Dear Olosho le Maa

Over the years you have neglected to take care of yourself and it is with great sadness that we continue to watch as your overall health continues to deteriorate rather rapidly. You need to immediately start taking care of yourself so you can stay healthy and feel your best. Although this is very important at any age, it is even more so now that you have a few grey hairs coming in. Here are a few simple pointers to get you started.

1. Respect Your Women Folk

• Your wife is your better half, your spouse, your significant other, your partner, your confidant, mother of your children. Certainly NOT your property! Always remember that if you want to rise, you rise on the strength of your woman. Put her before anything else including your precious cows!
• There comes a time when you will disagree with your wife. Talk to her. Come to some sort of adult understanding that does not involve a Kunta-like beat down.
• Polygamy is not just a financial burden you can’t sustain at the moment but drama that will further jeopardize regaining optimum health. Perhaps you can revisit it once you are back in your prime or not.

2. Let Children be Children

• Educate your children equally. There are a dime-a-dozen NGO’s clamoring over each other to put your child through school. Take full advantage of this opportunity while it lasts.
• Children’s bodies are NOT yours to mutilate! Both boys and girls but more so girls.
• Children can be your helpers. Yes, helpers. REASONABLY! Herding cows in the middle of nowhere by themselves, Not reasonable! Looking for pasture in the middle of night by themselves, Not reasonable! Herding in the middle of the day when school is in session, Not reasonable!

3. Respect Yourself

• Make yourself useful. Getting up at the break of dawn to go into town for a walk about or sitting under an acacia tree all day long is not anyone’s idea of usefulness nor productivity.
• Binge drinking will put you six feet under at any age especially with the increased risk of unprotected sex and HIV. Follow the wisdom of your ancestors and save alcohol for special occasions.
• Recognize your self worth. Value yourself More. Have some self respect. You and you alone are responsible for your own fate. Take full pride in who you are and what you offer. Remember this the next time someone waves a few bucks in your face for you to compromise yourself or your community, be it a tourist, politician or whomever.

4. Land: Milk & Honey

• Never ever sell your land! Unless you bought it solely to resell it.
• If you already have sold your land, it’s never too late to stop. Well, except when it’s all gone and you are being evicted by new owners. OK, STOP NOW!
• If you MUST sell land, INVEST wisely and when i say invest, I don’t mean buy more cows.
• Make use of your beautiful land. Lease. Cultivate. Pasture.

5. Togetherness: Osotua! Naboisho!

• Take back and rebuild your community. Start by electing better leaders.
• Reinforce a strong identity as a group.
• Create bonds that transcend individuals and/ families and embraces Olosho le Maa.

Wishing you all the best with your recovery. Enjoy the time off to put your feet up and come back rested, recharged and energized to recapture your youth and vitality.