Page 24 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 31
P. 24
Economy
ne of the legacies of colonialism that by pointing here or there to the tiny group
has always fascinated me is what I of actual workers. There were others also
Ocall, the “overseer syndrome” This standing and lazily watching the whole scene
is the idea that there is someone who does a like good overseers do. I have also witnessed
job and another one employed to make sure grass cutters in parks also surrounded by lazy
that the worker works. In slavery language, looking overseers. This is an inheritance of
which is the basic language of colonizers, the the colonial mindset of master and servant
overseer is “the slave driver”. which was embedded itself in African
consciousness.
I once witnessed not long ago when we had
a City Council in Nairobi, about two workers A casual look at popular local soap operas on
engaged in repairing a pothole in one of the Kenyan television programming will easily
roads. These two fellows were surrounded by show you that to a Kenyan mind,
about 20 Council workers all surrounding the
two and basically making themselves useful Having someone to cook for you,
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