GUIDE OF THE FATHERS OF THE NATIONS
TITLE
FATHERS OF NATIONS
The title is relevant and apt for it is satirizes the situation in contemporary Africa.
Fathers d Nations is a honorific title given to a person considered the driving force
behind the establishment of a country, state or nation. These are figures in the
African context who once helped drive away the colonial regime and helped their
countries gain self-rule under their leadership. In the contemporary sense, fathers of
nations are basically
the heads of states and governments: presidents.
Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Nation of India is a figure celebrated in
numerous nations and by international organizations, a departure from these
current title holders. On Joseph Stalin's seventieth birthday in 1949, he was bestowed
with the title "Father of Nations" for his establishment of "people's democracies" in
countries occupied by the USSR after World War 11.
In post-colonial Africa, "Father of Nation" was a title used by leaders to refer to their
role in the independence movement as a source of legitimacy and to use paternalist
symbolism as a source of continued popularity.
The title is satirical. In the text, fifty fathers of nations, herein titled heads of state
have met at Banjul —Gambia. The agenda of the summit is not clear. This discussion
thereafter has neither head nor tail. Two rival groups emerge; each advancing its
ideology. There are those for Path Alpha and another group advancing Way Omega.
The debate seems directionless. Thus, what comes to the fore is that the agenda for
Africa is set and dictated by the international financial institutions that continue to
impoverish the continent. Though "fathers" are expected
to give direction, provide agenda, give proper leadership and guidance to their
"children," who in this context are their respective nations and states.
On the contrary, heads of state in Africa seem to be clueless, visionless and without
agenda and this is what ails Africa. Hence, it can be arguably said that the problems
bedeviling Africa stem from poor leadership that has presumably enveloped Africa
1|Page
,as a continent. Needless to say, this poor leadership is not ready to pass over the
baton to a vibrant and visionary leadership. For the longest time ever, after most
countries gained self-rule the continent is still stuck in the realms of poverty,
ignorance, illiteracy and diseases fifty years after independence.
PLOT SUMMARY
Fathers of Nations is a spellbinding and thought-provoking, satirical novel tackling
contemporary issues set in contemporary Africa. Paul B. Vitta uses sarcasm through
humour to enlighten the reader on the social, economic and political wrongs in the
African states. The continent is still struggling with the post independent problems
namely: poverty, ignorance and disease. Instead of solving the same problems, the
states have new entrants which are equally retrogressive to the inhabitants of the
African nations (corruption and impunity). The continent is hence
depicted as having lost sense of direction and moral correctness.
The plot revolves around the lives of four men from different parts of Africa. These
men — Professor Kimani, Comrade Melusi, Engineer Tahir, Pastor Chiamaka, want
the African heads of states in a Summit to ratify and adopt the document that could
transform the continent's economic structures. The above stated four men, have
initially suffered in different ways under the current political systems in their
respective countries. This makes each and every one of them to hold a grudge
against the same systems that affected them and hence starts to press for a possible
change.
Doctor Abiola Afolabi is abandoned by his American wife (Pamela); Professor
Kimani from Kenya has lost his wife (Asiyo Omondi) to a former university
colleague now a politician by the name Newborn Walomu, his daughter — Tuni,
dies in a fatal accident; pastor Chiamaka is a fierce man who is jailed irregularly also
deterred from preaching, finally, Ngobile Melusi a big time politician suffers in the
hands of the new head of state, loses his wife (Ziliza) in a massacre, his Ndebele
people are ruthlessly suppressed and murdered by the head of state's direct order. In
2|Page
,addition to the four men, Engineer Seif Tahir (a nuclear bomb expert), Mr. Thaddeus
Longway, are also dissatisfied by the
African leadership, they are assisted by VOA journalist Fiona McKenzie and
Nicholas Sentinel who in one accord plan to front their agenda before the heads
Summit held in Gambia's capital of Banjul.
A summit of the heads of the African States is planned to take place in Banjul the
capital of Gambia. Fifty heads of states are invited including the Gambian head of
state who is supposed to be the chair of the summit but passes it on to another
president. The heads of states are assembled and accommodated in the Pinnacle
Hotel with their entourage, they look forward to re-adopt the Way Omega ideology
which advocates for a common growth strategy of the citizens which will enable the
donors to continue supporting the African nations through aids and grants. The
ideology is fronted by Minister Zinto who claims that the strategy was well- though
out by experts. The majority of the African head of states seems to be aged and have
over stayed in power, a good example is president Didier Bangoura who is depicted
as senile, Bibo Dibonso who had ruled for forty years (Pg 157), king Jemba - Jemba
IV, who was a king for life, president Wasi Wasi who had commited all sorts of
atrocities including authoring many coups and so many others.
The Path Alpha a counter ideology emanating from AGDA (Agency for Governance
and Development in Africa), which is championed by Mr. Thaddeus Longway, finds
its way to the heads of states summit. Mr. Longway mobilises the likes of Professor
Kimani, Comrade Melusi, Pastor Chiamaka, Doctor Afolabi and Engineer Tahir to
use 'the trick' to table the ideology before the summit to counter thc Way Omega.
Path Alpha is a strategy that advocates for mobilizing civic or public discounted into
will to change. This strategy is to solve the problems some present heads of state
find it difficult to solve. The advocators of Path Alpha champion the strategy
because they want to solve the problems and owing to the fact that they have also
3|Page
, suffered the ugly state abuse and do not want to suffer any more.
The Summit comes to a close in an unprecedented way by 'the fathers of nations'
setting up a committee to bring the matter into a conclusion. The committee set is
given the name The Method Committee which is chaired by President Bangoura
who seems to be terribly confused because of senility. He uses two ways to make a
decision on which strategy to be ratified — the Simple Matrix by a toss of a coin and
Choice Matrix. Ultimately, either way, the path alpha carries the day, meaning the
common citizen wins.
CHAPTER SUMMARIES
Chapter one (Pg. 1-15)
The Four Strangers with the Same Mission
It is evening, four strangcrs check in at The Seamount hotel in Gambia's capital"
Banjul
None of them knows the other three
First to check in is about 609 Karanja Kimani, a professor in the Institute of
Development at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He's assigned a room on the
fourth floor, east wing.
Ngobile Melusi, about 70, a comrade and a citizen of Zimbabweis second to
check in and is allocated a room on the fifth floor of the south wing.
Third to clock in is about 50, Chineke Chiamaka, a pastor at the Church Inside
Africa (CIA) in Lagos, Nigeria. Chiamaka is booked on the sixth floor of the west
wing.
Last to report is another stranger, about 40, his name is SeifTahir, an Engineer
formerly employed by the Ministry of Defense in the Tripoli- Libya. He is
assigned a room on the third-floor north wing.
In less than an hour after the booking all the four "strangers," receives a call from
the same caller who declines to divulge details about himself, He only identifies
himself as the guide and gives the same set of instructions about opening their
4|Page
TITLE
FATHERS OF NATIONS
The title is relevant and apt for it is satirizes the situation in contemporary Africa.
Fathers d Nations is a honorific title given to a person considered the driving force
behind the establishment of a country, state or nation. These are figures in the
African context who once helped drive away the colonial regime and helped their
countries gain self-rule under their leadership. In the contemporary sense, fathers of
nations are basically
the heads of states and governments: presidents.
Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Nation of India is a figure celebrated in
numerous nations and by international organizations, a departure from these
current title holders. On Joseph Stalin's seventieth birthday in 1949, he was bestowed
with the title "Father of Nations" for his establishment of "people's democracies" in
countries occupied by the USSR after World War 11.
In post-colonial Africa, "Father of Nation" was a title used by leaders to refer to their
role in the independence movement as a source of legitimacy and to use paternalist
symbolism as a source of continued popularity.
The title is satirical. In the text, fifty fathers of nations, herein titled heads of state
have met at Banjul —Gambia. The agenda of the summit is not clear. This discussion
thereafter has neither head nor tail. Two rival groups emerge; each advancing its
ideology. There are those for Path Alpha and another group advancing Way Omega.
The debate seems directionless. Thus, what comes to the fore is that the agenda for
Africa is set and dictated by the international financial institutions that continue to
impoverish the continent. Though "fathers" are expected
to give direction, provide agenda, give proper leadership and guidance to their
"children," who in this context are their respective nations and states.
On the contrary, heads of state in Africa seem to be clueless, visionless and without
agenda and this is what ails Africa. Hence, it can be arguably said that the problems
bedeviling Africa stem from poor leadership that has presumably enveloped Africa
1|Page
,as a continent. Needless to say, this poor leadership is not ready to pass over the
baton to a vibrant and visionary leadership. For the longest time ever, after most
countries gained self-rule the continent is still stuck in the realms of poverty,
ignorance, illiteracy and diseases fifty years after independence.
PLOT SUMMARY
Fathers of Nations is a spellbinding and thought-provoking, satirical novel tackling
contemporary issues set in contemporary Africa. Paul B. Vitta uses sarcasm through
humour to enlighten the reader on the social, economic and political wrongs in the
African states. The continent is still struggling with the post independent problems
namely: poverty, ignorance and disease. Instead of solving the same problems, the
states have new entrants which are equally retrogressive to the inhabitants of the
African nations (corruption and impunity). The continent is hence
depicted as having lost sense of direction and moral correctness.
The plot revolves around the lives of four men from different parts of Africa. These
men — Professor Kimani, Comrade Melusi, Engineer Tahir, Pastor Chiamaka, want
the African heads of states in a Summit to ratify and adopt the document that could
transform the continent's economic structures. The above stated four men, have
initially suffered in different ways under the current political systems in their
respective countries. This makes each and every one of them to hold a grudge
against the same systems that affected them and hence starts to press for a possible
change.
Doctor Abiola Afolabi is abandoned by his American wife (Pamela); Professor
Kimani from Kenya has lost his wife (Asiyo Omondi) to a former university
colleague now a politician by the name Newborn Walomu, his daughter — Tuni,
dies in a fatal accident; pastor Chiamaka is a fierce man who is jailed irregularly also
deterred from preaching, finally, Ngobile Melusi a big time politician suffers in the
hands of the new head of state, loses his wife (Ziliza) in a massacre, his Ndebele
people are ruthlessly suppressed and murdered by the head of state's direct order. In
2|Page
,addition to the four men, Engineer Seif Tahir (a nuclear bomb expert), Mr. Thaddeus
Longway, are also dissatisfied by the
African leadership, they are assisted by VOA journalist Fiona McKenzie and
Nicholas Sentinel who in one accord plan to front their agenda before the heads
Summit held in Gambia's capital of Banjul.
A summit of the heads of the African States is planned to take place in Banjul the
capital of Gambia. Fifty heads of states are invited including the Gambian head of
state who is supposed to be the chair of the summit but passes it on to another
president. The heads of states are assembled and accommodated in the Pinnacle
Hotel with their entourage, they look forward to re-adopt the Way Omega ideology
which advocates for a common growth strategy of the citizens which will enable the
donors to continue supporting the African nations through aids and grants. The
ideology is fronted by Minister Zinto who claims that the strategy was well- though
out by experts. The majority of the African head of states seems to be aged and have
over stayed in power, a good example is president Didier Bangoura who is depicted
as senile, Bibo Dibonso who had ruled for forty years (Pg 157), king Jemba - Jemba
IV, who was a king for life, president Wasi Wasi who had commited all sorts of
atrocities including authoring many coups and so many others.
The Path Alpha a counter ideology emanating from AGDA (Agency for Governance
and Development in Africa), which is championed by Mr. Thaddeus Longway, finds
its way to the heads of states summit. Mr. Longway mobilises the likes of Professor
Kimani, Comrade Melusi, Pastor Chiamaka, Doctor Afolabi and Engineer Tahir to
use 'the trick' to table the ideology before the summit to counter thc Way Omega.
Path Alpha is a strategy that advocates for mobilizing civic or public discounted into
will to change. This strategy is to solve the problems some present heads of state
find it difficult to solve. The advocators of Path Alpha champion the strategy
because they want to solve the problems and owing to the fact that they have also
3|Page
, suffered the ugly state abuse and do not want to suffer any more.
The Summit comes to a close in an unprecedented way by 'the fathers of nations'
setting up a committee to bring the matter into a conclusion. The committee set is
given the name The Method Committee which is chaired by President Bangoura
who seems to be terribly confused because of senility. He uses two ways to make a
decision on which strategy to be ratified — the Simple Matrix by a toss of a coin and
Choice Matrix. Ultimately, either way, the path alpha carries the day, meaning the
common citizen wins.
CHAPTER SUMMARIES
Chapter one (Pg. 1-15)
The Four Strangers with the Same Mission
It is evening, four strangcrs check in at The Seamount hotel in Gambia's capital"
Banjul
None of them knows the other three
First to check in is about 609 Karanja Kimani, a professor in the Institute of
Development at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He's assigned a room on the
fourth floor, east wing.
Ngobile Melusi, about 70, a comrade and a citizen of Zimbabweis second to
check in and is allocated a room on the fifth floor of the south wing.
Third to clock in is about 50, Chineke Chiamaka, a pastor at the Church Inside
Africa (CIA) in Lagos, Nigeria. Chiamaka is booked on the sixth floor of the west
wing.
Last to report is another stranger, about 40, his name is SeifTahir, an Engineer
formerly employed by the Ministry of Defense in the Tripoli- Libya. He is
assigned a room on the third-floor north wing.
In less than an hour after the booking all the four "strangers," receives a call from
the same caller who declines to divulge details about himself, He only identifies
himself as the guide and gives the same set of instructions about opening their
4|Page
