A LYRICAL SALUTE TO THE OG OF PEN POWER-TRIBUTE TO NGŨGĨ WA THIONG’O | BY JOHN MSAFIRI 

 
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o,
Jina kama ngoma ya freedom —
Man aliandika si juu ya vibes,
Aliandika juu ya vita — na si ile ya fists,
Ile ya mind. Ile ya tongue. Ile ya truth.

 
Wasee walikua wanabonga “Wewe ni nani?”
Akaandika Weep Not, Child — wakaona ni mtoto anaweza lia na bado aandike riwa!
Akaweka The River Between — wakanote: between fear na hope, kuna bridge ya words.

 
Akaona Kenya imejipiga picha ya Uhuru,
Lakini kwa ground, watu bado ni prisoners wa system.
So akaandika Petals of Blood — red ink ya revolution.
Walichora mistari, yeye akaandika mistari na mistari zikae manifesto.

 
Saa hiyo, system ika-freak.
Walijaribu kumweka chini — wakaweka mwili kwa cell,
But Ngũgĩ akachora Devil on the Cross kwa toilet paper!
Brooo... mtu anaandika masterpiece na tissue!
You? Una excuses, na uko na laptop.

 
Akauliza swali flani kali:
“Mbona niandike kwa lugha ya mkoloni?”
Aka-drop English, akapick Gikuyu — kama weapon.
Manze, hiyo ni patriotism haijavaa suit,
Ni patriotism imevaa shuka ya village na accent ya guka.

 
Hakusimama juu ya stage kusema “I love Kenya,”
Aliandika Kenya yenye ni ngumu kusoma kama hujui kufeel.
Aliandika juu ya greed, juu ya tribe, juu ya betrayal, juu ya hope.
Yaani, aliandika kama anataka bibi yake, watoto, na dunia yote wasikie —
Na waamke!

 
Ngũgĩ hakuwa na TikTok. Hakuwa na reels.
But stories zake zilitrend kabla ya internet.
Na saa hii, bado zinadunda kama drum ya village rally.

So upcoming writers, poets, creatives —
Msiogope kuandika ukweli juu ya gava, juu ya mtaa, juu ya mafeelings.
Kama Ngũgĩ ange-survive na pen, cell, na toilet roll —
Wewe na keyboard yako, uko na excuse gani?

 
Wacha nimalize hivi:
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o hakuwa tu mzee wa mistari.
Alikuwa mistari yenyewe.
Alikuwa revolution ilijificha kwa paragraph.
Alikuwa Uhuru ilijipanga kwa punctuation.

So tukimpoteza, hatujapoteza.
Tumepata direction — na si Google Maps.
Ni pen, ni paper, ni purpose.

Mic drop. 🎤💥

  ™©•® Johπ PoetKeyα Msαfiri 2025

JOHN MSAFIRI

Spoken Word Poet | Media Relations Concierge | Strategic PR & Communications Specialist | Seasoned Writer | Thespian | Playwright | Copyrighter | Domestic Scandal Evangelist

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