Tsepiso S Mothibi

Being young, adolescent, full of the vigour and enthusiasm or the inexperience and weakness in character that marks the period between childhood and full adulthood’s manhood or womanhood; this is the definition of youth my concise dictionary gives. In the short play Euthphyro (translated by Benjamin Jowett in 1871), written by the Greek philosopher Plato in the period between 427-347 B.C., there is talk (dialogue) between Socrates and Euthphyro about Meletus from the deme (township) of Pitthis, whose main concern is to free the youth from the mental chains their misleaders entwine them in. The lines from Socrates to Euthphyro about Meletus’ charge go:

…He says he knows how the youth are corrupted and who are their corruptors. I fancy he must be a wise man, and seeing that I am anything but a wise man, he has found me out, and is going to accuse me of corrupting his young friends. And of this our mother the state is to be the judge. Of all our political men he is the only one who seems to me to begin in the right way, with the cultivation of virtue in youth; he is a good husbandman, and takes care of the shoots first, and clears away us who are the destroyers of them. That is the first step; he will afterwards tend to the elder branches; and if he goes on as he has begun, he will be a very great public benefactor.

Socrates is perhaps one of the best philosophers any scholar or academic comes across in their studies, and this dialogue is one of the best discussions on human relations and harmonious living one ever gets to read. I am concerned about the state of our youth in the present times, and I believe that the focus of the discussions this Youth Month should be on the proper direction of the young peoples of the world towards the attainment of a truly harmonious global society which unites the youth into being a social class that will guarantee the true progress of humanity and the world.

The discussions and their arguments will not necessarily be peaceful; for to excise the cancers of debauchery, purposelessness, and self-servitude bequeathed upon the world by history is an exercise that requires the expression of truthful truth to rid the world of the lies history taught to mankind and its children. We cannot afford to have a world where the youth are unruly and go out and burn schools just because their peers in history did the same.

The struggles of the past are in no way similar to the challenges we face in the present: the approaches to dealing with them can therefore never use the same tactics. If violence and general uprising were applied in 1976 or any period preceding this one, that method is irrelevant in the present; we cannot go on to teach the youth that it is right to pick up arms, sticks, bricks and Molotov cocktails.

We cannot chant the same slogans our fathers did in the days of war as politics of the age seem to teach. Our father’s wars are not ours, their sins are theirs for them to deal with, and from their violent methods we should refrain; we are more enlightened from the lessons history taught to the world.

The main culprit in the destabilisation of the world and the installation of systems that nurture uncontrollable inequality, unemployment, poverty, drug abuse, criminality, listlessness, disregard for law and order, and anarchy among the youth of today is the devil’s brew concocted by colonialism, race segregation and oppression: class organisation. The evil masters of the world are in unison drivers of a system that teaches the children that only a certain standard (the ruling class’ standard) is the right one to focus upon.

A poor child growing in Africa is daily doused in a barrel of the devil’s brew of lies that are formulated to make him or her think that the only right standards to follow are from the West. That the resources to attain such stilted heights of ‘success’ are systematically gauged to lack in his or her part of the world is a reality the youth are not made aware of. Many drink the lies of the West in huge gulps served from kegs full of bullpoo disguised as ‘success’. The world is a classed entity, and whether you agree or disagree is dependent upon your level of gullibility and naivety.

The youth, I believe, must first assess their state of being and the state of their society’s being before making rash decisions to follow in the footsteps of the celebrity they are taught to worship by the media houses of the world that are largely owned by members of a ‘high’ class resident in some plush mansion in the exclusive suburbias of the First World. Those that end up in criminal activity are more often than less in pursuit of some standard foreign to their immediate vicinity or domicile. And of what use is the foreign if the only application it finds on local turf incites children into criminality? The youth must first learn to love their locale before they try to be something they see on the TV screen. What the youth of today are forced to watch on the screen is the “Expensive Sh#@%” Fela Kuti speaks against in his lyrics.

There are messages interspersed in the various books of history, in the lyrics of those musicians that truly stood for the rights of the youth of this world, because they knew that the children of the world are indeed the future of humanity. The political lie goes on to show pictures of a dead Hector Peterson 40 years after a policeman’s bullet took his life away. What we need to see are pictures of his life, that is, what he really stood for and believed in, without inciting the youth of today into the violent tantrums and episodes of looting and burning they often go into.

The politician should know that he is the primary teacher of society, and that what he teaches in his orations lands on the ears of the youth. The politician must at all times be aware that the old adage, “small jars have big ears,” is true: the youth, due to their inexperience, will often consider what is said by a public figure in government as true. Many of the speeches that are made this month portray the youth of 1976 as heroes, and of course they are, but if the violence of June 16 is portrayed as a valiant act the youth of today should mirror, then we are losing the plot: for the truth of the moment is that the previously oppressed majority own the government, and teaching the heroics of the violence of the past is no different to shooting oneself in the leg. New lessons need to be taught to the children, and the truth of the moment should form the mainstay of the lessons taught. Speaking of the violence of the past just so that one can garner in votes is miseducation.

The majority of the ruling class in Africa are the products of colonial education; that their ways will tend towards the imperialist tendencies of colonialism should be of no surprise to the youth seeking to rid him or herself of colonial tendencies. The lessons one receives from observing the ruling classes make it easy for one to make this conclusion: we need to rid ourselves of the oppressive ways of the colonist and the segregationist first to progress. That we treat each other based on class, race, religion, and political affiliation is the direct result of the lessons taught by history, and to move forward into a harmonious future, we should first get rid of the mentalities the history of the world and the continent taught to us.

BOB MARLEY: They don’t want to see us unite, All they want us to do is keep on fussing and fighting -Top Ranking

One can never hope to beat the debauched ways of the colonist and the oppressor, if they become the colonist and oppressor themselves. Tell me not that this is not the truth, for visionaries like Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, King Moshoeshoe I, Mahatma Ghandi and other heroes of the struggle for human freedom speak against it in their words. King Moshoeshoe I spoke against nepotism in his words when he taught that we should not view each other in the light of race and ethnicity.

The Basotho became one nation made of many different tribes because this wise king knew that the only thing he could do to unite people in the midst of raging Lifaqane wars was embracing the difference/s between the many different tribes and melding them into one harmonious philosophy of governance. Modern day political leaders could gain much from this lesson if they realised one fact: the state and the unity of the citizens is of more essence than petty party politics. The youth should refrain from engaging in political activities that focus on dividing them as a nation. Politics are not more important than keeping the beautiful spirit of neighbourliness salient to the running of a good society and progressive state.

Bob Marley wrote two songs whose words reverberate in one’s mind if such one is a human being that needs to see the world progress in harmony. The songs Top Ranking and Babylon System present a clear picture as to why the world is forever stuck in the clutches of chaos; the top ranks of the world deal with the developing world in a manner that incites such malaises as civil war and endless strife. The standards set present violence as the only solution to solving conflicts that would otherwise be amicably solved if the youth were made aware of the sour grapes of war’s wrath.

That young women and men are taught at school to ‘succeed’ at ‘all costs’ regardless of the needs of their fellow citizens is a lesson one should ignore, for one’s success is in reality the result of the concerted efforts of other known and unknown human individuals. The success of an engineer in his career is determined by the often uneducated labourers on his projects, and the success of a banker depends on the deposits made by the various individuals using the services of his banking institution. There is never success made in isolation: all are involved in a harmonious circle of unity. The politician that makes it into parliament and government should never forget the voters in his support and in his opposition; all are involved in justifying his place in running the state. The youth must never forget that their success depends on the relationships they have with other people; their success can never be achieved in isolation, and they first they must rid themselves of the chains of histories past.

One can never see his or her dream succeed if they have their mind stuck in the past or listens to the sermons of the priests of division and oppression. Nelson Mandela always referred to the philosophy of Ubuntu which teaches the simple lesson that:

I am, because we are.

He did not teach that some are smarter than others because they followed a certain religion or philosophy, or, that they were better beings because they belonged to a certain race, creed, or, were affiliates to a certain political party. Muhammad Ali echoes these words in his quote when he states:

The greatest victory in life is to rise above the material things that we once valued most.

The world the youth of today live in is steeped in a mentality of materialism, and materialism breeds selfishness, and selfishness soon grows into violence; for the selfish individual soon believes they have the right to own everything regardless of the prevailing conditions. We are a continent rich in minerals or natural resources, but the poverty gaps are in many states abysmal. This is due to imperialist principles of colonialism, and we can only turn the tide if we teach our youth to be more considerate of the condition of others. After all, one can never truly be in the absence of others. This is the basic truth of life. So the youth should know.

S. Mothibi, Esq.

Insight

Down in the Dump: Conclusion

Published

1 month ago

December 2, 2024

The Post

I closed last week by recording the dreadful news that trashy Trump had been elected called to mind WB Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming.” This is the poem whose opening lines gave Chinua Achebe the phrase “things fall apart.”

Yeats observes “Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.”

It was written in 1919 and controversially uses Christian imagery relating to the Apocalypse and the Second Coming to reflect on the atmosphere in Europe following the slaughter of the First World War and the devastating flu epidemic that followed this.

It also reflects on the Irish War of Independence against British rule.

In lines that I can now read as if applying to the recent American election, Yeats mourns: “The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.”

And then I can visualise Trump in the poem’s closing lines: “What rough beast is this, its hour come round at last, / Slouching towards Bethlehem to be born?”

Trump is certainly a rough beast and isn’t the choice of verb, slouching, just perfect? For a non-allegorical account of the threat posed by the Dump, I can’t do better than to quote (as I often do) that fine South African political journalist, Will Shoki. In his words: “Trump’s administration simply won’t care about Palestinians, about the DRC, about the Sudanese.

It will be indifferent to the plight of the downtrodden and the oppressed, who will be portrayed as weak and pathetic. And it will give carte blanche [that is, free rein] to despotism and tyranny everywhere.

Not even social media, that once revered third-space we associated with subversion and revolution in the first quarter of the 21st century can save us because Silicon Valley is in Trump’s back pocket.”

So what follows the triumph of the Dump? We can’t just sit down and moan and bemoan. In a more recent piece of hers than the one I quoted last week, Rebecca Solnit has observed: “Authoritarians like Trump love fear, defeatism, surrender. Do not give them what they want . . . We must lay up supplies of love, care, trust, community and resolve — so we may resist the storm.”

Katt Lissard tells me that on November 7th following the confirmation of the election result, in the daytime and well into the evening in Manhattan, New York, there was a large demonstration in support of the immigrants Trump despises.

And a recent piece by Natasha Lennard gives us courage in its title “The Answer to Trump’s Victory is Radical Action.”

So, my Basotho readers, how about the peaceful bearing of some placards in front of the US Embassy in Maseru? Because the Dump doesn’t like you guys and gals one little bit.

One last morsel. I had intended to end this piece with the above call to action, but can’t resist quoting the following comment from the New York Times of November 13th on Trump’s plans to appoint his ministers.

I’m not sure a satirical gibe was intended (the clue is in the repeated use of the word “defence”), but it made me guffaw nonetheless. “Trump will nominate Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host with no government experience, as his defence secretary. Hegseth has often defended Trump on TV.” You see, it’s all about the Dump.

Chris Dunton is a former Professor of English and Dean of Humanities at the National University of Lesotho.

Insight

A question of personal gain

Published

2 months ago

November 26, 2024

The Post

Recently, an audio recording featuring the distressed MP for Thaba-Bosiu Constituency, Joseph Malebaleba, circulated on social media. The MP appears to have spent a sleepless night, struggling with the situation in which he and his associates from the Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party were denied a school feeding tender valued at M250 million per annum.

In 2022, Lesotho’s political landscape underwent a significant shift with the emergence of the RFP led by some of the country’s wealthiest individuals. Among them was Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, arguably one of the richest people in Lesotho, who took the helm as the party’s leader and ultimately, the Prime Minister of Lesotho.

The RFP’s victory in the general election raised eyebrows, and their subsequent actions have sparked concerns about the motivations behind their involvement in politics.

In an interview with an American broadcasting network just after he won the elections, Matekane made a striking statement, proclaiming that he would run Lesotho exactly as he runs his business.

At first glance, many thought he was joking, but as time has shown, his words were far from an idle threat. In the business world, the primary goal is to maximize profits, and it appears that the RFP is adopting a similar approach to governance.

Behind the scenes, alarming developments have been unfolding. A communication from an RFP WhatsApp group revealed a disturbing request from the Minister of Communications, Nthati Moorosi, who asked if anyone in the group had a construction business and could inbox her.

This raises questions about the RFP’s focus on using government resources to benefit their own business interests.

The government has been embroiled in a series of scandals that have raised serious concerns about the ethical conduct of its officials. Recent reports have revealed shocking incidents of misuse of public funds and conflicts of interest among key government figures.

Over the past two years, the RFP has been accused of awarding government contracts to companies affiliated with their members, further solidifying concerns about their self-serving agenda. For instance, vehicles purchased for the police were allegedly sourced from suppliers connected to a Minister’s son and MP.

The MP for Peka, Mohopoli Monokoane, was found to have hijacked fertiliser intended to support impoverished farmers, diverting crucial resources away from those in need for personal gain.

Such actions not only betray the trust of the public but also have a direct impact on the livelihoods of vulnerable communities. Monokoane appeared before the courts of law this week.

While farmers voice their concerns regarding fertiliser shortages, it seems that Bishop Teboho Ramela of St. Paul African Apostolic Church, who is also a businessman, is allegedly involved in a corrupt deal concerning a M10 million fertilizer allocation, benefiting from connections with wealthy individuals in government.

The procurement of fertiliser appears to be mired in controversy; recall that the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, Thabo Mofosi, was also implicated in the M43 million tender.

The renovation of government buildings with elaborate lighting systems was contracted to a company owned by the son of an MP. The RFP’s enthusiasm for infrastructure development, specifically road construction and maintenance, is also tainted by self-interest, as they have companies capable of performing these tasks and supplying the necessary materials, such as asphalt.

Minister Moteane finds himself in a compromising situation regarding a lucrative M100 million airport tender that was awarded to his former company. Ministers have even gone so far as to award themselves ownership of diamond mines.

Meanwhile, the nation struggles with national identification and passport shortages, which according to my analysis the RFP seems hesitant to address until they can find a way to partner with an international company that will benefit their own interests.

The people of Lesotho are left wondering if their leaders are truly committed to serving the nation or simply lining their own pockets. As the RFP’s grip on power tightens, the consequences for Lesotho’s democracy and economy hang precariously in the balance.

It is imperative that citizens remain vigilant and demand transparency and accountability from their leaders, lest the nation slide further into an era of self-serving governance.

In conclusion, the RFP’s dominance has raised serious concerns about the motives behind their involvement in politics. The apparent prioritisation of personal profit over public welfare has sparked widespread disillusionment and mistrust among the population.

As Lesotho navigates this critical juncture, it is essential that its leaders are held accountable for their actions and that the nation’s best interests are placed above those of individuals.

Only through collective effort and a strong commitment to transparency and accountability can Lesotho ensure a brighter future for all its citizens.

Ramahooana Matlosa

Insight

Down in the Dump: Part One

Published

2 months ago

November 26, 2024

The Post

Attentive readers will recall that some weeks ago, I scribbled a series of pieces on elections due to be held in the UK, France, South Africa, and the USA. These elections were unusually critical for the well-being of their countries and even that of the world.

The results of the last of these elections are now with us and we are faced with the devastating news that Donald Trump is heading back to the White House.

I can hardly think of worse news to swallow or to equip the world to survive the years ahead.

The Dump, as I call him, is one of the most odious, dangerous, untrustworthy individuals currently inhabiting planet Earth. To cite a few of his demerits: he is a convicted felon; he believes climate change is a hoax; he is a sexist and a racist (one of his former military advisers has gone so far as to describe him as a fascist).

He is a snuggle buddy of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and will probably discontinue aid to Ukraine as it resists invasion by Russia. Western European allies such as France, Germany and the UK are dismayed at his victory, as he holds the principles of democracy and constitutionalism in contempt.

As for Africa, well, he once described it as a “shit country,” so don’t look forward to much support from him.

Readers who spent time at the NUL will remember my dear colleague Katt Lissard who is now back home in New York. She spent some years with us as a Professor specialising in Theatre studies and was the Artistic Director of our international Winter / Summer Institute for Theatre for Development.

Many activists in the USA like Katt, who don’t see themselves as part of the political mainstream, chose to campaign for the Democrats and Kamala Harris in the hope of keeping Trump and the far right out of power. Confronted with the news of Trump’s victory, she sent an email to friends noting this was “just a brief check-in from the incomprehensible USA.”

She then explained: “We’re in shock and the early days of processing, but white supremacy, misogyny and anti-immigrant bias are alive and well and driving the boat here.” So, how do Katt and millions of decent, like-minded Americans plan to weather the storm?

Katt explained: “We were deeply depressed and deeply furious as it became clear that one of the worst human beings on the planet was going back to the White House, but we are still breathing and know that we will in the days ahead begin to formulate plans and strategies—and not just for heading north across the Canadian border.”

Picking up on that last point, it may well be that many decent Americans might just up and off across the border; Canada had better prepare for an avalanche of applications for residence permits.

And not just from Americans; in, for example, the American university system alone there are many many Africans employed in high positions (Professors and such-like), who must now face the fact they are living in a country whose leader despises them and who may opt to get out.

In her email written to her friends, once the news from hell had been confirmed, Katt quoted a piece by Rebecca Solnit, one of the most exciting writers at work in the USA today (readers may remember that I have previously reviewed two of her books for this newspaper, Whose Story is This? and Recollections of My Non-Existence).

Now Solnit is a feminist and at the heart of her work is a dissection of the way women have been marginalised in the USA (let’s remember that Kamala Harris, the Presidential candidate who lost to Trump, did so partly because so many American males could not bring themselves to vote for a woman.

I am thinking of the kind of male who invaded the White House when it was announced Trump had lost the 2020 election, bare-chested and wearing cow-horn helmets on their numbskull heads).

Solnit has this to say on our response to the Trump victory: “They want you to feel powerless and to surrender and to let them trample everything and you are not going to let them.

You are not giving up and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving.

You may need to grieve or scream or take time off, but you have a role no matter what, and right now good friends and good principles are worth gathering in.

Remember what you love. Remember what loves you. Remember in this tide of hate what love is.” And then: “A lot of us are going to resist by building solidarity and sanctuary.”

What is so morale-boosting about Solnit’s piece is not just her vision but also her command of language.
Her writing is so crisp and elegant. Language comes at us at its best, of course, in literature, and when I heard that the Dump was on the move back to the White House, I immediately recalled one of the most startling poems in the English language, “The Second Coming” by the Irish poet WB Yeats.

I’ll kick off with that next week.

To be concluded

Chris Dunton