"Naka bokya?" "nyunga fa" This was my visa to enter the village that
was fuming in the sahelian plain.As the golden plate of the king of the
solar system was descending,sparrows,eagles,parrots spread their wings up
above and intercepted my vision. My legs were dangling from he village
"péncha",really there was nothing related to technology around
me."Wai-nak"Life was ripe for me as a seed store clerk,without a Toshiba. I
learnt,i discussed and i graduated as a proud son of the Nyaiye that brother
"jéléféng" called a nomad in this cyber-guillotine.
Origin can produce "useful" pride if origin delivers a productive baby,"alee
batu dé!" origin can help us "slide" down the slope and be soaked in the
muddy pool of empty arrogance,if origin was carved to pump in "des histoires
soignées" to guard certain lineages.
Koto Sana became my source of laughter,this koto's identity was his remarks
and his "rismaa naafo".Koto was illiterate but he appreciated and understood
truth as truth. For every wonderful thing he heard from the truth-loving
IMAMO of the village,koto objectively said:"alikoo!maasira wuléng!".This
"wuléng" means "tonyaa wuléng"-(the red truth). Yes sir! i agree with my
mandinka folks! Truth can be considered red! Red burns,red endangers the
feeble,red honours the honourable,red raids,therefore,the mandingo was wise
to send us this cultural perfume.
The cohabitation that "lubricated" the existence between the "naka
bokyas","hono m'bahdons", "albé kai ratos" "kasuméképs","alinkira jams"
"naafiyos" etc in that nyaiye was so marvellous and educative.
Als!the syllabus of unity,understanding,"les va et viens" that was produced
by the traditional lessons was unfortunately absent where i was posted from
as a seed store clerk. My mind saw the faces of carricaturing 'nib-pals',no
discussion was possible! no understanding was possible! and yet we are men
of books!
As Mark Anthony said to Brutus after he was "lured" by the evil plans of
Cassius and gang to kill his friend Caesar! Mark said repetively in his
speech of triumph-"Yet he is an honourable man!". Thats the honour this
seed store clerk learnt to refuse from the acrid smoke he inhaled as a
nomad!!!
A wise african brain once told me; "Yero Takko,jangu wota nyonyu"- this is a
virtue that kept on telling me:"Please brood through the texts do not loot
the minds through them".
Yes i am a nomad from the gutter of truth!
Paul.
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