“Tit for Tat is a Fair Game”

Much as some people (non-Africans) normally paint a gloomy picture of Africa, we the Africans always know that, those are mere lies and far from the truths; if I could borrow a word or two from Field Marshall Dr. Idi Amin Dada VC DSO MC CBE former President of an African Nation, those eople are mere “Imperialists, they just spread malicious propaganda”. Africa is so good that, we barely needed anything from the so called Imperialists. Apart from them introducing this language that we now call ours, their clothes that we wear day in day out, their food that is fast killing us, their morals or is it the lack of them, e.t.c. They have made us a really materialistic and selfish society! In some cultures, just like ours, the family is what matters to everyone in that kind of society. A few years ago, can I say that, when the “Umutara Prefecture” still existed, there was a culture of sharing, yes, sharing everything in life, good or bad! After all, what are friends or brothers for? There was this guy, I will call Gashumba” (just an occupational name).Gashumba was in his mid thirties, he was happily married to one of those beauties that really “bathed milk” and smeared their skins with the original cow ghee, not the likes of the Kigali dames that use the “fake” igikotolis of this world. Gashumba’s beauty was called Mumararungu, indeed a good companion any man would ever dream of having. Gashumba was endowed with several herds of cattle, typical of the majority of Umutararians. No complaints whatsoever! This gentleman had a young brother in the name of Patu (I suppose the short form for Patrick). Patu was a promising young man by all standards. The fact that he was attending a degree course at Kigali’s KIST (Kigali Institute of Science and Technology), made him the hero of the village. As culture dictates or dictated then, a brother was a brother, he could share everything in life with another brother; yes, your guess is as good as mine! Brothers could share cows, drinks, money, problems and even wives. In that case, if one went to his brother’s house, his brother would give him way so that he coulc share the bliss of brotherhood uninterrupted. In the olden days, one had to firmly “plant” his spear in front of the brother’s hut as a sign of announcing his presence. In the modern times, I suppose, one would send his brother an SMS not to prematurely return home, eh! I tell you, Patu had a hela of fun with no complaints from the big brother whatsoever! Sooner than later, Patu became of age and he decided to take a beauty from Kigali as his lifetime “imprisoner” and he there and then swore the “I do, I do”. The whole of Patu’s kinsmen were more than happy with his choice of a wife, moreso, Gashumba could not wait to have his own pound of flesh! Hadn’t Patu been sustained on his own desires on brotherhood? As they say, “he who laughs last laughs best. With all these new modern Ideas in Patu’s head, he felt not ready to share anymore. When Gashumba came to pay his proverbial visit, he was shocked to find that, Patu and his wife had become “Balokole” (savedees). Maybe it was in the love for their God or the need to block the elder brother access to the “goods”. Gashumba was so angry that, for nearly a year, he wanted to kill his young brother to the extent that, a council of elders had to sit to resolve the issue! mfashumwana@fastmail.fm