South Africa has been in the news in recent days for the wrong reasons. The world is petrified, distressed and flabbergasted.
The gory images splashed on televisions, social media and other platforms just show how low the rainbow nation has sunk.
It has gone to the abysmal levels never imagined. SA was one success story we all thought would be our ultimate benchmark. It’s not, any longer. And this is sad.
We all loved South Africa during the struggle for liberation and after. Images of a released Mandela and his wife Winnie walking hand in hand in March 1990 sent thrills of joy and incredible optimism throughout the globe.
I was first year student at Kenyatta University. On the day Mandela was released, lectures were suspended. Everything came to a standstill.
All and sundry glued their eyes on TV to catch the images of the African icon.
And there he was grey haired, old, mellowed…..but not the fire brand of 1961.
Then he raised his trademark clenched fist and uttered the magical clarion chant into a hot Soweto afternoon.
“Amaaandla!”, “Maibue!”…the fired up massive crowd responded in the greatest outburst of joy and celebration Africa has ever witnessed.
“Never! Never! Never again will the people of this beautiful land suffer the indignity of being oppressed by others! The sun shall never set on such a beautiful thing: FREEDOM!”
These words that Mandela said in 1994 on his inauguration as SA first black president remain ingrained in books and memories of Africans.
When my first born son arrived that same year, I named him Mandela.
Let me cut the long story short. A journey that began with extravagant hope has degenerated into utter chaos.
This was the land that entertained us with music that was transformative, powerful and healing. SA dazzled the world with astoundingly beautiful music and world class literature.
It now gives us a story of bombs and bullets, violent demonstrations, robbery, name them! This is an appalling tragedy.
Any story about SA is never complete without mentioning the great artists and musicians like Yvonne Chaka Chaka , Brenda Fassie, Lucky Dube, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Miriam Makeba and others.
These songsters and songstresses thrilled and entertained the world with eternal melodies.
Adversity normally leads to great artistic expression. Tough times stretch imaginations.
Since independence came to SA we no longer hear the beautiful music.
Remember Sarafina! and its “freedom is coming tomorrow!” punchline?
Even the beautiful literature is almost dead.
The xenophobic attacks of black Africans by fellow black South Africans a few years back totally shattered me.
Images of grown up men punching and trampling on defenseless women crushed me.
Whatever little affection I had for the land down south fizzled forever.
“Africans can’t manage the affairs of the state,” Europeans said as we agitated for independence.
Anyone out there to dispute this postulate by the colonialists?
How have we done 60 years later when most of African countries became independent?
Our lot is worse. Our youths are crossing the Sahara to be willing slaves in the land of our former tormentors.
The youth in the continent have lost hope. And are willing to latch on anything to find hope.
Instead of resisting the corrupt elite that have stolen and plundered and destroyed their future, they are embracing and cheering and dancing and voting and dying for them!
Latter day goons and frauds in sheep’s skin are now the Messiahs. Its not yet uhuru (freedom) in this continent.
I am disappointed. Extremely disappointed!
Mwalimu Nyantino is a Nakuru City based teacher, book author and columnist at The Scholar Media Africa: www.scholarmedia.africa
