Beyond Expectations

Edward Orony Omolo and Kennedy Omolo have used their bicultural advantage to write a narrative on how the cruel culture of corruption, impunity, status quo, infidelity, poverty, ethnicity and tribalism in their fictitious home in Africa, a country called Konza, a country in which the contents about tribalism, corruption, and impunity dominate national dialogue. Edward and his brother are both sojourners, but they have found different paths through the maze of American culture. They don't want to get back to their home after living in the real world, a new country, where things made sense, where rules are obeyed and the basic logic of the universe apply. Returning home to a country, nothing made sense, no rules are obeyed, corruption is rampant. Now they have used their learning to see through the eyes of others that could lead to success in exposing corruption in their old home. They have used Ben Ondoro Nyageng'o of Ongor town, a person who has battled with infidelity and corruption without success. Every person has an individual response to these vices and the path or strategy one chooses not to be acculturated by corruption depends on many things, their personality, their circumstantial or whether they are the people who plans to stay away from the vices. They seem to be in what is called is called "rejection" or "separation" of the old culture in favor of a new clean culture at the new home. Meanwhile they have moved towards "assimilation," or "rejection" of their home culture in favor of the new one. They have experienced how these vices destroyed many lives, teenage girls, becoming victims of unplanned marriages that destined them to the titles of the "other wives." This novel is about understanding corruption and its gratification. Konzans are good people, like people everywhere in the modern world. Some contents in the novel may be exaggerated but resonate with corruption everywhere in our society. Even in the developed west, there are notoriously corrupt government officials. Most Konzans have read or heard the common stories of corruption, the police looking for bribes from the public and businesses, payroll frauds, bribes to the judiciary which was riddled with Mega-corruption which could have been stopped. Corruption in a civilized society is a disease like cancer, which if not detected in time, is sure to spread its malignancy among the institution of the country, leading to disastrous consequences." Corruption wants it all, just like cancer. Corruption is a living thing, just trying to get by. Some people get corrupt, not because they're evil, but because of Money, Power, Greed, - the Achilles heel of capitalism has to do with the mind and emotions of men and women. in "Money and the Meaning of Life." There is more money at the top, so people lie, cheat and steal to get even more. "Animals prey on each other physically. Man, with his superior intelligence doesn't prey on his fellow man physically, but rather financially. Man is so avaricious that every conceivable law regarding money has to be passed to protect man from his fellow man regarding greed!" And so, my friends, the behavior we witness today in Konza is nothing new; those in power betrayed the public trust. They abused it to get the money and the power money brings. The more money there is at stake the more lies, deceit, and corruption that will be realized. Perhaps the greatest failure of the administration in Konza had been the opportunity it missed to re-engineer a national culture consistent with the values spelled out or assumed by the constitution: A less tribalized nation, a less selfish society, a culture where people claim their rights as well as their responsibilities, a culture that does not tolerate mediocrity and excuses. It is captivating, it is shuddering, full of mesmeric grit...This novel is already unforgettable... Just promise that you will read this touchy novel cover to cover and pass it on to your friends and relatives.