Imat Akello a perfect example of a true African woman
Nov 18, 2008
EDITOR—I was pleased to read Pidson Kareire’s interview with Imat Akello-Opio in The New Vision of November 14.
EDITOR—I was pleased to read Pidson Kareire’s interview with Imat Akello-Opio in The New Vision of November 14.
Akello emerged fifth in the Miss Africa-USA 2008 beauty pageant held in Atlanta, Georgia in the US recently. What struck me in the interview was Akello’s ability to blend African and western culture. She identifies herself as a true African woman and 100% Luo.
She was born in Manzini, Swaziland, but her parents are both Ugandans. Akello has homes in New York and Australia, but this has not rubbed off the fact that she is Ugandan. Throughout the interview, she showed that modernity does not mean looking at our culture with disdain.
She is able to name both her paternal and maternal grandmothers. This is a lesson to us that no matter how far we climb, we should not forget our roots. When you ask the children today where they hail from, do not be shocked to receive answers like I come from Ntinda, Luzira or Kawempe and my father’s name is daddy.
Some of them do not even know their grandparents.
It is a lesson to parents that much as they expose children to ‘modernity’, there is need to make them understand their roots. I urge the youth to borrow a leaf from Akello. They should never uproot the pumpkin of the homestead.
Frank Obonyo
Kampala
Akello emerged fifth in the Miss Africa-USA 2008 beauty pageant held in Atlanta, Georgia in the US recently. What struck me in the interview was Akello’s ability to blend African and western culture. She identifies herself as a true African woman and 100% Luo.
She was born in Manzini, Swaziland, but her parents are both Ugandans. Akello has homes in New York and Australia, but this has not rubbed off the fact that she is Ugandan. Throughout the interview, she showed that modernity does not mean looking at our culture with disdain.
She is able to name both her paternal and maternal grandmothers. This is a lesson to us that no matter how far we climb, we should not forget our roots. When you ask the children today where they hail from, do not be shocked to receive answers like I come from Ntinda, Luzira or Kawempe and my father’s name is daddy.
Some of them do not even know their grandparents.
It is a lesson to parents that much as they expose children to ‘modernity’, there is need to make them understand their roots. I urge the youth to borrow a leaf from Akello. They should never uproot the pumpkin of the homestead.
Frank Obonyo
Kampala