Glimpses
of African belief
This
is the latest book of Nobel Prize for Literature winner VS Naipaul, Trinidad born,
England educated and author of more than a dozen other works of fiction and
non-fiction. This book is a travel book. Here the perceptive author recounts
his voyages of discovery through five African countries: Uganda, Ivory Coast,
Nigeria, Gabon and Ghana in 2009. His trip was motivated by his desire to
discover the true African belief.
He
started his journey from the heart of Africa, Uganda, p.1, then to Ghana,
Nigeria, p.83, Gabon, Ivory Coast and even a spell in South Africa. The reason
he chose these countries is simple: they all have thick forest covers; or
jungles, as the more sensational western writers would like to call the thick
floral cover equatorial Africa is blessed with. Naipaul believes that forests
have a special, meaning for the African: the forest provides home to the jinns,
the spirits, ancestors, and other malevolent and benevolent forces that guide
very action and thought of the typical African.
He
meets the most educated people in all these countries: In Gabon he was hosted
by the defence minister and current president, who gave him all the luxuries he
needed to tour this vast country. His guide was
the dean of the university of Libreville, a French trained lawyer p.217.
Yet, this man with all his degrees and travels, still feared to venture into
the forest, because as an African, he feared to be touched by the dark powers
that he supposes lurks in the dense foliages.
Yet,
Naipaul also reveals that the forest has other blessings for the African:
source of traditional medicine, which many western pharmacy companies are now
stealing to make drugs p.229.
Naipaul
also makes an interesting link between the forests of Africa and initiation
rituals such as coming of age ceremonies p.271, and here he alludes that the
mystery that surrounds the forest also surrounds such ceremonies.
The
author’s conclusion is that despite the high rises in many African countries,
the well educated and well heeled elite who are exposed to the best of western
culture and education, deep inside the African man and woman remains very
attached to the ancestors’ ways and beliefs which can manifest in jujus,
marabouts or some tree in the forest.
This
is one of the most exciting books by this great writer. The books explores
Africans and their attachment to belief. It is a must read for students of
religion, anthropology, history and the general reader who wishes to know more
about the belief systems of the Africans.
Highly
recommended,
Available
at Timbooktoo.Tel: 4494345
