Review: Senzenjani Lukhele’s “Tell Me No More”

 

“Tell Me No More” was penned by Swazi author, Senzenjani Lukhele and released in 1986.  The story mostly focuses on the important rule of adoption, and the rights of a child via adoption. The story revolves round the main character Gugu;  who is thrown out of her home by her father, after being accused of adultery and insulting the village’s chief.  Gugu’s crime- if one can call it that- was actually speaking out of turn by giving an opinion during a discussion. However, one of the parties- the chief’s incensed messenger- gives a false report to the chief and his council; Gugu’s father Cele is one of the members of the council.  Cele, to Gugu’s shock as well as her mother’s,  disowns Gugu, calls her a ‘bastard’ and orders her out of his household, hence disowning her. Gugu denies the allegations against her in vain. Cele refuses to relent, dismissing her own account of what really happened.  La-Mncina, hence is forced to reveal the truth of Gugu’s paternity to her before sending her off to her older brother, who lives in Manzini. It’s only after Gugu leaves that Cele is made aware by the chief that he violated the rules of adoption, instead of consulting with the Chief and the council on how Gugu should be dealt with. He stubbornly prefers that Gugu return and ask the Chief's pardon, rather than admit any wrongdoing. 

One could argue that Gugu should not have involved herself in a discussion that had nothing to do with her. Maybe, but she meant no harm by it. She is deferential towards her elders but refuses to apologise for something she didn’t do; a hard task given how women in that society are to be seen and not heard. Still, one can applaud her for standing her ground over her innocence.

La-Mncina, Gugu's mother clearly dotes on her daughter, selling wares like pots and mats to fund her education, even keeping cows to sell to pay for Gugu’s eventual tuition for Nursing school. She was apparently fond of Cele and grateful to him for giving his name to Gugu. His actions however left her disillusioned and in the end, wants nothing to do with him.

Cele,  clearly the antagonist of the novel, is a tyrant and a misogynist with a superiority complex.  He hates being challenged and is quick to anger; he would rather pass the blame to someone else. These flaws eventually lead to his downfall at the end of the novel. His refusal to even admit that he was wrong further makes him an unsympathetic character and one would wonder if he was always like that before the incident( blown out of proportion) ever occurred. 

Probably not, since his actions and attitude shocked Gugu and his wife La-Mncina. More so his brother-in-law, Mncina who returns to Mahamba with Gugu to resolve the matter. Cele further violates tradition by refusing to be lectured by Mncina, even threatening to spear him down. When advised by the chief to ask for his brother-in-law's pardon:

'You mean I will never be head of family again. In future, if I do anything to any member of my family, she will call her elders, and I will have to ask for pardon. I can't.'

  His chief, the only one he listens to, disapproved of Cele’s decision to kick Gugu out of the house, even though he had asked him to take action against her. But he is also a traditionalist, once he finds out Gugu is an adopted child, he regrets telling Cele to do anything.  He is more concerned about keeping the good reputation of the council as well as his own, so the matter finds its way to the court.  

There, customary law is made clear. Mncina was La-Mncina’s oldest brother, hence an elder and he had the right to act on his sister’s behalf. All Cele succeeded, in the end, was making a gigantic ass of himself, yet remained in stubborn denial.

The book- 16 chapters- highlighted how important the rules of adoption were in Swaziland, now Eswanti.  And how one rash decision could grow into another, leading one to face the ramifications. Gugu was painted as the one who erred, yet Cele ended up being the wrongdoer. 

 

“It is a rule meant to protect some and to guide others. It was designed to give protection and status to does who had nothing."