Amin was loving, he cared about children
Aug 23, 2005
<b>George Bita</b><br>WHILE growing up in Mbale town in the late 1970s I recall how then president Idi Amin Dada visited the area.
George Bita
WHILE growing up in Mbale town in the late 1970s I recall how then president Idi Amin Dada visited the area.
The towering giant of a man literally jumped out of a helicopter, danced briefly to local Gisu rhythms and then took time to shake hands of children nearby.
From that moment I developed a liking for this man who could take time from his busy schedule to chat up kids even before shaking hands of dignitaries eagerly awaiting the chance.
I had never thought that there would be another popular leader with guts to shove away adults and take time to talk at length with children after Jesus Christ did it nearly 2000 of years ago.
Children took time learning songs praising Amin as some kind of saintly figure, far from the ‘dictator or savage beast’ often referred to .
Actually I believe many of us who were children at that time subscribe to the opinion that Amin was simply like any other African leader out to rule the masses ‘until the time for going away comes.’
So when his family and other concerned citizens come out to question the legality of portraying the former president in films as a villain I totally concur with them. The film, Rise and Fall of Idi Amin had its exaggerations for the sake of box office sales and we cannot rule out the same with the current The Last King of Scotland, to be released next year.
Even Forest Whitaker, acting the Amin part in this latest film confessed that his research prior to filming revealed a very different context of the man many refer to in no kind words.
Traditionally, in Africa we rarely speak evil of the dead. I think the same applies to using the name of the dead to make cash. One may be a rogue all his or her life but that ceases immediately after death. In fact, now that Amin is gone it would be so un-African to portray him as a criminal on screen for the sake of minting money.
Amin made his mistakes but let us not capitalise on that and forget the errors of subsequent regimes in this country. Why not borrow a leaf from our neighbouring states who have had worse leaders but have moved on closing those dark chapters of their country’s olden times for good?
It is common knowledge that films have, over the ages been used to reconstruct history for usually selfish interests.
Amin’s son Taban Amin, reportedly talked about seeking a court order to compel the film makers of the latest film to consult them before screening it. In his own words: “They are making big cash, we shall need big cash.†This monetary aspect definitely means we should expect embellishment all in the name of money-making. Let us remember that true Africans never reprimand the dead.
The writer was born during Amin’s regime
WHILE growing up in Mbale town in the late 1970s I recall how then president Idi Amin Dada visited the area.
The towering giant of a man literally jumped out of a helicopter, danced briefly to local Gisu rhythms and then took time to shake hands of children nearby.
From that moment I developed a liking for this man who could take time from his busy schedule to chat up kids even before shaking hands of dignitaries eagerly awaiting the chance.
I had never thought that there would be another popular leader with guts to shove away adults and take time to talk at length with children after Jesus Christ did it nearly 2000 of years ago.
Children took time learning songs praising Amin as some kind of saintly figure, far from the ‘dictator or savage beast’ often referred to .
Actually I believe many of us who were children at that time subscribe to the opinion that Amin was simply like any other African leader out to rule the masses ‘until the time for going away comes.’
So when his family and other concerned citizens come out to question the legality of portraying the former president in films as a villain I totally concur with them. The film, Rise and Fall of Idi Amin had its exaggerations for the sake of box office sales and we cannot rule out the same with the current The Last King of Scotland, to be released next year.
Even Forest Whitaker, acting the Amin part in this latest film confessed that his research prior to filming revealed a very different context of the man many refer to in no kind words.
Traditionally, in Africa we rarely speak evil of the dead. I think the same applies to using the name of the dead to make cash. One may be a rogue all his or her life but that ceases immediately after death. In fact, now that Amin is gone it would be so un-African to portray him as a criminal on screen for the sake of minting money.
Amin made his mistakes but let us not capitalise on that and forget the errors of subsequent regimes in this country. Why not borrow a leaf from our neighbouring states who have had worse leaders but have moved on closing those dark chapters of their country’s olden times for good?
It is common knowledge that films have, over the ages been used to reconstruct history for usually selfish interests.
Amin’s son Taban Amin, reportedly talked about seeking a court order to compel the film makers of the latest film to consult them before screening it. In his own words: “They are making big cash, we shall need big cash.†This monetary aspect definitely means we should expect embellishment all in the name of money-making. Let us remember that true Africans never reprimand the dead.
The writer was born during Amin’s regime