“Ngakhulela edolobhaneni elincane elisesifundazweni esisenyakatho,” kulandisa uDauda waseSierra Leone. “Ngesinye isikhathi, ngisewumfana, umkhaya wakithi wake wabanga indawo nomunye umkhaya. Yomibili yayithi leyondawo ngeyayo. Ukuze kuxazululwe lendaba, kwabizwa inyanga. Yanikeza enye indoda isibuko, yayisiyimboza ngendwangu emhlophe. Ngokushesha lendoda embozwe ngendwangu yaqala ukuqhaqhazela futhi yajuluka. Njengoba yayibheke isibuko, yamemeza: ‘Ngibona kusondela ikhehla elithile! Ligqoke izingubo ezimhlophe. Lide futhi ligugile, limpunga ekhanda, futhi lihamba lithi ukukhokhoba.’

“Yayichaza uMkhulu wami! Yabe isivukwa amadlingozi yayisimemeza: ‘Uma ningakukholelwa engikushoyo, wozani nizozibonela!’ Yiqiniso, akekho kithi owayenesibindi sokwenza lokho! Inyanga yayidambisa ngokuyifafaza ngenhlanganisela yomlingo eyenziwe ngamaqabunga namanzi, eyayiyiphethe ngegobongo.

“Ekhuluma ngomuntu osesibukweni, ‘uMkhulu’ wathi leyondawo ngeyomkhaya wakithi. Watshela ugogo ukuthi kufanele alime leyondawo ngaphandle kokukhathazeka. Lona omunye umkhaya wasamukela lesosinqumo. Impikiswano yaxazululeka.”

 Okuhlangenwe nakho okunjalo kuvamile eNtshonalanga Afrika. Lapha, njengakwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba, izigidi ezingenakubalwa zikholelwa ukuthi abantu abafileyo badlulela ezweni lomoya, lapho bekwazi khona ukubona nokuthonya ukuphila kwabantu abasemhlabeni. Ingabe lenkolelo iyiqiniso? Ingabe abafileyo bayaphila ngempela? Uma kungenjalo, bangobani labo abathi bayimimoya yabafileyo? Ukwazi izimpendulo ezinembile kulemibuzo kubaluleke kakhulu. Kuyindaba yokufa nokuphila.