I’ve been doing some bit of thinking, going through my past articles and trying to come up with a solution to the many problems I have discussed before. For the sake of the first time reader, it would be wise of me to say that my writing usually speaks about the need for change and the urgency of the youth’s involvement in the shaping of our society today. This time round, I intend to take a slightly different approach. While I still will talk about the youth and change, why don’t I try and look for solutions from a few different sources.
Okay, first there is the issue of the economic recession. Fine there are no jobs, the currency is weak, and the price of flour is still high. Apart from the many people who have sadly passed away as a result of the famine, do we still need to take a political approach to solving these and many other problems? One might still argue that the reason for all these problems is politics; fine that is the reason, now what? As I said I have been thinking. I will not speak of how the system needs to change or how we need a vibrant youth…we do! What I will try and do is harness solutions from simple acts and situations.
The problem with our country today is that we are too individualistic. So the government has failed in buying maize and other foodstuff from the farmers…well, sell what you think matches the government’s offer and keep the rest in your granaries. Come up with a cooperative society that would buy the remaining food, that is after the farmers have stored up enough for themselves without being selfish (like the politicians who failed them in the first place), and provide the starving communities with the food they really need. I am sure if all the farming communities in Kenya did this, then the famine stricken communities would benefit. This would then transform to sharing of agricultural ideas that would see the non-agricultural communities benefiting from a few acquired skills. Now inasmuch as this sounds simplistic and unrealistically idealistic, it sure beats the idea of throwing back at the government. We all know how far that has taken us.
As I write this, I keep on checking on my computer’s battery power. I really do not need to stress on how much we need electricity today. We are back to the ‘dark’ days of power rationing and now there is the new water rationing. Allow me to take a turn on the point and say if only the government introduced ‘MP salary rationing’, in a bid to save the country’s economy. Anyway, back to my point. People, we need to start thinking of alternative energy sources. It worked on calculators and it could work on anything today – solar power! Not unless the sun undergoes extraordinarily long eclipses, I can’t see why we shouldn’t use solar power. If solar is too technical for you, we have wind power. This would be especially beneficial to maize mill owners; the problem is they would all have to relocate to windy areas like Limuru or Ngong’. Come on people, it’s a small price to pay. The people who yearly spend most of their time coming up with weird inventions like wooden aircrafts and local radio transmitters should come up with engines that use alternative energy; like polythene papers. How’s that for hitting two birds with one stone!
I still have a problem with the 8-4-4 education system. Inasmuch as the students learn a lot of almost irrelevant information, the system tends to ignore a few important things. If the current generation of drivers would have learnt a few important words such as car-pooling, then I believe Nairobi would be a greener less crowded city. Why do Kenyans insist on driving to the city even though they work together with their next door neighbors? Car-pooling would solve congestion, fuel prices, road rage and, my favorite; it would rid our roads of corrupt traffic policemen. A few other words that would be worth teaching are moribund, commission and impunity.
It would be a bit off if I do not mention the youth in my article. First, kudos to all the youth who took part in the census; all you still singing the unemployment song, get up and get a job. I’ve remembered another word the schools should emphasize: self-employment!
I still insist on our role in changing society. The change we want still depends on us; we only need to change the approach we take. As I always say, only a mad man does the same thing over and over hoping for different results. Think outside the box!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
David 'Black Skillz' Oyuke: Of Poetry And Spoken Word
The art scene is an ever growing entity in society today with new forms of art being introduced almost every day. Among the many art forms existing today, poetry is one form that has stood the test of time. Having broken into several aspects, poetry still remains a major form of expression.
Spoken word is one form of poetry that has gained popularity all over the world and especially in Kenya. Poetry slams and festivals are being held in an attempt to embrace the art form. The youth are not being left behind. David ‘Black Skillz’ Oyuke is one of the few people taking spoken word and poetry to a whole new level. Having performed in various events such as Slam Africa and Kwani? Skillz is one enthusiastic artist and is working hard to let the world know it.
We talked to Black Skillz at Daystar University where he is pursuing a degree in Mass Communication.
Tell me something about how you first came to writing poetry and performing
I began writing when I was 12 years old. I should say I stumbled into it since I was writing just to express my thoughts, not expressing them in rhyme or any stylistic form. The first time I wrote something with depth and rhyme was when I was 12 years old. At that point I was a bit vain and I just did it to impress the girls. That’s how vain I was but as the years progressed I changed my perspective on writing. I ended up performing for the first time for Kwani?. I was 18 then and performed a piece titled Bound that I had been afraid to perform before.
Why did you choose spoken word as a means of expression?
I try to blend a little of everything. I remember when Imani (Spoken word artist) was trying to induct me into spoken word and I was telling her that it was hard for me because I was a writer and a poet. She however heard me perform my work and told me that I could do it because the only difference between spoken word and written poetry is the performance aspect. She told me that if I could muster my words and not just write and read from a book then I could make a transition from writing to spoken word. I however love writing and I am a writer – that’s what defines me.
When you write as opposed to spoken word, is your work in prose or verse, and do you follow rhythm?
When I write for spoken word, I follow rhythm as opposed to when I write as a poet or writer; it is not structured. My writing is usually a collection of thoughts between the pen and the paper. I do not structure it or use any means to make it attractive, it is just raw.
Art is an expression of one’s being or one’s soul. Your art speaks a lot about God and basic Christian principles; would you like to talk about this?
When I started writing, though I was born again, I could not express it. I had a lot of issues growing up and the rage that had accumulated over the years defined my music. Rage, hate and violence affected my work in that even if I wrote violence and the things happening around, I looked at things from a negative aspect. At some point I started questioning my style and if it really defines who I am. I wondered if I sat down with someone younger I would be able to influence them positively. I wondered if I was to go anywhere in the world, be it a church or a mosque, if I would influence and inspire by virtue of God’s words and not mine, because that is what was lacking in my work. I was called the best lyricist when I was growing up but my work had content but no substance. I realized the need for substance in my work. As artists, we are God’s mouth piece. The only way we can appreciate art in its purest form is if we appreciate the giver of art. In the end, it is all about God.
In one of your poems you say, “I only love what I see and that’s why I love you….” Don’t you think this is a contradiction since claiming that you only love what you don’t see, yet your works proclaim your love for God, who we don’t and can’t see, is a conflict of terms and thus waters down your message?
No. This is how I look at it, there are two means of sight: there is sight with our eyes and sight with our mind. The main piece in itself is about anti-materialism. It is looking at love at a deeper aspect than the physical. That is why I said I only love what I see that’s why I love you, because I am not looking at the person in the physical self, I am looking beyond that and I see with the eyes of my mind because our physical eyes are flawed and that is why I look beyond the physical. If you look at most of my pieces, you will notice I speak about seeing things beyond the stars and beyond the mind because I like to draw the blind and show the difference between the eyes we use to see physically and the eyes of our mind.
What then is the effect of imagery in art, and what is your role as an artist in ensuring the listener doesn’t get the wrong message?
The main intent is to pass the message across to the audience. There are various ways of doing this. I use imagery in an attempt to appeal to the eyes of the mind. I believe that what we see with our eyes is what doesn’t exist. What we see with the eyes of our mind is what truly exists. Thus I try to put an image in the mind of the listener to make them see what really doesn’t exist in actuality. This however applies to my music. In poetry, different individuals perceive things differently unless you talk about your piece and explain it to the reader or listener. It is all about interpretation. With imagery, you have to know what you want to achieve, but at the same time, try to trigger thought, because as a poet you want the reader to search for something to enable them to enjoy the beauty of finding something for themselves.
Your work resembles the likes of common, Talib Kweli and Mos Def (International Hip Hop artists and poets). Who would you say influenced your style to what it is today?
I have changed my style many times. Today however, my style has been influenced by a lot of people. I grew up listening to people who weren’t good for me. When I changed, I started listening to poetic stuff. By poetic I mean things that make you think. A good example is when an artist speaks about love in a poetic manner as opposed to in a way that depicts lust. People like Common and Mos Def have done this and it has influenced me. Another person who has influenced me a lot is KJ 52 and Daniel Beaty, whose poetry has greatly affected my spoken word. Most of it is as a result of what I listen to and the environment around me.
Was your skill influenced in any way by African artists, the African struggle or anything African?
Most of my work is inspired by African influence. One of my favorite African artists is Lagbaja from Nigeria. What I like about him is his identity. You cannot know who he is, yet he does so much. Our own cultures inspire me a lot. I remember one time I was on a trip to the Bomas of Kenya with my friend Chisomo, also known as The Advoket (hip hop artist), and we came across Luo drum beats that sounded so much like 808’s beats (808 is an American hip hop group). Most of my inspiration is African.
What is the relation between your poetry and your political commitment towards your country?
I like the part you ask about my country. I think most of us are always concerned about outside politics, yet we have not been able to pinpoint where the trouble is at home. My music is about anti-materialism and finding out what really matters in life. the majority want something, but the minority are the ones that gain all these things. The majority are trampled on by the minority. We see injustices everyday yet we do nothing. I try to use my music to inform people. If you inform the mind, you inspire the soul.
Where do you see the spoken word and poetry scene in Kenya today?
Spoken word and poetry have really grown a lot. This form of art was there but people did not know what it was. Artists would write down poetry and read it out in rhythm without knowing what they were doing. Today people have several avenues for expressing the various forms of art. I believe Kenyans, and I am insisting on Kenyans and not Africans, are seeking a certain truth right now, whether it is in performance or religion. We are tired of generic forms of truth that are not the real thing. We need to create environments in which our children will grow in art, because we are an artistic continent. We need to stop seeing artists and musicians as failures and stop embracing white collar jobs at the expense of art. I believe expression is the truth Kenyans are seeking.
What are the plans for the future?
Currently I am working on my album and I also working on publishing a book that was supposed to be published in 2006. I am planning on holding a few events plus I am working on recording a spoken word album. In the mean time however, I intend to publish my book. By God’s grace, I’ll do that in the next one or two years.
Spoken word is one form of poetry that has gained popularity all over the world and especially in Kenya. Poetry slams and festivals are being held in an attempt to embrace the art form. The youth are not being left behind. David ‘Black Skillz’ Oyuke is one of the few people taking spoken word and poetry to a whole new level. Having performed in various events such as Slam Africa and Kwani? Skillz is one enthusiastic artist and is working hard to let the world know it.
We talked to Black Skillz at Daystar University where he is pursuing a degree in Mass Communication.
Tell me something about how you first came to writing poetry and performing
I began writing when I was 12 years old. I should say I stumbled into it since I was writing just to express my thoughts, not expressing them in rhyme or any stylistic form. The first time I wrote something with depth and rhyme was when I was 12 years old. At that point I was a bit vain and I just did it to impress the girls. That’s how vain I was but as the years progressed I changed my perspective on writing. I ended up performing for the first time for Kwani?. I was 18 then and performed a piece titled Bound that I had been afraid to perform before.
Why did you choose spoken word as a means of expression?
I try to blend a little of everything. I remember when Imani (Spoken word artist) was trying to induct me into spoken word and I was telling her that it was hard for me because I was a writer and a poet. She however heard me perform my work and told me that I could do it because the only difference between spoken word and written poetry is the performance aspect. She told me that if I could muster my words and not just write and read from a book then I could make a transition from writing to spoken word. I however love writing and I am a writer – that’s what defines me.
When you write as opposed to spoken word, is your work in prose or verse, and do you follow rhythm?
When I write for spoken word, I follow rhythm as opposed to when I write as a poet or writer; it is not structured. My writing is usually a collection of thoughts between the pen and the paper. I do not structure it or use any means to make it attractive, it is just raw.
Art is an expression of one’s being or one’s soul. Your art speaks a lot about God and basic Christian principles; would you like to talk about this?
When I started writing, though I was born again, I could not express it. I had a lot of issues growing up and the rage that had accumulated over the years defined my music. Rage, hate and violence affected my work in that even if I wrote violence and the things happening around, I looked at things from a negative aspect. At some point I started questioning my style and if it really defines who I am. I wondered if I sat down with someone younger I would be able to influence them positively. I wondered if I was to go anywhere in the world, be it a church or a mosque, if I would influence and inspire by virtue of God’s words and not mine, because that is what was lacking in my work. I was called the best lyricist when I was growing up but my work had content but no substance. I realized the need for substance in my work. As artists, we are God’s mouth piece. The only way we can appreciate art in its purest form is if we appreciate the giver of art. In the end, it is all about God.
In one of your poems you say, “I only love what I see and that’s why I love you….” Don’t you think this is a contradiction since claiming that you only love what you don’t see, yet your works proclaim your love for God, who we don’t and can’t see, is a conflict of terms and thus waters down your message?
No. This is how I look at it, there are two means of sight: there is sight with our eyes and sight with our mind. The main piece in itself is about anti-materialism. It is looking at love at a deeper aspect than the physical. That is why I said I only love what I see that’s why I love you, because I am not looking at the person in the physical self, I am looking beyond that and I see with the eyes of my mind because our physical eyes are flawed and that is why I look beyond the physical. If you look at most of my pieces, you will notice I speak about seeing things beyond the stars and beyond the mind because I like to draw the blind and show the difference between the eyes we use to see physically and the eyes of our mind.
What then is the effect of imagery in art, and what is your role as an artist in ensuring the listener doesn’t get the wrong message?
The main intent is to pass the message across to the audience. There are various ways of doing this. I use imagery in an attempt to appeal to the eyes of the mind. I believe that what we see with our eyes is what doesn’t exist. What we see with the eyes of our mind is what truly exists. Thus I try to put an image in the mind of the listener to make them see what really doesn’t exist in actuality. This however applies to my music. In poetry, different individuals perceive things differently unless you talk about your piece and explain it to the reader or listener. It is all about interpretation. With imagery, you have to know what you want to achieve, but at the same time, try to trigger thought, because as a poet you want the reader to search for something to enable them to enjoy the beauty of finding something for themselves.
Your work resembles the likes of common, Talib Kweli and Mos Def (International Hip Hop artists and poets). Who would you say influenced your style to what it is today?
I have changed my style many times. Today however, my style has been influenced by a lot of people. I grew up listening to people who weren’t good for me. When I changed, I started listening to poetic stuff. By poetic I mean things that make you think. A good example is when an artist speaks about love in a poetic manner as opposed to in a way that depicts lust. People like Common and Mos Def have done this and it has influenced me. Another person who has influenced me a lot is KJ 52 and Daniel Beaty, whose poetry has greatly affected my spoken word. Most of it is as a result of what I listen to and the environment around me.
Was your skill influenced in any way by African artists, the African struggle or anything African?
Most of my work is inspired by African influence. One of my favorite African artists is Lagbaja from Nigeria. What I like about him is his identity. You cannot know who he is, yet he does so much. Our own cultures inspire me a lot. I remember one time I was on a trip to the Bomas of Kenya with my friend Chisomo, also known as The Advoket (hip hop artist), and we came across Luo drum beats that sounded so much like 808’s beats (808 is an American hip hop group). Most of my inspiration is African.
What is the relation between your poetry and your political commitment towards your country?
I like the part you ask about my country. I think most of us are always concerned about outside politics, yet we have not been able to pinpoint where the trouble is at home. My music is about anti-materialism and finding out what really matters in life. the majority want something, but the minority are the ones that gain all these things. The majority are trampled on by the minority. We see injustices everyday yet we do nothing. I try to use my music to inform people. If you inform the mind, you inspire the soul.
Where do you see the spoken word and poetry scene in Kenya today?
Spoken word and poetry have really grown a lot. This form of art was there but people did not know what it was. Artists would write down poetry and read it out in rhythm without knowing what they were doing. Today people have several avenues for expressing the various forms of art. I believe Kenyans, and I am insisting on Kenyans and not Africans, are seeking a certain truth right now, whether it is in performance or religion. We are tired of generic forms of truth that are not the real thing. We need to create environments in which our children will grow in art, because we are an artistic continent. We need to stop seeing artists and musicians as failures and stop embracing white collar jobs at the expense of art. I believe expression is the truth Kenyans are seeking.
What are the plans for the future?
Currently I am working on my album and I also working on publishing a book that was supposed to be published in 2006. I am planning on holding a few events plus I am working on recording a spoken word album. In the mean time however, I intend to publish my book. By God’s grace, I’ll do that in the next one or two years.
Postmodernism: Contradictionism
I am a firm believer in the relationship between faith and reason. Thomas Aquinas definitely knew what he was talking about when he introduced these two elements into Christian thought. Faith which is the belief of the unseen versus reason the pursuit of fact and understanding. Two opposing forces which when used hand in hand make a lot of sense.
From the debate held in class, I must admit I was let down by ‘the Christians’ in that they failed to give me the reason why I should believe in Jesus Christ and consequently God. Their arguments were based on vague explanations of an invisible being who made everything make sense but left me asking more questions than I thought I had. The funniest thing was instead of answers I was told to believe. One more question I may ask… believe in what?!
Faith compels me to believe. How can I believe when I do not know what I am laying my belief on? Christians tell me to have faith, does having faith mean letting go of the quest in which we all take to make sense of this world and make meaning of our being? I believe that in order for one to understand life, one must understand himself or herself. Christianity gives me this person in whom I should put my trust in, and expects me to follow Him yet I need Him to give me answers so that I can know myself and thus know Him and how He impacts my life. But he does not give me the answers as I want them.
The Christians failed to show me how this man can give me what I need in life. They failed to give me the reasons as to why I should follow this Christ and how he can impact my life in a relevant way that fits into my situation as a young man in this world.
Thinking about it, I now know why guys shun Christianity and why people jump to other forms of belief or philosophies in an attempt to find the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. We need answers and we need to know how these answers are got and how they can help me. The truth is however that Christ is the answer and He is all we need. Faith begins by believing, reason begins by choosing to see the fruits of your faith. Knowing your blessings and applying them. Reason in faith would get us going for a good number of pages but one form of belief which I feel is as a result of failure to get answers is postmodernism.
Postmodern philosophy states that there are no absolute truths and that truth is subjective. This is however a contradiction since the statement in itself is absolute. If a way of thinking shows shaky ground from the definition why then would I follow it?
This philosophy teaches that truth is relative and there are no absolute statements, yet this in itself is an absolute statement. I feel the need to repeat this point because once we get it we get the absurdity of postmodernism. A culture where anything goes is a lost culture. The statement that all roads lead to a divine being shows belief in a divine being and thus a reflection of a people so weak in faith that they would rather define their own existence and that of their God.
When faith is more than reason, then religion becomes absurd and when reason becomes more than faith, we ‘logicalize’ the Bible and end up becoming our own high priest and disciple. We teach ourselves our own doctrine; an analogy for this would be an individual feeding from their waste. Harsh as it may be the truth of the matter is we cannot come up with our own truths, not unless we believe that we came to this world out of our own doing and that we control each and every aspect of our being. Postmodernism until there holds no water. If you add the flimsy argument that all roads lead to a divine being we pour the water because if we are the captains of our own ships, where does this divine being come in?
All we need is a firm balance between faith and reason. Believe in this divine being and reason out a plan how you and Him will relate in this life. The reason why I did not believe the Christians is because they gave me no reason to have faith; the postmodernists however, showed me the absurdity in reasoning past faith and past even reason itself. Human wisdom might make sense and give a sense of meaning in this life but Christ is the meaning and the reason for my faith in Him is the things He has done for me and the places we have been through together. I like the postmodernists have decided to see His works in my life unlike the postmodernist however, I have decided to use his wisdom which compared to mine and theirs is foolishness.
In closing, dear postmodernist, you cannot state your belief in no absolutes by using an absolute. Get rid of the contradictions and know that your belief in a divine being shows something more than just your choice in doing so. And finally, in a world where humanity has failed as a result of ‘isms’ do you really think that postmodernism is the way? At least there is no such thing as ‘Christianism’.
From the debate held in class, I must admit I was let down by ‘the Christians’ in that they failed to give me the reason why I should believe in Jesus Christ and consequently God. Their arguments were based on vague explanations of an invisible being who made everything make sense but left me asking more questions than I thought I had. The funniest thing was instead of answers I was told to believe. One more question I may ask… believe in what?!
Faith compels me to believe. How can I believe when I do not know what I am laying my belief on? Christians tell me to have faith, does having faith mean letting go of the quest in which we all take to make sense of this world and make meaning of our being? I believe that in order for one to understand life, one must understand himself or herself. Christianity gives me this person in whom I should put my trust in, and expects me to follow Him yet I need Him to give me answers so that I can know myself and thus know Him and how He impacts my life. But he does not give me the answers as I want them.
The Christians failed to show me how this man can give me what I need in life. They failed to give me the reasons as to why I should follow this Christ and how he can impact my life in a relevant way that fits into my situation as a young man in this world.
Thinking about it, I now know why guys shun Christianity and why people jump to other forms of belief or philosophies in an attempt to find the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. We need answers and we need to know how these answers are got and how they can help me. The truth is however that Christ is the answer and He is all we need. Faith begins by believing, reason begins by choosing to see the fruits of your faith. Knowing your blessings and applying them. Reason in faith would get us going for a good number of pages but one form of belief which I feel is as a result of failure to get answers is postmodernism.
Postmodern philosophy states that there are no absolute truths and that truth is subjective. This is however a contradiction since the statement in itself is absolute. If a way of thinking shows shaky ground from the definition why then would I follow it?
This philosophy teaches that truth is relative and there are no absolute statements, yet this in itself is an absolute statement. I feel the need to repeat this point because once we get it we get the absurdity of postmodernism. A culture where anything goes is a lost culture. The statement that all roads lead to a divine being shows belief in a divine being and thus a reflection of a people so weak in faith that they would rather define their own existence and that of their God.
When faith is more than reason, then religion becomes absurd and when reason becomes more than faith, we ‘logicalize’ the Bible and end up becoming our own high priest and disciple. We teach ourselves our own doctrine; an analogy for this would be an individual feeding from their waste. Harsh as it may be the truth of the matter is we cannot come up with our own truths, not unless we believe that we came to this world out of our own doing and that we control each and every aspect of our being. Postmodernism until there holds no water. If you add the flimsy argument that all roads lead to a divine being we pour the water because if we are the captains of our own ships, where does this divine being come in?
All we need is a firm balance between faith and reason. Believe in this divine being and reason out a plan how you and Him will relate in this life. The reason why I did not believe the Christians is because they gave me no reason to have faith; the postmodernists however, showed me the absurdity in reasoning past faith and past even reason itself. Human wisdom might make sense and give a sense of meaning in this life but Christ is the meaning and the reason for my faith in Him is the things He has done for me and the places we have been through together. I like the postmodernists have decided to see His works in my life unlike the postmodernist however, I have decided to use his wisdom which compared to mine and theirs is foolishness.
In closing, dear postmodernist, you cannot state your belief in no absolutes by using an absolute. Get rid of the contradictions and know that your belief in a divine being shows something more than just your choice in doing so. And finally, in a world where humanity has failed as a result of ‘isms’ do you really think that postmodernism is the way? At least there is no such thing as ‘Christianism’.
Towards A Meaningful Education
The debate on the efficacy of our education system has been on and off, with some claiming that it is time wasting and inefficient, while some cling on claiming its superiority to other educational systems. The 8-4-4 system, introduced in the 1980s, has facilitated the education of majority of the Kenyans today. The system has however been the recipient of much criticism, with most people connecting most of the problems affecting us – unemployment, poverty, increase in crime – on the exam oriented nature of the system. It seems that students are more interested in acquiring a grade than an education.
Society seems to place so much pressure on the student by judging them according to the grade one gets in an exam. Take the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCPE) exams; no matter how much a student excels throughout their academic life, the grade one acquires in the end is what determines whether they will go to university. The student is therefore not given a chance to apply what they learn in a practical manner. One cannot ignore the question; what happens to a student who scores a low grade in the final exam? With the academic system being so exam oriented, no wonder innovation is at a low in our youth today. We get students who went to school for 12 years only to come out with no skills to apply, no innovative ideas to introduce to society and no discovery of their ability and true potential. This is because while other educational systems nurture talent and intellectual growth, our system fills the mind with irrelevant information for the sake of passing an exam.
While other systems such as the British IGCSE and the American system seem to produce more informed and exposed minds, our government still ignores the need to revamp our education sector causing our children to be the most stressed generation of youth in a non-war country in Africa and probably the world. A normal student wakes up before 6 in the morning, goes to school and comes back home probably after 6 in the evening, then goes on to do the homework given which in some cases is so much that by the time the student is through, he or she only has less than 5 hours of sleep. The course load is too much, with up to 12 classes being done in secondary school, living no room for personal growth and discovery.
One scholar categorized education into three systems: the first one is the public world, where society sets the standards for success or failure. We want to do something or be someone because society has declared that a certain profession is better than others. This is one reason why at some point in any student’s life they wanted to be a doctor, pilot or engineer. The second system is the private world. This system is made up of the people around us and those that are close to us. These people influence us both positively and negatively. The problem with this system is that most people do things because they were influenced into doing so. A good example is the high number of college students who study to please the people around them. The last system is the deep self system. This involves one owning all his potential, goals and achievements. One does what they want because they know their strength and their purpose.
The sad thing is that our education system falls under the first two categories. Society states that being a doctor is better than being a writer and therefore it is wrong to embrace arts, because sciences are the gateway to grand professions like medicine, pharmacy and engineering. The people who influence us set unrealistic standards that most of the times lead students straight into failure and disillusionment.
The situation is not a hopeless one however. Other educational systems embrace the deep self system which allows students to discover themselves through talent nurturing, reflections and practical applications to whatever they learn in class. It is sad that in my adulthood, a child studying under the British or American systems probably is as exposed as I am in some fields of study.
The solution is not to replace our system with one that does not relate to our context as Kenyans and Africans. We could choose to adopt beneficial aspects of different systems and ensure our children get a worthwhile education where they will no longer be instruments of examination, but instruments of change in our society. Introduction of reflections and subjective exams is a good place in allowing students to grow intellectually. We need an education system that will nurture great leaders and not a generation whose future lies in the writings of a paper.
Society seems to place so much pressure on the student by judging them according to the grade one gets in an exam. Take the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCPE) exams; no matter how much a student excels throughout their academic life, the grade one acquires in the end is what determines whether they will go to university. The student is therefore not given a chance to apply what they learn in a practical manner. One cannot ignore the question; what happens to a student who scores a low grade in the final exam? With the academic system being so exam oriented, no wonder innovation is at a low in our youth today. We get students who went to school for 12 years only to come out with no skills to apply, no innovative ideas to introduce to society and no discovery of their ability and true potential. This is because while other educational systems nurture talent and intellectual growth, our system fills the mind with irrelevant information for the sake of passing an exam.
While other systems such as the British IGCSE and the American system seem to produce more informed and exposed minds, our government still ignores the need to revamp our education sector causing our children to be the most stressed generation of youth in a non-war country in Africa and probably the world. A normal student wakes up before 6 in the morning, goes to school and comes back home probably after 6 in the evening, then goes on to do the homework given which in some cases is so much that by the time the student is through, he or she only has less than 5 hours of sleep. The course load is too much, with up to 12 classes being done in secondary school, living no room for personal growth and discovery.
One scholar categorized education into three systems: the first one is the public world, where society sets the standards for success or failure. We want to do something or be someone because society has declared that a certain profession is better than others. This is one reason why at some point in any student’s life they wanted to be a doctor, pilot or engineer. The second system is the private world. This system is made up of the people around us and those that are close to us. These people influence us both positively and negatively. The problem with this system is that most people do things because they were influenced into doing so. A good example is the high number of college students who study to please the people around them. The last system is the deep self system. This involves one owning all his potential, goals and achievements. One does what they want because they know their strength and their purpose.
The sad thing is that our education system falls under the first two categories. Society states that being a doctor is better than being a writer and therefore it is wrong to embrace arts, because sciences are the gateway to grand professions like medicine, pharmacy and engineering. The people who influence us set unrealistic standards that most of the times lead students straight into failure and disillusionment.
The situation is not a hopeless one however. Other educational systems embrace the deep self system which allows students to discover themselves through talent nurturing, reflections and practical applications to whatever they learn in class. It is sad that in my adulthood, a child studying under the British or American systems probably is as exposed as I am in some fields of study.
The solution is not to replace our system with one that does not relate to our context as Kenyans and Africans. We could choose to adopt beneficial aspects of different systems and ensure our children get a worthwhile education where they will no longer be instruments of examination, but instruments of change in our society. Introduction of reflections and subjective exams is a good place in allowing students to grow intellectually. We need an education system that will nurture great leaders and not a generation whose future lies in the writings of a paper.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Me? Ethical?
I would say that one of my major life achievements is to live an ethical life free of conflict or negativity. In my attempts to live my life conflict-free I find myself in a boring cycle of repetition where consistency define my existence and so in an attempt to ‘spice up’ my life – disaster!
Picture this scenario, I wake up every morning at, say, 7 p.m. then do the necessaries and end up in class 10 minutes before the lecturer. Every day I follow this pattern until one day I wake up at 8 and a feeling of disappointment hits me and reminds me of how much I have failed…. Then picture this second scenario, today I wake up at 7, go to class 5 minutes before the lecturer. Tomorrow, I wake up at 8.30 and who knows what time I will get to class. Of course my life lies in the latter where many are the times I make the lecturer cross due to my tardiness. So I guess I fail in living an ethical life at least in the mornings.
So how I begin my mornings could be unethical, but at least I pride myself in doing my work, both academic and personal, following set ethical guidelines. This may include being faithful to do assignments, do them on time, and hand in quality work earned from my own sweat! Well, thinking about it, I do hand in my assignments and apart from the few errors here and there I would say I got the quality and hard work part covered. However, do I keep faithful to time constraints? Well, at least I try…a question here…is trying to be ethical being ethical? Does the saying, ‘it’s the thought that counts’, apply in this case?
I have a feeling I am being a bit too harsh on myself. Being a writer, there are things that I am ethically bound from doing and so I try and avoid them like the plague. Libel, plagiarism, deceit, propaganda…all these big words and yet my attempts to live an ethical life are drenched by the fact that I always lose when it comes to racing with time. Time, good old Grandfather Clock so old yet I never win, I guess life is the unethical party and I am the victim. Look at it this way, I cannot win in some situations. I have to do what I have to do when I have to do and since life, or time in particular, seems to mind caring how I handle my doings, it becomes unethical since the bar set is usually unrealistic and unfair. Unlucky me however, since the world is full of judgmental ethica-holics who live in that boring cycle I mentioned earlier.
Am I ethical? Maybe, maybe not…all I know is as long as I do not step on some toes…too hard, then I am good to go. So since you’ve read this you tell me am I ethical or am I not?
Picture this scenario, I wake up every morning at, say, 7 p.m. then do the necessaries and end up in class 10 minutes before the lecturer. Every day I follow this pattern until one day I wake up at 8 and a feeling of disappointment hits me and reminds me of how much I have failed…. Then picture this second scenario, today I wake up at 7, go to class 5 minutes before the lecturer. Tomorrow, I wake up at 8.30 and who knows what time I will get to class. Of course my life lies in the latter where many are the times I make the lecturer cross due to my tardiness. So I guess I fail in living an ethical life at least in the mornings.
So how I begin my mornings could be unethical, but at least I pride myself in doing my work, both academic and personal, following set ethical guidelines. This may include being faithful to do assignments, do them on time, and hand in quality work earned from my own sweat! Well, thinking about it, I do hand in my assignments and apart from the few errors here and there I would say I got the quality and hard work part covered. However, do I keep faithful to time constraints? Well, at least I try…a question here…is trying to be ethical being ethical? Does the saying, ‘it’s the thought that counts’, apply in this case?
I have a feeling I am being a bit too harsh on myself. Being a writer, there are things that I am ethically bound from doing and so I try and avoid them like the plague. Libel, plagiarism, deceit, propaganda…all these big words and yet my attempts to live an ethical life are drenched by the fact that I always lose when it comes to racing with time. Time, good old Grandfather Clock so old yet I never win, I guess life is the unethical party and I am the victim. Look at it this way, I cannot win in some situations. I have to do what I have to do when I have to do and since life, or time in particular, seems to mind caring how I handle my doings, it becomes unethical since the bar set is usually unrealistic and unfair. Unlucky me however, since the world is full of judgmental ethica-holics who live in that boring cycle I mentioned earlier.
Am I ethical? Maybe, maybe not…all I know is as long as I do not step on some toes…too hard, then I am good to go. So since you’ve read this you tell me am I ethical or am I not?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
To Hague or Not To Hague
We must admit that in as much as patriotism is required of all of us, doing things the Kenyan way has at times left us hanging on the wrong end of a short string. I cannot blame Kenyans for their cynicism and overall carelessness especially towards our political structure. In less than six months, Kenya has seen several scandals that have left us in shame and disappointment in the people we trust to make our policies.The Goldenberg scandal, Laiko Regency Hotel saga, Triton scandal and the most recent maize scandal are some of the cases that make us question the role of the anti corruption commission. Out of these, the few that have been taken to court have ended up either hitting a dead end or making a disappearing act. Does this mean that we will therefore, never solve any of our problems? Last year saw the worst loss of lives and property in Kenya’s recent past. True, the people involved must be held accountable for whatever they did or did not do. However, doesn’t taking the case to The Hague a clear sign that we have accepted the fact that we cannot, under any circumstances, solve our own problems?The idea of the tribunal must not be condemned unto the gates of Hades (not Hague). We, as a country have prayed time and again for an opportunity to redeem ourselves. This tribunal comes at a time when we have several cases to learn from. We can now choose what is beneficial and at the same time learn from our past mistakes. By allowing us to balance the people appointed to hear the case, we show that we can solve our problems and at the same time are welcome to any form of assistance that we may require. Solving our problems in a far off country is not solving them but pushing them far enough until they reach a place where we won’t be able to see any mediocrity being shown.This is the change we have been crying for. It is time that we learn, like developed countries, that any situation is a chance to learn and move forward. It’s about time we stopped depending on others to solve our problems, and at the same time we cannot fully trust our leaders. The only thing we can do is put our heads together and come up with solutions that are beneficial to us all. Not until the people from the Hague come for our help, we should not be so quick to run to them for it. So, to Hague or not to Hague, I’ll have the latter with everything on top.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Third World Relationships
Until recently, I thought relationships were all about love and understanding. Love and understanding, two words that seem to make everything else make sense. If I love you, then I understand you. If it were that simple then I think our politicians would listen to the people more. My simple mind allows me to assume that if I run for leadership over a certain post, then that means I have some level of love for the people I intend to show the way or at least understand their situation well enough to want to do whatever I can for them. Look at it this way, I treat my woman wrongly, then she will leave me or at least kick me out of the house regardless of whose name the title deed bares. Why the do I continue to live with this person who keeps on disappointing me, treating me like a stranger when I, in fact, put him where he is and made him who he is?
The average politician today is a true reflection of an adulterous, lying, greedy and self-centered man who would rather see his family starve (or burn) to death, than spend more time with them. The politician today wakes up every morning, goes to the bathroom, prepares for the day, goes to the kitchen, takes all the food he can get, prepares a hearty meal for himself, leaving almost nothing left for the family and goes off to work. The money he gets there he puts in an off shore account somewhere, yet his family lives in a palatial villa that looks beautiful from the outside but once you come inside, its occupants are dressed in tatters, emaciated and longing for anything that would make them live like the man of the house.
Another thing with this type of relationship is that the wife here has no say at all. Whatever means she has to air her views is thwarted by ridiculous laws the politician throws while at the dinner table, eating form his wife and children’s plate. Communication, an integral part of any relationship still exists in this family. The politician frequently calls his friends from work for the family meetings wrapped in silly names such as: The Family We Want or Family Fusion 2030. He allows the family members to speak their mind but does not allow himself to let the information sink in his mind. God forbid the children throw tantrums in the house; the whip made of an old gas pipe makes them produce tears that will be a grim reminder that he is the boss.
This relationship like any other has its ups and downs. Sometimes the family gets tired of the politician and asks for a divorce. At times however, the relationship may have stressed the family for many years, up to 24, leaving the wife no choice other than kicking the politician out of the house. The wife gets the next best man, the man who will give her the impression that things will be much better next time through sweet words and endless gifts. Once the wife accepts him, the family lives in a honey-moon state for a few months until reality hits them that this man, like any other politician is cut out of the same cloth. The memory of past relationships in this particular relationship is not as painful as the reality that over 70% of other families in the estate are treated much better than you. Other families in the leafy parts of the estate have better looking houses, bigger families and happier relationships than the one in picture. At least the woman drives a car almost as big as the one her man is driving. In this relationship, walking alone is a blessing. Sometimes neighbors make fun and call this family the Walking Family.
In this relationship, equality is a myth. The man and the woman’s lifestyles are so far apart that one would imagine Uncle Scrooge visiting a widow and her children. If I know anything about relationships is that they should not be miserable situations dictated by one party. Relationships are founded on love and understanding, ore-requisites for sacrifice and compromise. In this case, mister politician has no time to listen and understand his people. The sad thing is that this woman keeps on taking him back, or ends up choosing a politician that at the end of the day will prove to be the most useless man ever. I choose to pick my relationships wisely. Especially in 2012 when spouse will be hanging around wooing me with wise words and promises. There is nothing uninteresting about being single. This relationship shows me that it’s better a house run by children than a useless man.
The average politician today is a true reflection of an adulterous, lying, greedy and self-centered man who would rather see his family starve (or burn) to death, than spend more time with them. The politician today wakes up every morning, goes to the bathroom, prepares for the day, goes to the kitchen, takes all the food he can get, prepares a hearty meal for himself, leaving almost nothing left for the family and goes off to work. The money he gets there he puts in an off shore account somewhere, yet his family lives in a palatial villa that looks beautiful from the outside but once you come inside, its occupants are dressed in tatters, emaciated and longing for anything that would make them live like the man of the house.
Another thing with this type of relationship is that the wife here has no say at all. Whatever means she has to air her views is thwarted by ridiculous laws the politician throws while at the dinner table, eating form his wife and children’s plate. Communication, an integral part of any relationship still exists in this family. The politician frequently calls his friends from work for the family meetings wrapped in silly names such as: The Family We Want or Family Fusion 2030. He allows the family members to speak their mind but does not allow himself to let the information sink in his mind. God forbid the children throw tantrums in the house; the whip made of an old gas pipe makes them produce tears that will be a grim reminder that he is the boss.
This relationship like any other has its ups and downs. Sometimes the family gets tired of the politician and asks for a divorce. At times however, the relationship may have stressed the family for many years, up to 24, leaving the wife no choice other than kicking the politician out of the house. The wife gets the next best man, the man who will give her the impression that things will be much better next time through sweet words and endless gifts. Once the wife accepts him, the family lives in a honey-moon state for a few months until reality hits them that this man, like any other politician is cut out of the same cloth. The memory of past relationships in this particular relationship is not as painful as the reality that over 70% of other families in the estate are treated much better than you. Other families in the leafy parts of the estate have better looking houses, bigger families and happier relationships than the one in picture. At least the woman drives a car almost as big as the one her man is driving. In this relationship, walking alone is a blessing. Sometimes neighbors make fun and call this family the Walking Family.
In this relationship, equality is a myth. The man and the woman’s lifestyles are so far apart that one would imagine Uncle Scrooge visiting a widow and her children. If I know anything about relationships is that they should not be miserable situations dictated by one party. Relationships are founded on love and understanding, ore-requisites for sacrifice and compromise. In this case, mister politician has no time to listen and understand his people. The sad thing is that this woman keeps on taking him back, or ends up choosing a politician that at the end of the day will prove to be the most useless man ever. I choose to pick my relationships wisely. Especially in 2012 when spouse will be hanging around wooing me with wise words and promises. There is nothing uninteresting about being single. This relationship shows me that it’s better a house run by children than a useless man.
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