The day was Thursday, 28th November 2013. I did not know I would be seated in room 014 at Kenyatta University where two people I have only read about would be speaking. I don’t believe in fate. I believe in destiny. The first one was Binyavanga Wainaina, founder Kwani and 2002 Caine prize winner. He is a funny guy, with a flowery way of speaking. This is quite girlish. He is simple and had dyed his hair green. Mh. Good job. If it wasn’t for him, Kwani would not have been born. It is dreamers like him who move the world.
Yvonne Awuor, 2003 Caine winner, and the author of the newly launched “Dust” was here. I must say that her speech almost moved me to tears. My goodness! What was most shocking was that she was just like me! Never mind, to achieve such dreams, you must be extremely courageous. She spoke on the power of imagination, the power of a story. It is the story that you tell yourself that keeps you living. I was awed, amazed, and inspired. I could feel your pain as you wrote your story, Yvonne.
Thank you for living out your dream and showing that it’s possible. We look up to you people. Thank you for coming back to Kenyatta University, to inspire young souls like us. Thanks.
Related articles
- Reflections on a Kwani? Decade: 27 – 30 November 2013 (africainwords.com)
- How not to Write About Africa: Binyavanga Wainaina (memoirsofapatriotickenyan.wordpress.com)
- Kwani at 10 | Book and Art Party (cinemakenya.com)
- Courageous Conversations (ofsol.wordpress.com)
- Highlights: Year 2, Africa in Words (africainwords.com)
- ‘The book is a dead object’ (ijagunpoetryjournal.wordpress.com)
- ‘The book is a dead object’ (parresiablog.wordpress.com)
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