We are continuing our African Journey across the African Continent, East to West. We land at the Nairobi, Kenya airport from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (January, 1974).
We check into the Nairobi Hilton. I am excited. Seeing a billboard of Jomo Kenyatta, the Father of the Nation, and people like me in the majority, is empowering. Kenya celebrated its tenth year of freedom and independence from colonial rule last year. Nairobi is one of the two major cities. It has the look and feel of a cosmopolitan city.
We spend our time sight seeing, eating and resting in our hotel. Mr. F. arranges for a tour guide and we see the familiar tourist sites. I will always remember the popular Wild Life Reserve. I took many pictures of the animals. Nairobi's assets are its wild life resources and admirable climate. The city is 1,661 meters above sea level. I enjoy walking on the streets, looking at the people, and walking between the hotel and shops. I feel completely safe. En route to the airport, I leave behind in the taxi the prints I purchased of the revered first president Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya.
Excerpts from the poem: To "Our Mzee Jomo Kenyatta" By Ommar Nassar
"The father of our land of mountains, rivers and sun
This land of plenty where once much evil was done
Where the unity of the masses was one red-hot rod
This land where the Mau Mau received the blessings of God.
When the patriots fought to free it to every bit of sand
That the people should enjoy the fruits of this land.
Mzee, it was you who proclaimed our first economic war
To enable every mwananchi to possess just a little more."
Excerpts from the poem, The Sons of Africa by Grace Ndelimiko
"Oh, Africa the continent of my birth,
Time is now here for you to rejoice,
Your sons now stand among men,
Their voices cannot longer be ignored,
Their initials they have carved,
among great names of the world,
Your lamentations are turned to expectations."
We rejoin Yemane, Trixie and little Zehai at the airport in Lagos, Nigeria. The flight distance from Nairobi to Lagos is 2,368 miles. A beautiful flight day, we fly over Lake Victoria.
On immediate sight, there are mosquito bites all over the faces and arms of Yemane, Trixie and little Zehai. The guys decided we would bypass Lagos since Yemane had spent time there.They are flying back to the United States. I had enough time to deplane and set foot on Nigerian soil and haggle for the purchase of a female head carving in side the airport. So on to Accra, Ghana.
(c) copyright 2015
