The Wise One of Ramogiland

"In The Wise One of Ramogiland," Joseph R. Alila adresses the role of spirituality in life and governnance in a society in cultural and political transitions. In this fictional novel, Alila explores the work of a woman of wisdom (Nyangi), her Ramogi people, their ways, their politcal leadership, and the perils of politcal cohabitation in a young multiethnic, multiparty democracy. Nyangi's experiences remind the reader that modern religious dispensations might have robbed soothsayers and wizards of a lot of clients of the ordinary kind, but not the important ones: She discovers that the new political and business elites love to have a sixth sense watching over their backs. She is their sixth sense. In her sunset years, she has been abused by the product of her labor-the corrupt politicians; she is abused by her longevity, and she is troubled by the unseemly conduct of her eldest son and heir-apparent (Thomas) whose ascendancy is long overdue.