Wizard Of The Crow By Ngugi Wa Thiong’o Book Review- Stella Inabo
Set in a fictional country that has a number of similarities with Kenya, the homeland of the author, The Wizard of The Crow is a masterpiece. It starts out on an interesting premise and does not fail to deliver.
Free Republic of Aburiria is ruled by an authoritarian leader called the Ruler. He is surrounded by praise singers who act as his ministers. His interests are supreme and one with the state and therefore he has “legitimacy”. On closer inspection, it can be seen that not all is right with the state. Through the eyes of Kamiti, a young unemployed graduate we see the evils of the system. Corruption and inequality are widespread, the author creating the picture with funny scenes. But it is impossible to brush over the seriousness of the situation. Kamiti become the Wizard of the Crow by chance but his character shows that good can be found in Aburiria.
The novel explored important themes that seem to appear in every African society. The first and most obvious is the power hungry politicians that hold onto power for as long as they can and by all means. The author clearly portrays that these rulers remain in power by coercion and the use of fear. However, hope is found in the opposition movements that call for change even at the threat of annihilation.
The second is the white elephant projects that rulers in Africa embark on in a bid to make a name for themselves. These projects often have no real benefit to the people but can receive backing from the world’s financial giants if there is something in it for them.
He does not leave the issue of legitimacy untouched. The Ruler is blind to the disapproval of his “subjects” to his ways but is willing to travel abroad to gain approval by foreign powers. The people he governs are not important but the praise of other countries is what matters.
Feminism is also a strong theme in the book. Nyawari is a strong woman and she empowers other women. She is the leader of the Movement of the Voice of the People, the opposition group calling for change in “Free Republic of Aburiria”. She also acts as the Wizard of the Crow too when it falls upon her to do so. Ngugi challenges the norms of what a woman should be or do in the society. He pokes fun at traditions that are unfair to women and should be changed.
The characters are memorable, and personally, I liked Nyawari and Kamiti a lot. They both took up the office of Wizard of the Crow and used it to address problems in their society. The Ruler reminded me of many African leaders, a mirror showing how these men may actually think or feel. His ministers showed the scheming and manipulative side of Africans that think of only themselves. The characters, Tarijika and Kaniuru are a sad reminder of dangerous men that are groomed by an evil system.
The book makes a strong use of oral storytelling to advance its plot. We hear and understand events by the stories and rumors flying around the citizens of Aburiria. The characters in the book each put a hand in the progression of the story. Misconceptions and lies are everywhere and they determine where next the story goes.
The characters are often quite silly and self-conceited. There is a lot of exaggerations in the book. The Ruler’s illness turns out to be very strange and medically impossible. The ministers have some body parts surgically changed in ways that give cause for concern but the bizarre improvements seem commonplace. All these serve as a way to illustrate the greed and evil that resides in the heart of the bad leaders.
The Wizard of the Crow at its core teaches that change for the people can come if they work together to achieve it. It ends with a promise of hope for the future even in the face of evil reborn in the form of Tarijika.
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