The Kikuyu, who birthed Ngugi wa Thiongo, have a fantastic saying that cements the value of unity: Turi hamwe ta matina ma Njogu'. In English it translates thus; "we are together like the bums of an elephant"
When I first heard it on a Saturday morning run with a wonderful group of fitness fanatics, I paused mid step and thought about the bums of an elephant. The more I thought about it, the more it did become clear that those bums are one unit. They are inseparable.
The world, I am sure would be different, if each individual behaved in a manner that was true to the pulsating echo of this Kikuyu saying. To perform to the maximum of our potential, it is imperative that we are in alignment with that which propels us forward.
Create, in your mind, a picture of an individual whose wall is littered with posters boasting of well sculptured human beings. Posted on his mirror is the affirmation; to be fit is to be fine. This means that every day that he is in the room and in front of the mirror, his mind is absorbing mind changing possibilities.
His behavior, on the other hand,is not aligned to his wishes. His body trembles at the sight of a huge cup of ice-cream. His body yields to common sense only when he has gulped it down and licked the side of the cup.
This individual will go out of his way to seek for fast foods.He will order for the largest pizza and wash it down with a large bottle of coke. He will then go home, slouch on the couch and dream away.
When he awakes from a fat inspired sleep, he will look at his wall and pray for the day that he can get a "killer body".
That individual in your minds eye, lacks the unity that is evident when you look at the bums of an elephant. He knows that being fit is a good thing. He knows that it is important to take care of the temple of God. He is aware of the life changing possibilities that come with having a super fit body. He just does not have the discipline to align his thinking to his behavior.
Many of us are not willing to suffer the rigorous discipline that goes into the practice of what we know in theory.
We may know how to read, but choose not to engage in the daily task of opening our minds to new and challenging ideas. This kind of behavior has given birth to the ridiculous assertion that if you want to hide anything from an African, detail it in a book.
We all know that complacency is the mother of all sorts of regret, but we still hold on to that same old job in the hope that it will give birth to a fresh perspective to life. It is Albert Einstein who reminded us that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a new result can only lead to insanity.
To be all that we can be, calls for each of us to dig deep into our reserves so as to come up with a bucket full of cement that will cement our thoughts, ideals, wishes, dreams and visions to the action that is required to actualize them.
When thought and deed are built into the foundation of that which we desire; when our ambition galvanizes us into action, we will come to the realization that unity is power.
When we have gathered the critical mass of anger and moved from the idle zone of inaction into the battle field of action, our thoughts and deeds will blend together like the bums of an elephant.
Kikuyu oyee!!!
Your life is in your hands.
Twitter:@ogogeo
Blog: www.gokot.blogspot.com
4 comments:
Amazing...
Powerful challenge here George. I concur and would like to take it a step further -
I am interested in how we can help someone develop and maintain the discipline do do something and keep at it. I am sure in your experience, you have encountered students for whom reading or physical exercise comes more naturally than for others. While in other cases, some have the ability to maintain a discipline more easily than others(and these may include the naturally talented). Can you share ideas on how you have helped others become better? What unique methods have you used or even come across?
In some developing countries, special classes are given for people who have unique abilities, talents or even disabilities. They are helped to get better or to develop their specialities. (I read that Usain Bolt was interested in another sport but was advised to sprint where his abilities are better - the results are now undisputed)
In teaching institutions, special exam times and environments are created for those who have handicaps of different types too.
We ought to do / encourage the same.
I hesitate to believe the stereotype that africans do not read-or read enough-. ( I am yet to see any study taken on this particular issues around the world which then anoints Africa in this way - even if it were, i will be interested in knowing the number of people surveyed, the populations considered, the level of development in those nations etc). More so, the Ngugi Wa Thiongo's and Wole Soyinkas and Peter Abrahams and Mamdanis and Okot P'Biteks and Binyavanga Wainainas et al all come from Africa.
However even if it were true, how can we change this? How many books are available to read in Africa anyway compared to other continents? We could still think of unique ways to harness their oral traditions (acknowledgedly, another stereotype) ....
Your thoughts?
"Many of us are not willing to suffer the rigorous discipline that goes into the pracctice of what we know in theory".
Quite true, inspiring and challenging statement.
Personally, i had abandoned my career where i was not only well qualified,but also natirally talented because i was not willing to "suffer" the rigorous discipline of putting into practice what i know in theory. Thank God i got a revelation through an uncle who really admired my potential in my career. So, one day he invited me to talk over tea about it pursuing my career and i was giving excuses like "but uncle,media houses already have their staff customised to do what you want me to do" so he asks me "have you heard about the word "competition?" i was silent for a while, then i gave another excuse "but uncle, no media house would run stories that critic their big advertisers?" again he was pregnant with answers "who says Ugandan media is the limit?" so he went ahead to advise me " my dear you are a very intelligent and talented young girl, i want don't want you to waste what God has given you, always provoke your brain and it will give you results, i want you to tread where angels don't tread and im sure by the time you are done with just 3 assignments you would be shinning." His words energised me, i realised i was being deceived by the little comfort that life had given me. When i looked him in the face i also realised he had worn out and time was not on his side, the more reason i accepted to work hard and closer to him because when he is gone nobody would tell me the words he is telling me, nobody would share with me the tricks he has. This is why i find sence in the Kikuyu tale particulary in the phrase that we have to suffer the rigorous discipline that goes into the practice of what we know in the theory.
"Many of us are not willing to suffer the rigorus discipline that goes into the practice of what we know in theory" very true, challenging and inspiring. I would equate it to the saying that " Nothing is worthwile unless you take risks" . Thanks Mr. Author.
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