- The Kenyan creative landscape, in particular, cannot fully tell its story without acknowledging the role of the media.
- In a rapidly globalizing world where cultures easily bleed into each other, is the media not playing an anchor role, serving as gatekeepers of cultural heritage?
- It’s orderly to note that the relevance and contribution of media, particularly as a champion of arts and creative writing, is significant in today’s world.
The central role of media in any society cannot be overstated.
In all its forms, media has metamorphosed over the years from primordial rudimentary communication mechanisms to being the lifeblood of modern culture in the 21st century.
Nowhere is this role more amplified and appreciated than in the world of arts and creative writing.
The Kenyan creative landscape, in particular, cannot fully tell its story without acknowledging the role of the media.
Notably, the contributions of individuals like Khainga O’Okwemba of KBC English Service, who has consistently provided the media space for not only Kenyan writers but also writers and artists from all the peripheries of the global village, to showcase their literary jewels on his show, Books Cafe as well as Sundowner for Music.
The Books Cafe is a concept tailored to actively promote Kenyan and the world’s literature at large, giving unprecedented media space to renowned and budding authors, their involvement ranging from interviews to critical discourses on literary phenomena.
The notion is simple but transformative; it is to acknowledge every author’s distinct voice, making it reach not just the elite intellectuals, but everyone who aspires to waltz with words.
Okwemba has emerged as an eminent beacon, tirelessly championing literature on his platforms – Books Cafe and Sundowner.
Over the years, his contributions have noticeably amplified seasoned writers locally and internationally, birthing their literary efforts and breathing life into them for society to experience.
As a young writer, I have always looked forward to such platforms. Everyone else is interested.
Being a son of no land, no man, no home, no name, it’s actually harder than a mountain relocating from its cradle location to penetrate through the walls of success.
It has been defined differently in Kenya, the success path, success herself is a ghost.
It’s like the awaited kingdom of the Son of Man, the Messiah. Some people have died before sniffing it. Others will.
I want press briefings to talk about books, about writers’ communities and about culture, about education and my love for literature.
Years back, I thought I would be a writer, write books and get renowned, get rich, and go places preaching the gospel of the society through my own volumes of books, but that was not clear, nor was it promising.
It felt like life robbed me of something it gave Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Chinua Achebe, Mukoma wa Ngugi, Chimamanda Adichie, Everete Standa, Prof. Peter Amuka or Nashive Shyeunda, Wanjohi Wa Makokha or A. D Amateshe; these are among the many writers I read as I grew up silently.
My mother, the peasant farmer, thought I would be a doctor or an engineer and then earn a name for them and myself.
Do I blame my village primary school or my grandfather or my weak genetic inheritance in the cycle of intelligence?
I became none of my parent’s wishes. None but a writer, a teacher.
Rumors have it that becoming a great, successful writer or teacher requires a tall relative in your front, a strong background, inheritance, or a hand that giveth to receive in return.
Did I ever have such? No!
“Otieno, build a name for yourself, son of the soil; your future is brighter than now; talk to people, jitume kijana. jJudge nobody and keep pursuing your dreams; one day, you will earn a name. Be consistent, omera!”
I persistently hit my heart with words along the lines of my career choice. I knew my days were numbered. But who could have done it better?
“Hello, my brother; I have been meaning to have you on The Books Cafè; the frame of the program will be you talking about the literary community that is “Bleeding Ink Global Writers Network,” the choice of that name, the genesis, what you seek to achieve, and any programs and activities in the offing.
This discussion will be interspersed with a reading of poetry and or short story and essays.
When we agree on this, I will invite you alongside two of our colleagues from the group (make it gender sensitive); get hold of Bernard Ogallo and visit Broadcasting House so that we can start to plan,” wrote Okwemba in a brief WhatsApp message.
Then damn! The dream has come! One step at a time
Let me put this straight: Arts and creative writing, especially in Kenya, have always been an integral part of societal cohesion, with each creative piece acting as a conduit for the expression of people’s histories, cultural aspects, socio-political issues, and aspirations.
However, these creative outputs can only have a profound impact on society if they reach a broad audience, an endeavor in which media has continuously played a crucial role.
Okwemba, for instance, has leveraged the power of media to provide writers with a platform to interact with their readers and peers on Books Cafe, fostering a culture of literary appreciation.
This effort not only cultivates literary skills but also brings forth these talented, creative minds out of obscurity, encouraging new writers to pick up the mantle in the process.
This is where a young writer plucks his feathers to make wings; this is where literature communities breathe the air of life.
And soon, I shall pick my wings.
I will sing songs of Agadapidi or tell tales of Emali alongside the echoes of choruses of “World’s Diversities” demystified by the voices and pens of the Bleeding Ink Global writers society.
Okwemba is interested in this narrative. Why shouldn’t I credit media for creative writing and arts?
Moreover, Okwemba’s Sundowner Music Show highlights the synergy between various forms of art, demonstrating how different artistic expressions can complement and enhance one another.
The show brings music and literature side by side, demonstrating their intertwined influence and eliciting deeper emotional responses from its audience.
In a rapidly globalizing world where cultures easily bleed into each other, is the media not playing an anchor role, serving as gatekeepers of cultural heritage?
Shows like Books Cafe and Sundowner keep Kenyan culture alive by publicizing Kenyan creative writers and artists, promoting pride in their identity, and preserving the cultural narratives inherent in their works.
Further, these media platforms cultivate critical thinking, the cornerstone of any vibrant democracy. Cultural texts such as novels, plays, or songs offer commentary on the existing socio-political landscapes.
As these works are dissected on media platforms, consumers are challenged to reflect on their contexts, stimulating civic conversations on prevailing issues and thereby strengthening Kenya’s democratic process.
In essence, it becomes evident that media is not just a channel for entertainment but an incubator for talent, a bridge connecting creatives with their audience, a curator of culture, and a stimulus for constructive public discourse.
The role played by individuals like Okwemba in shaping this dynamic is a testament to the transformative potential of media when harnessed effectively in the context of arts and creative writing.
It’s orderly to note that the relevance and contribution of media, particularly as a champion of arts and creative writing, is significant in today’s world.
The media allows for a vibrant exploration, consumption, and appreciation of cultural and creative texts, fostering unity, promoting cultural continuity, and stimulating critical discourse.
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In light of this, there is a need to continually support such endeavors and recognize the efforts of media personalities like Okwemba, who have committed to using their platforms to elevate arts and creative writing in Kenya and beyond.
