Life, struggle, even amidst pain and blood and poverty, seemed beautiful.

We think of politics in terms of power and who has the power. Politics is the end to which that power is put.

Life, struggle, even amidst pain and blood and poverty, seemed beautiful.

Why did Africa let Europe cart away millions of Africa's souls from the continent to the four corners of the wind? How could Europe lord it over a continent ten times its size? Why does needy Africa continue to let its wealth meet the needs of those outside its borders and then follow behind with hands outstretched for a loan of the very wealth it let go? How did we arrive at this, that the best leader is the one that knows how to beg for a share of what he has already given away at the price of a broken tool? Where is the future of Africa?

In terms of language, English is very dominant vis-Ã-vis African language. That in itself is a power relationship - between languages and communities - because the English language is a determinant of the ladder to achievement.

It was a revelation for me, in a practical sense, that you could write in an African language and still reach an audience beyond that language through the art of translation.

We can appreciate each other's languages. And the question of being uncomfortable about our languages would go away.