A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF HENRY BARLOW’S “BUILDING THE NATION”

Today I did my share in building the nation.
I drove a Permanent Secretary to an important, urgent function
In fact, to a luncheon at the Vic.

The menu reflected its importance
Cold bell beer with small talk,
Then fried chicken with niceties
Wine to fill the hollowness of the laughs
Ice-cream to cover the stereotype jokes
Coffee to keep the PS awake on the return journey.

I drove the Permanent Secretary back.
He yawned many times in back of the car
Then to keep awake, he suddenly asked,
Did you have any lunch friend?
I replied looking straight ahead
And secretly smiling at his belated concern
That I had not, but was slimming!

Upon which he said with a seriousness
That amused more than annoyed me,
Mwananchi, I too had none!
I attended to matters of state.
Highly delicate diplomatic duties you know,
And friend, it goes against my grain,
Causes me stomach ulcers and wind.

Ah, he continued, yawning again,
The pains we suffer in building the nation! So the PS had ulcers too!
My ulcers I think are equally painful
Only they are caused by hunger,
Not sumptuous lunches!

So two nation builders
Arrived home this evening
With terrible stomach pains
The result of building the nation-in different ways!"

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“Building the Nation” is a poem by a Ugandan poet, Henry Muwanga Barlow, that principally explores the lifestyles of the African bourgeoisies who come into power after colonialism and, ideally, simply replace the coloniser. There is need for African leaders to create hope for those they lead, but they are caught up in the same evil lifestyles of their predecessors. What they promised at the end of colonialism is nowhere in sight, and aspects of nation building which were supposed to dominate public and political policies have been thrust to the periphery of human thought. This essay, therefore, seeks to critically analyse this poem in relation to the theme of disillusionment. Experience and style will also be investigated in a way that enhances the central message that the poem is exploring.

The kind of disillusionment that is portrayed in the poem is that which Africans have towards their leaders who have adopted the very tenets of the colonisers from whom they got power. Yet, still, on the other hand, it may be proper to assert that the poem explores the persona’s hope that something can be done to realign African state affairs in relation to nation building. Essentially, the idea of nation building merely turns out to be a more complicated phenomenon where those who are central to the process have their efforts wasted by leaders who can implement policies.

The poem begins with an ironic twist as the persona drives the PS to what is just a luncheon, not necessarily any significant meeting that could help build the nation. The persona states: “Today I did my share/In building the nation./I drove a Permanent Secretary/To an important, urgent function/In fact, to a luncheon at the Vic.” (lines 1 – 5). What was publicised to be a meeting where delegates would discuss issues to do with nation building simply turns to be a feast function. The persona continues showing his disillusionment by stating that at the meeting, “The menu reflected its importance/Cold Bell Beer with small talk, then fried chicken and niceties/Wine …./Ice Cream…./Coffee” (lines 6 – 11). All this reflects the triviality of the meeting where, in essence, serious issues were supposed to be discussed.

A deeper exploration of the whole poem further bears the irony of state and political affairs where leaders have nothing for the people they lead except to satisfy their own desires even at the expense of the poor. The PS lies to his driver that he did not have any meal just as did the driver, yet he treated himself to a lot of feasting. This is evident where the persona states: “I drove the Permanent Secretary back/He yawned many times in the back of the car/Then to keep awake, he suddenly asked/Did you have any lunch friend?” (lines 12 – 15). It is rather sad to note that the PS does not ask whether the driver has eaten something because he is concerned about his welfare; it is simply to keep himself awake through the journey. Such types of abuses are typical of the African bourgeoisie that use their subordinates to further their own causes. The fact that the PS lies that he himself did not eat anything because he “…attended to matters of state / Highly delicate diplomatic duties” (lines 22 – 23) tells us that such a person can do anything even if it means seeing his subordinates dying with hunger when he himself has plenty. His conscience has been corrupted by money and power.

Furthermore, in the poem, two parties represent the two strands of nation builders that are in most African states. On one side we have the local masses, represented by the driver; while on the other hand, we have politicians, represented by the PS, who are busy squandering public funds which can be used to rebuild their nations. The masses are the hard-working people whose benevolence is easily taken for granted by those in power. There are those who eat extravagantly and those who eat nothing at all. The eating might represent not only food, but the use of other materials as well. Nevertheless, the persona seems to find some hope in the fact that both the African bourgeoisie and the proletariat have their points of vulnerability. They both suffer in one way or another because of their own roles. For instance, the driver becomes sick because of lack of food while the PS becomes sick because of eating too much.

In a broader way, the poem thoroughly depicts two classes in one society. There is the middle class and the lower class; but both of them are supposed to mutually benefit from the national wealth. Yet, the middle class that is represented by the PS exploits the lower class that more often than not comprises those who are involved in the mode of production. For instance, the driver drives the PS to a place where there is feasting while the driver does not take part in the feasting. The role of both classes is to build their nation, but the middle class Africans simply become parasites who feed on the national resources at the expense of the masses. They are not building the nation at all; rather they are busy building their own stomachs.

The poem paints a picture of hope as the sharp irony shows that those who are oppressed know that those who are at the top are marginalising them. This is an important step as far as the liberation of the oppressed is concerned. Additionally, it is a significant step towards national development where national resources will benefit not only the ruling class, but also the masses. Even the end of the poem itself seems to induce a kind of anger that should lead to vengeance. The persona is implicitly appealing to the oppressed to rise to the occasion and deal with the ruling class. The fact that “…two nation builders/Arrived home this evening/With terrible stomach pains/The result of building the nation -/- Different ways” (last stanza) is more like an appeal to emotions where the persona seeks action from the masses.

Even the simple language of the poem itself seems to imply that it is mostly directed to countrymen who are being exploited by the ruling class. In very straightforward terms, the poet lays bare the contradictions that are there in the process of nation building – a process that is only very abstract. Even the fact that the whole poem is ironic tells us that the persona is mocking his fellow countrymen who are involved in the mode of production only to feed the ruling class. Such an aspect is a deliberate intention to inspire a spirit of revolt in the masses. This is even more evident in the quantity of stanzas. The stanza that is exploring the merriment of the PS and the pain of the driver (stanza 3) is the largest, with fifteen lines. This emphasises the pain and suffering of the masses while their leaders are enjoying themselves. Additionally, it also enhances the theme of disillusionment.

To sum up, it is in place to state that “Building the Nation” is more a revolutionary poem than simply an exposition of how things are. Of course, that seems to be the poet’s style of reminding the masses that marginalisation along class lines continue being entrenched, and therefore, something needs to be done. The persona is disillusioned by the lifestyle of African leaders and informs his fellow countrymen about what is actually happening. In a way, the persona calls for a reaction towards the ruling class’s hypocritical nation building where they pretend to have the welfare of the masses at heart, while in real sense they just want to capitalise on their efforts. One strong message can be derived from the poem: let nation building be practical, otherwise the poor are ready to revolt because their goodwill has been taken for granted for too long.

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