Kenyans stage a poetic send-off for Mandela

A giant puppet of late South African former president Nelson Mandela parades in the street of Cape Town, during the public holiday dedicated to reconciliation, a day after the democracy icon was buried with full honours in his boyhood village, on December 16, 2013. Kenyans staged a poetic send-off for Mandela where singer Juliani led the tribute show at a rooftop in the city AFP/PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Young poets, musicians and poetry lovers gathered on the rooftop of  Pawa 254 in Nairobi under the open evening skies to bid  farewell to Mandela in the best way they knew how, poetry and music.
  • The poets married humour with witty advise challenging the audience to think about what their children would see if they dared Google them in future. “Mtoto wako ataona nini akikugoogle?” Ngatia, a popular Sheng poet asked.

Let’s ask? What did Mandela do/ Except sit in prison for 27 years?/ Let me tell you/ Or else,/ I will let Walter Sisulu tell you/ I will allow Oliver Tambo to chime in/ Listen to the voice of Desmond Tutu/ Africa died a few nights ago/ Africa will be buried three moons from now!

I wished we had Mandela for roads/ I wish we had healthcare called UTata/ I wish we had Madiba in our courts/ As the supreme judge...

This was part of the poem recited by Oduor Jagero-Koa  on the evening of Monday, December 9, 2013 in what was dubbed an evening of tribute, poetry, music and art in celebration of Nelson Mandela’s exemplary life.

Young poets, musicians and poetry lovers gathered on the rooftop of  Pawa 254 in Nairobi under the open evening skies to bid  farewell to Mandela in the best way they knew how, poetry and music.

The huge graffiti painting of the fallen hero on the wall, live band music and poetic  recitations in English and Sheng provided the right mood for a legend’s send-off.

The offerings’ underlying message was in sync with global sentiments about the South African freedom fighter; filled with  praises for a man who provided leadership that was so dignified that one of the poets couldn’t help but dub it ‘un-African’.

From Mahatma Gandhi to Martin Luther King Jnr to Mother Teresa, Mandela’s name was favourably placed alongside those of  historical heroic figures in poems and prose coloured  with his numerous wise quotes.

MADIBA BY ANY OTHER NAME

And poetic names he was called; from ‘pacesetter of pathfinders’ to ‘a cocktail of Martin Luther King and Obama’ to ‘outspoken dissenter’.

The poets married humour with witty advise challenging the audience to think about what their children would see if they dared Google them in future. “Mtoto wako ataona nini akikugoogle?” Ngatia, a popular Sheng poet asked.

He then advised African leaders to emulate Mandela and not waste time speaking “nonsense in foreign accents.”
One would undoubtedly dub the event  a revolutionary poetry eve as the poets beseeched their audience to stop “incompetent citizenship”  and steer clear of  vices like greed, corruption, hatred and the culture of silence and instead embrace peace and forgiveness like Mandela.

“If we all sit still and do nothing to try better the world, who will make the difference?” Asked Rix Poet, the organiser of the event, in his poem ‘Lust for Lost Causes’

Renowned gospel musician and guest performer Juliani advised the youth against pointing fingers at others and shifting blame. “It takes me and not anyone else to make a difference,” he said.

Award winning photographer Boniface Mwangi urged the poetry lovers to believe in themselves. “The world needs more Mandelas’s, and we can all make a difference through the little actions that we take.

BE THE CHANGE

The only reason Mandela was successful was because he believed in a cause and followed it, passionately.

So instead of sitting still and complaining, be the change that you want,” said the art lover.

The audience was treated to a lively dancing session by two bands, Sarabi the band and  Hart_the Band who composed a special number, Diary ya Madiba,  in which they hailed Mandela for heeding to the quote that ‘In war it doesn’t matter who is right but who is left.’