BITATURE TO LAUNCH AN INSPIRATIONAL BOOK

By Sentomero Jerry Sesanga

“Uganda is a blessed country and I shall treat her as thus. If Jesus, the son of God, took refuge in Egypt, and drank our Ugandan water from river Nile, whose source is in this country, how can we fail to achieve prosperity?” Nyamishana the female contestant for Presidency makes the above statement in one of her last speeches for presidency. It is such a powerful statement worthy capturing headlines of the Daily Newspapers that the Author Bake Robert Tumuhaise brought forth in his inspirational masterpiece ‘TEARS OF MY MOTHER; The success story of Nyamishana, the first female president of Uganda’, the book that Uganda is warming up to launch.

The first part of the story is set in Western Uganda in the colonial era, in the ‘UK’ or United Kigezi as Kay the most hilarious character in the book puts it. The author tactically alludes to the great famine in East Africa commonly known as Rwaramba which coincided with the coming of Europeans which the author refers to as the pink-white people and as a result they were rejected alongside their new faith. The famine intensified and people threatened eating fellow humans thus parents got worried since cannibals roamed around in pursuit of unattended children and vulnerable people to eat. The end of the famine instigated evil and immorality into society that the author writes that people had accepted this evil as culture.

As any ailing system would require a saviour, out of one Tayebwa’s family whose major role to society is to reproduce comes Hannah who has been converted to the new religion and chooses the name in reference to the Biblical Hannah who had failed to conceive but when she did, they gave birth to the prophet Samuel. Soon the self-imposed prophesy follows her as she fails to conceive. She is tormented by people including his father who calls her a fruitless daughter. To fulfill the virtues of the authors biblical allusions, she conceives at an old age just like the biblical Sarah wife to Abraham, Elizabeth mother to John the Baptist and Hannah mother to Samuel. However, the author’s originality can be asserted by his twisting of the story of which the long awaited son turns out a girl.

‘Nyamishana’ which means “one who brings sunshine” was brought forth to earth five days after his father’s death became a disappointment to his mother as she expected a son who would transform society from evil to good. However, she seemed to accept her fate and groomed the girl with upright social values and principles. Her mother imposes a daily confession over her as thus, “One day I will become a success story! One day, I will dine with princes and princesses! One day, the whole nation will be proud of me! One day I will become a heroine! One day I will save my people from agony! One day, Uganda will rise and shine!”

Fastforward, checking her admissions at Makerere University, Nyamishana is disappointed to find out that she has been given MDD (Music Dance and Drama) which some Ugandans translate as Musilu Dala Dala instead of the prestigious courses she hoped for such as Law. Well, as university students are seduced by the T.V chicken of Wandegeya to evil deeds, Nyamishana’s goodness outshines the darkness at Makerere and despite all obstacles such as peer pressure from the treasure-hunting Ruth who according to the author swings her hands as if she had borrowed them from a witchdoctor, she survives and graduates.

Years down the road, Nyamishana faces many challenges, including abandonment from her husband Ben, unemployment and poverty. She instead focuses onto positive activism, which not only make her famous, but also a darling to masses. She becomes a centre of goodwill in society which leads her to earn a life-prison sentence in an alleged murder. The author twists and turns the story unexpectedly that it ends with Nyamishana being released and becoming the first female president of the Republic of Uganda.

It is a completely original fictious inspirational story that is full of twists and turns, action, danger, romance and adventure. It features African sayings and proverbs that have for long been left out. I loved the relationship amongst all the characters, especially between Nyamishana and Kay the Rib-Cracker. Nyamishana is unknowingly wooed by Kay as he provides all the words and approaches to Ben who marries her. The story brings out the nature of African politicians in Nyantahurira, a greedy and evil tycoon who influences the arms of government. However, it gives a neutral stand in the face of politics because of the moral stand in it. The author takes no sides.

Bake clad his story in inspirational garments in that the worst happened to the best and out of the worst came the best. Nyamishana takes on M.D.D which people consider one of the worst courses at university. By taking on this course, one may lose all hope of getting to the top. But he actually wants the reader to get courage and never underrate any path a person takes. I would expect the president to be a Lawyer or Doctor, but when I see a dramatist, it is out of the line and therefore I am inspired. A person given a life-sentence should be the least to have any ray of hope, but Bake sets his story the out of the blues, such that a convict emerges to take on the highest office in the country.

As I read the 140 pages book, published by WORLD OF INSPIRATION, I came to my mind that Western authors had done their role of shaping our minds, and now it’s our chance to take on the world with African word magic and power. The book is a stepping stone for Ugandan novelists. Let us drum for the world to dance.

‘TEARS OF MY MOTHER’ is set to be launched on the evening Wednesday, March 6 2013, during the Author’s Forum that runs every first Wednesday of the month, 5-9pm at the National Theatre, in Kampala. This launch be crowned with a debate featuring Patrick Bitature, Fagil Mandy, Doreen Ashaba and other inspirational figures in the country discussing the topic ‘THE SUCCESS FORMULA FOR THE 21ST CENTURY’. Entrance tickets are on sale at WORLD OF INSPIRATION (Luwum Street, MM Plaza T33). Gold Tickets = UGX 50,000/= and Silver Tickets = UGX 30,000/=. Call 0774107287 / 0414691595.

A copy of the book goes for UGX 20,000. Copies are being sold at WORLD OF INSPIRATION. The book will soon be available in all leading bookshops in East Africa. Hollywood is already interested in running the story on screen. Watch this space.