STORYTELLING THAT’S ANTI-CLIMACTIC
By
Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted 1 June 2022)
‘Something
must kill a man’ might sound like a fatalistic, death-centric drama. But quite
the contrary.
It is a
musical version of storytelling in which two storytellers, Allan Waseke and
Mark Wabwire share their rambling tale of Omwani.
It’s an
adventurous odyssey of a young man who, like a cat, lives through so many ups
and downs that one marvels the man survives.
Or does he? At
the outset, this storytelling session starts off so well. Waseke and Wabwire have
assembled a quartet of musicians playing mainly indigenous instruments plus a
keyboard. They sing upbeat Kiluhya songs that prepare us well for the dancing
storytellers who set out to charm us with their lyrical tales.
So, their
storytelling, however fascinating Omwani’s story may be, their comedy-drama
turns into a farce. Some people might just laugh at their abrupt culmination of
their tall tale, as if it was okay to leave their audience hanging. But I must
ask, why bother to come back after being taken for granted as they did.
Why take
such a strident stand against the two writer-performers? Because they manage to
create a complex character who rises out of poverty, being the first born of
the first wife of a polygamous Mzee Balaza who had five wives. We meet him
right after he has gotten a straight A score, becoming the first ‘academic
giant’ from their village, cluster of villages, and beyond. He had worked so
hard for the sake of his mother who had been ignored by her man, a guy who now
spends his days in Booza bars, drinking and boasting about his brilliant son.
Omwani is
brilliant enough to get into JKUAT to study engineering. But his big trip-up is
over his choice of women. He always seems to pick the ones who play games with
his heart.
This first
heart-break compels Omwani to go to university and find an equally-brilliant
bride. He believes he has found her on the first day at uni. Her name is
Julietta, and she becomes his Juliet to his Romeo. They quickly become the
‘power couple’ on campus up until her rich uncle shows up in his Mercedes, and
now Omwani learns the truth. They’re the power couple, but if Omwani wants a
love triangle, he can hang on. But the poor guy still has some dignity, so he
drops her and decides to bury himself again, in his books.
Education is
meant to be his safe haven. But during his attachment at KenGen, he meets a
lovely Kalenjin student, Chiprop. She again gets him thinking about love and
marriage. But then, at his graduation, Chip’s ‘brother’ shows up. He’s actually
her husband, so Omwani’s dreams are shattered once again.
Vowing to
enjoy life now, he wins a full-time job with KenGen. There, Omwani gets a good
salary which he uses to indulge himself in ways he had never been able to
before. He travels, buys a beautiful flat, and becomes a ‘lover boy’ who loses
track of how many women he takes advantage of. One of them fights back.
He is sued
for sexual harassment and rape. All the feminists within shouting distance on
social media call him names like rapist, sexist, human rights violator. They
want him jailed for life, his private parts chopped off, and for him to pay on
behalf of all the rapists. So, naturally, Omwani loses his job, and all his
material things, including his flat, are seized to pay his million-shilling
bail.
He has no
choice but to return to the village, where he is mocked, rumor-mongered, and
maligned. But then he meets Magdalina who he again believes is ‘the one’ for
him. But that hope gets dashed as well.
The only
light at the end of the tunnel is the Court which throws out the case against
him for lack of evidence.
Kerplunk! The
end for now.
The story
isn’t over, but you can come back later.
See my
point! No wonder women walk out on Omwani! His story is anti-climactic.
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