THE PHILOSOPHER Aristotle certainly thought that anger was good for a person. In the "Nicomachean Ethics,” he wrote "The man who is angry at the right things and with the right people, and further, as he ought, when he ought, and as long as he ought, is praised.” 

It seems some Rwandans – mistakenly or out of linguistic simplicity – did not understand the key message in Kizito Mihigo’s song Umujinya Mwiza, yet it is an excellent tool for soothing, social cohesion and a source of inspiration with messages of nation-building and reconciliation. Instead, some Rwandans conceived the word Umujinya (Anger) out of its context to mean only a negative emotion that doesn’t serve any purpose; and this is sign of lack of philosophical insight of the song and naïve linguistic analysis and appreciation.

Generally, anger is harmful and can be destructive if it is not controlled. We may not like ourselves when we are angry, and we certainly don’t enjoy being around other angry people. Yet, as with most things, Aristotle was right – anger can be good for us because it is designed to protect us, our relationships and our way of seeing the world. In the everlasting battle between right and wrong, the bodily effects of anger are meant to tell us that something is wrong and hence do something about it so that the cause of that anger NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN but rather, positive replacement such as national, personal, soul, body and spiritual construction may prevail. And this is exactly what Rwandans need today. And this is the key message our young musician, poet and philosopher Kizito Mihigo, is demonstrating and conveying in his song Umujinya Mwiza.

Anger does have its purpose in our lives and can teach us a thing or two about how to have healthier and happier relationships. On top of my interpretation of Kizito Mihigo’s Umujinya Mwiza, anger can also be a good thing. The purpose of anger is to destroy problems in our lives, not our relationships. When something needs to dramatically change, anger not only lets us know about it, but it also gives us the power to do something about it. And this is exactly what all Rwandans under our good leadership today are struggling to build in our historically torn apart society.

What we say to ourselves affects our emotional state.  If all Rwandans told themselves that, "We are doing the best we possibly can under our stressful historical background”, we would definately react with less hostility and frustration. Artists like Mihigo are telling all  Rwandans to maximize their listening and self-reflective or meditative skills so that that "angry voice” within them and the misperceptions they hold of themselves and their fellow Rwandans would gradually grow into tomorrow’s positive citizens. Kizito Mihigo, through Umujinya Mwiza, is being a honest friend, helping Rwandans to be objective in their inner inventory (self reflection). Let us use this song to make changes in our lives and relationships.

The author is Umutara Polytechnic’s Vice Rector in Charge of Academics