. Love it!!! Don't we all have something, or someone we call a home and can always run back and curl up there!!! Good work. Thanks Wow that is deep … It just sent shivers down my spine reading it. I am sure you had a whole different idea when you wrote but your poem spoke to my soul. Love it!!! Don’t we all have something, or someone we call a home and can always run back and curl up there!!! Good work. Thanks

]]> Comment on The Bluest Eye by Eva Osoro http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/the-bluest-eye/#comment-58 Eva Osoro Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:01:45 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/the-bluest-eye/#comment-58 It is easy to relate to the fictional character of Pecola because her insecurities about beauty stem deep into the society we have been raised. We are told that white is more beautiful and blondes are prettier. Sad yes! But you see ... This is an issue that has been part of us for such a long time that it might need more than just one writer to speak about it in a work of literature to make a difference. It takes people like Oprah, Maya Angelou among others of their stature to stand up against such significant oppressive beliefs that society has let blind its people. It will take a lot but it's always one little step, one little action, one little change by one person that makes a difference. It takes Oprah giving South African children black dolls to make them appreciate the beauty there is in colored women. Isn't that why they said that black is beauty. Call me naive but I am one who believes for fighting for the minority and my life sadly is beyond just being an African woman. Society has put me in so many minor categories that I would lose count, but I for one choose not to allow that define me. Okay I know this was meant to be just a comment but when something touches your soul and life as the things that society has allowed to influence its poeple then I have more than enough I could say about it. It is easy to relate to the fictional character of Pecola because her insecurities about beauty stem deep into the society we have been raised. We are told that white is more beautiful and blondes are prettier. Sad yes! But you see … This is an issue that has been part of us for such a long time that it might need more than just one writer to speak about it in a work of literature to make a difference. It takes people like Oprah, Maya Angelou among others of their stature to stand up against such significant oppressive beliefs that society has let blind its people. It will take a lot but it’s always one little step, one little action, one little change by one person that makes a difference. It takes Oprah giving South African children black dolls to make them appreciate the beauty there is in colored women. Isn’t that why they said that black is beauty. Call me naive but I am one who believes for fighting for the minority and my life sadly is beyond just being an African woman. Society has put me in so many minor categories that I would lose count, but I for one choose not to allow that define me. Okay I know this was meant to be just a comment but when something touches your soul and life as the things that society has allowed to influence its poeple then I have more than enough I could say about it.

]]> Comment on 2-0 Victory to Germany in Women’s World Cup Final by Valery http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/01/2-0-victory-to-germany-in-womens-world-cup-final/#comment-55 Valery Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:03:50 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/01/2-0-victory-to-germany-in-womens-world-cup-final/#comment-55 Is soccer this year's <a href="http://allwomenstalk.com/top-10-fall-fashion-finds/" rel="nofollow">fall fashion</a> trend? There are so many discussions! Is soccer this year’s fall fashion trend? There are so many discussions!

]]> Comment on Who is Monica Arac de Nyeko? by Eva Osoro http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/who-is-monica-arac-de-nyeko/#comment-37 Eva Osoro Sat, 03 Nov 2007 05:23:36 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/who-is-monica-arac-de-nyeko/#comment-37 Wow! I love that line, "there are a lot of difficult things we need to talk about and not build walls of huge emotions". Looking forward to reading this one. I just wonder why do we shun what we do not understand or are not part of? Is it not only right to let people be as they choose because really who are we hurting by being ourselves? One of those raw wounds that I have to deal with I guess Wow! I love that line, “there are a lot of difficult things we need to talk about and not build walls of huge emotions”. Looking forward to reading this one. I just wonder why do we shun what we do not understand or are not part of? Is it not only right to let people be as they choose because really who are we hurting by being ourselves? One of those raw wounds that I have to deal with I guess

]]> Comment on Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe by live_life http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/06/victoria-falls-zimbabwe/#comment-29 live_life Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:59:51 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/06/victoria-falls-zimbabwe/#comment-29 Spectacular indeed. A good chunk of it IS visible in Zambia. While I have never had the opportunity to view it from Zimbabwe, that which is visible here is good enough. Just one thing though, The Smoke that Thunders never did make the 7 wonders of the world. Bad propaganda from the 80's. Spectacular indeed. A good chunk of it IS visible in Zambia. While I have never had the opportunity to view it from Zimbabwe, that which is visible here is good enough. Just one thing though, The Smoke that Thunders never did make the 7 wonders of the world. Bad propaganda from the 80’s.

]]> Comment on The Bluest Eye by Socialite Dreams http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/the-bluest-eye/#comment-28 Socialite Dreams Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:45:49 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/the-bluest-eye/#comment-28 pretty much wishful thinking, because beauty does play a role in life. Statistically, beautiful people are treated better in all arenas of life. It may just be some "luck of the draw" but so is being born with a name like "Hilton" and being a rich socialite from birth. Life is all about the luck of the draw. http://socialitedreams.wordpress.com pretty much wishful thinking, because beauty does play a role in life. Statistically, beautiful people are treated better in all arenas of life. It may just be some “luck of the draw” but so is being born with a name like “Hilton” and being a rich socialite from birth. Life is all about the luck of the draw.

http://socialitedreams.wordpress.com

]]> Comment on Suspects brought in for murder of South African Reggae Star by nekessa http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/suspects-brought-in-for-murder-of-south-african-reggae-star/#comment-27 nekessa Sun, 28 Oct 2007 03:36:49 +0000 http://lesaniblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/suspects-brought-in-for-murder-of-south-african-reggae-star/#comment-27 What a tragedy!! Meanwhile, the conspiracy theorists have already been at it. Emails circulating the net are accusing the West in the slaying of the legend in a bid to paint Africa in bad light with the coming of the SA world cup! On the streets and the net many are calling for the return of the death penalty in South Africa. Certainly, crime and violent crime is on the rise in SA, however, the death penalty hardly touches at the core of addressing this. What a tragedy!!

Meanwhile, the conspiracy theorists have already been at it. Emails circulating the net are accusing the West in the slaying of the legend in a bid to paint Africa in bad light with the coming of the SA world cup!

On the streets and the net many are calling for the return of the death penalty in South Africa. Certainly, crime and violent crime is on the rise in SA, however, the death penalty hardly touches at the core of addressing this.

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