Let us appreciate and honour our heroes, heroines

Francois-Marie d’Arouet, popularly known as Voltaire, opined that ‘appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well’. This is encouraging, yet saddening at the same time. The encouragement arises from the validity of that simple observation while the sadness is induced by the truism that as a country, we have failed dismally in that aspect.

What informed today’s writing is a sobering interview on KTN’s talk show Jeff Koinange live that featured one of Kenya’s greatest sportsmen; cricketer Maurice Odumbe in January. Yes, despite the fame he brought to Kenya with his exploits during international cricket matches, Mr Odumbe has fallen from grace to disgrace; having to beg on the streets for survival.

That, indeed, was a hard fall. There are myriad reasons for such occurrences, some of which are personal creations and for which, others cannot be blamed. In their heydays, most of our accomplished sportsmen and other achievers grow airs, become arrogant and opinionated. They acquire tastes for expensive lifestyles without a care for tomorrow, but when the chips are down, blame society for their indiscretions.

Most of our sportsmen come from very humble backgrounds and when the big money starts to trickle in, they are not mentally prepared to handle it. For this reason alone, the necessity for the Government to start a compulsory training programme for high earners on investments is apparent. Unlike in the West where sportsmen are nurtured under various categories of professional managers, ours prefer to do their own thing. That, however, is not the point; my grouse is with the Government for failing to recognise achievement through the simple act of appreciation.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and internationally acclaimed environmentalist the late Prof Wangari Maathai went to her grave without government recognition and appreciation for her efforts in preserving the environment and agitation for democratic space in Kenya. In life and in death, the West appreciated her more. The US immortalised her with a giant statue at Benedictine college where she studied in the 1960s.

Despite his intellectual prowess and international stature, Prof Ali Mazrui died in exile only to be brought home and be buried quietly. When some Kenyan legislators derided Barrack Obama as an inconsequential junior Senator, Americans appreciated and elected him their President. Lupita Nyong’o was born outside Kenya at a time the political leadership rejected her father for demanding a fair playing field; America honoured her and all we did was applaud. Great minds, the likes of Prof Makau Mutua and Prof Ngugi wa Thiong’o are out there where America appreciates them more than we do; what a big shame!

Female pugilist Conjestina Achieng’, once the pride of Kenya in the boxing field is ailing, having taken too many blows to her head and lives in penury. Boxer Suleiman Bilali too, is ailing but constrained to raise funds to treat his ailment. Is it too much for the Government to reciprocate by bailing them out financially? Politicians who don’t merit a penny of the huge pension they draw enjoy the comfort of the taxpayer’s money at the expense of people who literally put Kenya in the limelight through sweat and blood.

The history of Kenya is incomplete without a mention of Dedan Kimathi, but, half a century after independence, do we even know where his grave is? How long did it take for the government to perfunctorily acknowledge the existence and contribution of his widow Mukami? Why has the Government not demanded to have back the skull of Koitalel Samoei who was beheaded by the British?

Though Voltaire contends that history is nothing more than a tableau of crime and misfortune, there is a positive part of that history that our great men and women belong to for their contribution in making Kenya a sporting giant, besides being good ambassadors. While it is not possible to list everyone here, my entreaty to the government is that our heroes deserve honour and appreciation in their lifetime, not posthumously.