FATHERS OF NATIONS GUIDE, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSFathers of Nations Chapter Three Summary (Pg.21-45)The story behind Agency for Governance and Development in Africa (AGDA)
The chapter unfolds with a flashback into Prof. Kimani's life. Prof. Kimani joined the University of Nairobi directly as a senior lecturer straight from the University of Oxford where he studied.
A month after his arrival, Prof. Kimani launched a noisy debate in which he dcmandcd that thc Univcrsiy of Nairobi henceforth strive for bcing rclcvant to the society rather than simply focusing on dclivcring cxccllcncc in work, Six months later, his clarion call prevailed. The University's official motto became "Relevance to the society." After winning this first war, he wedged another one which was even noisier. He wanted the university to be an agent of change not a mere spectator of it. In the meantime, he married Asiya Omondi. He became a Professor and now felt complete. A global economic recession hit Africa. Jobs and incomes shrank. To get out of the crisis, Africa had to make changes and donors were the architects of these proposed changes. Donors demanded for change and Africa obliged. Prof. Kimani had a daughter, Tuni, a name she owes to Tunisia, her country of conception. Parliament staged an economic coup to improve on their remunerations. When he started teaching, Members of Parliament (MP) earned less. what professors took home as salary. After the coup, an MP rakes up to a hundred times the income of a professor.
A family discussion is underway between a father, mother and daughter. From the discussion, it's clear that the state has failed terribly in discharging its mandate and therefore the only way is to be the agent of change oneself.
Meanwhile, Tuni shares what an instructor told her on why women are susceptible and fall easy prey to predators as lack of awareness of where women are, a look of weakness & helplessness and a temptation to stray. A comparison is drawn between Prof. Kimani and Newborn Walomu, professor's former junior colleague and now a Member of Parliament. From the comparison, Kimani who is stuck at the university, is doing poorly while Walomu is doing very well after joining politics and having become an MP. Tuni, the only daughter and child to Prof. Kimani dies in a road accident. Tuni had to use public service vehicle because his father's car was not in good condition. This infuriated Asiya Omondi. Prof. Kimani and his spouse Asiya Omondi were inconsolable over their daughter's death. In the evening, Asiya drops a bombshell to her husband that she would be leaving. She says Newborn Walomu, the MP and Professor's former junior colleague, had asked to marry her. Asiya Omondi feels Tuni would be alive if Prof. Kimani had — she wouldn't have used the public service vehicle a real car that caused the fatal accident. She left the following morning to Newborn Walomu's place. Prof. Kimani goes for Newborn Walomu and petitions why he had decided to take his wife. A scuffle begins at the MP's office. The police come in and arrest both. Prof Kimani is charged with "assaulting a Member of Parliament." His university demotes him from a full Professor to a senior lecturer, the point he started at when he joined the university. A six months' jail term follows. He's a dejected man. Meanwhile, Prof. Kimani hears a knock at the door. A white man of about 50 is standing outside, ICs Mr. Tad Longway. After a lengthy discussion, Mr. Longway asks Prof. Kimani to join AGDA whose mission is to question Africa's status quo. He further asks him to follow Path Alpha, a strategy built on the idea that a present, public discontent exprcsscs itself in acts that cancel out instead of adding up. Path Alpha will correct the anomaly by "mobilizing civic discontent into will to change." Mr. Longway tells Prof. Kimani if he joins Path Alpha he would go down for orientation at their headquarters in Cape Town and he will also attend the next summit of Africa's heads of state in Banjul, Gambia. He's enlisted as a member of Path Alpha the following day. The loss of his daughter, desertion by his wife, mistreatment by his university and state had tested him hard and long. He had reached the boiling point.
1 Comment
mwabisi
30/4/2024 08:55:17
best summary keep up
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