ACHEBE LIVED TO RESPOND: WHO ARE AFRICANS?

Thirty one years, before the birth of Chinua Achebe - Joseph Conrad was a well-established word smith. To employ words as “a vehicle for conveying a bath of personal impressions” in reining “his mental laziness” by taking “the line of least resistance.” Mind-boggling. But this is how the Heart of Darkness come into being and darkly stormed the public eye through the Blackwood’s Magazine – in 1899. It’s a satire that the anchor of the book is set at the Congo/Zaire. Where this curious man – Joseph Conrad went prying but “come out of them with all kinds of spoils.” Was Conrad a prophet of doom espoused in the anecdotes of racialism? Africa seems to have lived to fulfill the stereotypes of inhumanity – oozing suffering, dictatorship and tyranny? Congo , Rwanda , Uganda , Liberia , Sudan , Nigeria , Ivory Coast , Somalia , Zimbabwe … Kenya , have they embraced Conrad? “As to its ‘reality,’ that is for the readers to determine,” Conrad wrote in his introduction to the book. Was Conrad a man of batched memory and evil dreams? He writes of his first encounter with an African: “A certain enormous buck nigger encountered in Haiti fixed my conception of blind, furious, unreasoning range, as manifested in the human animal to the end of my days. Of the nigger I used to dream for years afterwards.” In responding to these racist sentiments – to check the ripples of Conrad, Achebe went shopping for the same vehicle; hawk-eyed with reality and sobriety – proclaiming who we’re as Africans. Achebe entered this uncharted water without any surety whether is response in Things Fall Apart was neither going to be accepted nor published. This was novel mean without African Literature to gauge his experimental work with. Save, Amos Tutuola’s Wine Drunkard (1952) and Cyprian Ekwesi’s People of the City (1954). As the bug of writing transformed Conrad from a sea captain to a writer to reckon with, Achebe too, forfeited a scholarship and a lucrative career in Medicine to become the foremost mirror of the African continent: A watchman not only to the Conrads and Watson – the DNA genius, but to African leadership - as a poet, novelist, and literary critic. In 1972 he was a joint - winner of the first commonwealth poetry prize. In his country he scoped the prestigious Nigerian National Merit Award and Order of the Federal Republic as well as seizing the Man Booker International Prize. The awards are chain that Achebe is readers envisioned that he will be crowned with a literature Nobel Prize. Notwithstanding Conrad’s racist stains his scholars have assured the Heart of Darkness a secure place “among the half-dozen short novels in the English language.” As Newton’s third law of motion states: Action and reaction are equal but acts on opposite direction. Things Fall Apart in spite being the first novel of Achebe has fought on the same literary platform taking its place among the world master pieces. Indeed Achebe’s pen never dried in his life time, even after the fatal road accident that saw him wheeled till his death at the sundown of last week. He kept on working on his memoir and living to fulfill his testimony: “I’m an Igbo writer, because this is my basic culture; Nigerian, African and a writer…no, black first, then a writer,” by translating Things Fall Apart to his native language. Although Achebe has authored other great literally works Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God, A Man of the People, and Anthills of the Savannah among others. Things Fall Apart stands without a peer - circulating in55 languages and more than 11 million copies sold in the competitive and complex world of book. To Achebe literately works will remain to be the Kola and proverbs with which geniuses literally writing are weaved for the larger public consumption in clear language with vast ideas. At Bard College he was dove tailed with the literal calling of River Nun of Gabriel Okara – Annandale – on – Hudson, New York to raise the African school of thought to a better and higher spectrum. He died as a David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies Brown University. As he wrote- a cock is spotted while being a chick. Achebe’s writing acumen started taking root while pursuing his undergraduate studies at Ibadan University. He mirrored his fellow students study habits and future dreams in the story the Polar Undergraduate (1950) that is anthologized in Girls at War and Other Stories among his 21 titles he has published. Things Fall Apart began and remained to be the pivot of his writings. Although in various forums he said that a parent loves all his children. In Things Fall Apart he wrestles with the biased thinking about Africans. Achebe paints a gracious and humanistic picture – that man – whoever and from wherever have the same passions – integrity and respect is the aspiration. “As the elders said, if a child washes his hands he could eat with Kings,” Achebe wrote. This is an encouragement, after being blustered with labels as “savage,” “an improved specimen,” “cannibals – in there place,” “a prehistoric earth,” “an earth that wore the aspect of unknown planet”… by Conrad. Conrad dehumanized an African woman who was a mistress to one of the whites (Mr. Kurtz) as a “savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent….She stood looking at us without stir and like the wilderness itself, with an air of brooding over an inscrutable purpose.” Things Fall Apart has taken the trajectory of being a teacher at the global stage, to salvage the African from Ngugi’s leitmotif “colonization of the mind.” “Here then is an adequate revolution for me to espouse – to help my society regain belief in itself and put away the complexes of the year of denigration and self-abasement. And it is essentially a question of education, in the best sense of that word….I would be quite satisfied if my novels (especially the ones I set in the past) did more than teach my readers that their past with all its imperfections – was not one long night of savagery from which first Europeans acting on God’s behalf delivered them,” Achebe said in an interview with the Morning. As we mark the end of the life of an African literally icon we need to peep into the past and behold the future. Were as Africans we have fallen apart and the centre is not holding in leadership, technological uptake, unemployment, tribalism among other hailment we are suffering from thus the post-independence era has never been at ease, even girl have found themselves in the fields of war: a blend of hopes and impediments has followed suit where every leader is seeking the arrow of God to become a man of the people in the Anthill of Savannah. Across the continent one need to be aware of soul brothers for the morning is yet on a creation day – leaving one to ask: what is the trouble with Africa? Things Fall Apart as well as other streams of Achebe’s writing will find there relevance in these times of entrepreneurship, innovation and reformation. The current world need more daring Onkwonkwo of Things Fall Apart, who’s “fame rested on sold personal achievement” to bring down Amalinze the great wrestler in the form of momentous challenges we are facing as a continent such as food insecurity, poverty, insecurity and wanting leadership among others. Africa needs a people who are determined to dirty their hands and build its amazing nations to an envisioned future, example Kenya’s Vision 2030. Driven by creativity and hard work, turning challenges into stepping stones with the inspiration of Onkwonkwo who “neither inherited a ban nor a title, nor even a young wife. But in spite of these disadvantages, he had began even in his father his lifetime to lay the foundation of a prosperous future. It was slow and painful. But he threw himself like the one possessed. And indeed he was possessed…” Achebe’s death calls for Africans to re-examine how far we have mark-timed from the “Heat of Darkness” to escape the tragic ending of Things Fall Apart where “every day” Achebe wrote, we’re offering the western media “new material” from our wanting leadership and mode of elections where “one could write a whole…”on them. Free and fair? To a shame the “already chosen” coverage.

2013 ELECTION AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDEEM OURSELVES

Grace Jeptoo, a mother of three is one of the staff members of Baraton International School (BIS) the school that is serving the University of Eastern African, Baraton (UEAB) fraternity.

 Jeptoo is perturbed by the impact of the 2007/08 post election violence whose seismic ripples are being felt as we prepare for this year, 2013 general election, voting exercise on Monday, March 4.

I cannot believes it, Jeptoo says, the manner in which students are streaming out of the campus heading to their various homes and countries. Why should elections turn us into strangers to one another? She asks with atone of regret.

We are friends; she goes on to explain, sharing our joys and tears, lifting one another’s burden as well as celebrating one another’s success regardless of tribe or color.

Jeptoo wishes that every Kenyan - come March 4 till the inauguration of the fourth president of this beloved nation will seize this period as an opportunity to usher in a new beginning – of a people who can stand together notwithstanding having diverse opinion and coming from different tribes.

UEAB, the first private university to be charted in Kenya and the first in East and Central Africa to start offering Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSCN) as well as degrees in Electronics and Automotive Technology among other programs from diplomas to PhD attracts students from the entire continent and beyond was adversely affected during the 2007/08 postelection violence.

At the apex of the violence it took the intervention of government in corroboration with the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) General Conference’s wing of the East - Central Africa Division (ECD) to air lifts some of the administration, lectures and staff as well as transporting students to their various destinations under heavy security. It was expensive, one of the administrators involved says.

John says with the commencement outbreak of the violence it was a matter of days before their means of accessing food become a night mere as they were not prepared for the same.

One of the professors, a missionary in the institutions says that one day after another, during the violence, they were engulfed in fear to eat or sleep – prayer for God’s intervention was their only source of strength.

Furthermore, Mr James Momanyi, now a retired student finance manager home was destroyed and everything taken to cite a case among the many who suffered great loss.

It is with this backdrop that the 2008 graduating class build the Amani monuments, two, one on the right hand side of the main entrance to administration block of the university with a dove overlooking the map of Kenya being showered with springs of water in the convergence of various streams colored of rays – a testimony that Kenyans can live in peace with one another and be partakers of God’s blessing notwithstanding being a tapestry of various tribes.

The second monument is built behind the university hospital, Jeremic and some safe distance from the university church, UEAB English church, and Bill and Malinda Gates Research Centre - a map of Africa with majestic faunas and elegant rivers flowing around it. A testimony to sense of belonging welcome to those from the rest of the world – UEAB lectures and staff comes from various parts of the world, too.

Last week the department of English and Literature head by Mr Edward Mooka extolled the UEAB community on the importance of nurturing right communication since words can build or destroy. The theme of the week was language as a tool of unity.

The speakers included Prof Okumu Bigambo, a communication expert at Moi University who demystified that communication goes beyond mere use of words rather the whole outflow of the heart in its various forms.

In the nut shell the leitmotif of the week was a call to use whichever means of communication to edify one another however how different their opinion might be as we are coming to the home stretch of the campaigning period.

Prayers and sermons punctuated the various presents on the power of words in form of poetry and drama. Prof Elizabeth Role, the director of post graduate studies challenged Kenyans to embrace the language of love, the language of Jesus which is understood by everyone and has the power of magnetizing Kenyans into a one people, one nation for the common good of all.

Kenyans were challenged to forget the past by each one of them examining how he or she has contributed, whether in a small or big way, to push it into negative ethnicity and vow to be a living solution from now enhance forth.

With the opportunity of students and faculty from different nation, some of them gone through a bloody past, yes some yet to recover fully – the Kenyan people have been challenged to use this election as a golden moment to proclaim to the world that: with one accord and in common bond they will be united to build Kenya, together, into its envisioned glory and joyfully share the fruit their labour - filling every heart with thanksgiving, to paraphrase part of the national anthem.

UEAB Vice Chancellor, Prof Miriam Mwita assured the community that the government has put up necessary security mechanisms, thus encouraging both foreign and Kenyan students who will wish to stay to do so at UEAB.

He called for the university students to be ambassadors of the Kenya they are dreaming to live in wherever they will be.

Prof Mwita says the objective of education is to transforms lives that will in turn transform their nations into a better and admirable place to live.

Yes, the change every Kenyan is yearning for should first be experienced by every individual thus justice, love and unity flowing like a mighty stream into a prosperous future, Jeptoo is envisioning.

NYACHAE THE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE NOT KNOWN

As a young boy growing up in the larger Kisii community Hon. Simion Nyachae’s name was synonymous to power, wealth and fame.

I remember how my father with other elders used to discuss about the future of Abagusii weaving it to the national fabric - in this wavelength Hon Nyachae’s name dominated vastly alongside the list of promising church leaders, the educated, businessmen, and top civil servants.

This created a sense of enthusiasm and yearning to know him better. To understand how he was able to raise and stand tall from the rest. Thanks to my late brother, Charles Nyarang’o who was a great documentalist – in treasuring books, journals, magazines and newspapers.

These materials opened the curtain to who, when, where, why and how’s of Nyachae. However, it’s one thing to read about someone, watch him in the TV, and listen to people’s opinion about him/her. But it is totally different when you meet, however, how brief the moment might be.

This explains why as a young boy with the rest of my friends, notwithstanding how much we were restricted to attended public rallies, much more political ones, we had to find ourselves among the surging crowd that attended the public rally which was addressed by Nyachae in his entry to politics.

We tried to push our way as close as possible to the podium to have a camera like glance but our struggle was met with order that can rarely be registered in our political rallies presently: we all had to sit down in silence that was punctuated by ululation and political songs echoing with the bursting waters of River Gucha and its gigantic trees blending with praises in honor to Hon Nyachae. Every word counted. He was authority personified. Nevertheless, he was dressed in a very simple, modest manner.

Nyachae’s entry and exit from politics has given me a food of thought over the years. It had made me to raise more questions than answers. To look into the lives of our political leaders devoid of biasness rather with objectivity; without judgmentalism rather with a spirit to glean some lessons to apply in my daily life; and without other people’s pinion rather with facts.

It’s self evident that Nyachae unrolled one of the most comprehensive and dynamic manifesto to the constituency. It touched on water, electricity, education, health care system, agriculture and employment and other penitent issues.

In assuming leadership the constituents were called to mobilize themselves into self-help groups – to be given a daily cow, a modern bleed of high yield which was supposed to calf through artificial insemination or though the bull of the same caliber. What happened? People devoured one another ruining the project after its launch.

Our primary school, Nyaguta was one of the beneficiaries among other schools in the constituency. What happened? Wanting care was afforded - the daily cow died. 

On the front of education, he offered his salary as a bursary fund to go a long way to benefit needy and worthy students, particularly secondary students. What happened? History is a great testimony, indeed some students might have benefited from the kitty but Nyachae’s desired goals were thwarted.

Mismanagement and corruption was reported to have pushed the poor into an oozing zone of lamentation and differed hope, hope that rested on the ability of poor but brilliant children.

The result of not dealing with our problems correctively in the context of self sacrifice and mutual trust are obvious – the viscous cycle of poverty endures, the divide between the have and have nots grow, hooliganism and crime from the village to the national arena ensures, yes, insecurity and unemployment persists coupled with soaring resentment and rebellion towards the government and leaders.

However, how generous a leader might be if the rest of the community has not embraced, owned the vision – realizing the same is very difficult. People will be living on short term and selfish benefits at the expense of grandeur and lasting objectives, example holding hands in securing best education possible, widening business opportunities, scaling food production and extra.

As leaders sign a contract the people, people must sign their own – methink this will foster checks and balances that will drive our societies to another level of progress.

Yes, leaders need to realize that those who benefit from them unjustly will never celebrate with someone else or tell a friend or a neighbor; they feel that they have paid for it through their dishonesty and corrupt means. They join those who are, sincerely, in need and afflicted and are finding a means to be heard – within no time they cause turbulence that is beyond their influence to contain.

Those invested with the privilege of being go between the leaders create a chasm too wide to come together and reason and to high to cross with consolation that their riding will be forever safe.

The aftermath is that we end up crushing great leaders as our disappoints worsen.

In the front of health care Nyachae realized a great feat – putting up a dispensary in every sub location, 19, with a constant supply of medication. Nyaribari Chache blossomed as a health care centre for the surrounding constituencies.

I had an opportunity as a university student representative to have moments of brain storming with Nyachae on the challenges our fellow youths were facing and the way forward.

This encounter helped me to come in term with the brilliance and accumulative experience of Nyachae. I was amazed how his memory meandered to the past bouncing with analytical solutions to the present challenges.

I treasure his endearing dictum that every problem we encounter in life is a stepping stone to realize our potential and take hold of success. To Nyachae there are no small opportunities – every chance calls for the best in us, excellent returns.

It is noteworthy that after leaving Kisii High School in 1954, he threw himself to the uncharted waters of entrepreneurship where the enormous Kabasora empire was born from the baking of 16 loaves of bread that he distributed using a bicycle in raising and falling terrains of Kisii.  

He mustered the acumen of dexterously blending entrepreneurship with educational pursuit thus when he proceeded to Churchill College, Cambridge for a diploma course in public administration his dream was not stifled with the comfort that  come with education and status to sit back and enjoy – his exposer widened his vision beyond the horizon and renewed his spirit of hard working and precision.

As he astronomically a rose in the civil service ranks to the apex, chief secretary; unlike many people who drown in miasma class and feat, Nyachae never forfeited farming. While working in Nakuru as a Provincial Commissioner he afforded time to persist in his farming exploits in Kisii, plough by him.

In a time when we are bombarded with momentous challenges ranging from food insecurity, unemployment, climate change, poverty among others there is much we can learn from those who have left a foot print in the sands of  determination, endurance, hard work,  falling and raising and serving. Learn from their success and forfeit their failure. This calls for knowing someone who truly he is, like Nyachae.

My parting sort to all of us: “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth,” the wise man, Solomon says.

WORDS CAN BUILD OR DESTROY

In his book God’s Minute, Dr Paddock narrates a story of a man who visited one businessman of precious articles. On reaching the premises the man started having a conversation with his young boy – on listening to the sentiment the businessman took one of the most precious, most expensive vessel and intentionally let it to pieces to the wonder of his customer. 

On asking why the businessman should break such a golden vessel: “You have broken a more precious commodity than this vessel of gold,” the businessman replied, adding, “You are breaking the heart of my boy through your words.”

This story illustrates the most often in-estimated power of words: Their potential to build or destroy lives; raise a nation to greater heights or reduce a nation into ashes of its past glory.

As a nation preparing to go for a general election with a past of mixed fortunes - there is much to learn and unlearn in regard to the impact of words in any form.

This is how the Wiseman, Solomon counsels on how to project words towards a common good: “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” Proverbs 15:23.

This counsel goes out to our leaders as we are yearning to hear them articulating what they are standing for as individual and parties, alliances: Where they are projecting to take the nation after a differed hope for five decades.

However, this promissory cheque to Kenyan must be offered from hearts that are true to principle, hearts that have been transformed and redeemed from self; thus letting words flowing with sincerity and sweetness to bind broken hearts of Kenyans that have for long languished under the york of tribalism, nepotism, clannism and corruption among other evils that have grounded the taking off of this nation from its basic challenges such as diseases and food security, shelter and ignorance, unemployment and research based policies ….

History is a testimony that words outlive leaders; define who they are and testify their aspiration. 

Nevertheless, however how lofty words can be, one’s character give authority or robs one an opportunity to be trusted for what he/she says. Words affirm or contradict.

That is to say if one’s words do not corresponds with his/her sum of being, character – one becomes a cheat, untrustworthy, fluid as water: Someone who voters are not supposed to elect to any leadership position.

Thus, for a leader, words are said to confirm and explain his/her sum being to the people. Take the case of Nelson Mandela his words: “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

How relevant and self evident will they be were Mandela not to languish in jail for 27 years? Was he not to bring on board his arch rivals when he came to power? How will he have been proven that he was not driven by raw power if he did not quite at the apex of popularity?

As every media house is striving to become a conduit for aspirants particularly our esteemed presidential candidates, how honorable will it that they are transformed by their lofty aspiration for our beloved country, because, as Nelson Mandela will point out: “One of the things I learned when I was negotiating was that until I changed myself, I could not change others.” 

We’re yearning to see in the practical sense the epitomized words of Abraham Lincoln lived by our leaders, who are and those to be, that he was his greatest enemy – that is taking the responsibility of the social - economic stagnation of this nation. Leaders who are always blaming others for failure are not yet to come in term with themselves. 

We need leaders who know that they are mere human being, weak and venerable to make mistakes – thus, in need of help, higher power than themselves. Hence, when they swear with the Bible or other holy books – they mean it, that they are helpless; they need divine intervention in carrying out their noble duties to Kenya. 

Humility is not weakness. It is a virtual, a precious ingredient that must be incorporated in leadership. How do we realize this, as citizens? Through words that ignite unity in diversity, sets the pace for developmental agenda, lifts the fallen to try again, brave the youth to dream and to channel their God given potential positively, renew strength of the old, heal the wounds of poverty, clot the bleeding of corruption, yes, letting the streams of justice to flow like mighty waters. 

Does your word build or destroy? How can we measure this? Going by the history of this nation much building needs to be done. Our leaders need to born again to embrace new hearts – hearts that can be springs of words that bind, inspire, and build Kenyans into a one people with a shared vision.

When a tap (month) is flowing with toxic water – the problem is not with the tap rather the source (heart) which needs cleansing. Yes, we too as citizen, if we have been drinking toxic waters direly need the cleansing, now. That is to say, if our leaders are guilty we too are, if we are guilty our leaders are, too. No excuse.

For me, here lies our hope: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

KENYANS LET’S ESPOUSE INDIVIDUAL THINKING AS VOTERS

Another election year is here. However, we need to ask ourselves honest questions, have we learned from the past mistakes and success cases that time have afforded us from other quarters of life? Have we as Kenyans come to appreciate the place of individual thinking, reflection, analyzing from course to effect in matters of great concern such as the election of leaders from civic leadership to presidency? Have we ever taken time to undertake a personal examination on what drives our perception, action, and choices particularly in choice of who to vote for? One of the inalienable rights that we are endowed with as human beings is the capacity to think, to employ our mind rationally and objectively in evaluating or dealing with a given issue or situation as individuals and thus taking the responsibility of our words and actions. Me think whenever two people are always in agreement without any iota of difference in thinking either one of them or both are not thinking. For me, then, it calls for serious scrutiny when a whole community is thinking in the same way, acting in a photocopied manner on leadership, always. There should be a testimony of unity in diversity particularly when it comes to leadership choices. For long as Kenyans we have crucified the amazing beauty the tapestry of diversity on the altar of tribalism. And, the consequences are painful. One of the unfortunate result is the plant of bad leadership and its seedlings that are sprouting everywhere with their bitter fruits of corruption, incompetence, a struggling economy, not to mention the last post election violence that claimed the lives of more than 1,300 Kenyans as well as wanton destruction of properties worthy a fortune for this nation. Most of the time we Kenyan anchor our blame on the painful realities we are going through on bad leadership, but the truth be told, we are the molders of ours leaders: Ours leaders are a reflection of the total sum of us, Kenyans voters. Ours leaders define what we stand for as a people. They are a portrait our individual and collective thinking is. Let me explain a little bit. If we just swallow the propaganda of some of our leaders who are out there to perpetuate their selfish interests as truth to live by then we are so vulnerable to distinguish lies from truth. If we are a people who are driven by whatever we are told by our leaders, for example such and such a tribe are this and that based on stereo types then we lack moral power to distinguish between right and wrong. If we are a people who can be bought and sold during campaigns to vote for someone - that is a proclamation to the entire world of how cheap we are, a people without dignity, principles to stand on. My fellow Kenyans we have a huge potential, whether we are rich or poor, educated or not, from this or that tribe - to think, act and speak as individuals fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. Yes, we can stand to be counted by being thinkers and not reflectors of other people biased perceptions, stereotypes, malice, hatred, propaganda, egocentrism, corruption, nepotism, hooliganism to name a few. We cannot afford to let other people to think for us hence becoming mere puppets or robots programmed by someone else. Indeed, one old mama got it right when she said that if you ain’t got an education just think. The wise man Solomon summed it up precisely with precision that as a man or woman thinketh so he or she is. A leader is someone who influences people towards a certain ways of thinking, acting and even speaking. A leader is a teacher, a role model, a set pacer in one. Yes, a leader should expect his or her followers to think in a particular way and behave in a given manner. Here is an example what the apostle Paul expected from his followers: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” My question goes to our honorable leaders both the incumbent and those aspiring for various positions – from the ways Kenyan masses behave how will you sincerely grade yourself? Have you produced independent thinkers, a people with integrity and a higher purpose of living? A people who can dare to correct you when you are taking the wrong trajectory in politics and leadership in general? Can you proudly stand by the people under your influence and say they are imitating you? As leaders to you have the interest of your people in your heart by being a role model? Can you be counted to cry with the suffering and celebrate with those who are rejoicing for example in this forth coming election when you as an individual or your party have lost? We need leaders who can be defined by pure thinking, sincere motives, humility to accept their limitations, touched by the challenges in our societies and country; yes, leaders who have died to self to transform their followers thus our societies. In conclusion, our leaders are our reflection and we are the reflection of our leaders. We are all to blame for bad leadership that this country has endured for long. It takes all of us to thoughtfully sit back and give our nation a balm of healing from past wounds, usher in an amazing present and unveil a desirable future; yes we can do this in this forth coming general election. Let us just take time to think.