---But
if there is nothing else said about my people except that they are horse riders
and blanket lovers who are only good for the livestock they herd, let it be
known that my people are a humble people, a giving and thoughtful people---
Ntate Katiso Curtis Sello does not
only have a big belly but he also has a nice big heart to complement it. This
he proved on Saturday evening at the Gala Dinner that his company- Lesotho
Funeral Services (LFS) or rather, ‘Ha Sello’ as we laymen usually refer to it,
or even Lesotho Funeral(s) in the plural as Mama Doti kept stating– hosted as a
means to raise funds that would help to bury ninety corpses that have not been
laid to rest due to their not having anyone taking responsibility for them.
The gala dinner, which was held at
the Maseru Sun Conference Centre, was packed with the crème de la crème of
Maseru’s most elite list. With a ticket price that sold for M500 each, it was
no surprise that those present at the event looked, ate and talked the part,
opulence dripped right before my eyes, an air of affluence heavily occupied the
room so much that I wanted to pack it up in a doggy bag and take it home with
me to learn a lesson or two on how to join this club of only the highly
esteemed. It was quite a sight to observe and also a beautiful experience of a
lesson in humility. I watched as the room buzzed with women in nine-inch heels
and beautiful night gowns and gentlemen in bow ties and fancy wristwatches rubbed
shoulders as they snapped the night away with expensive phones and gadgets while
they drank wine and feasted on mushroom a la gregue, asparagus vinaigrette and
a host of other dishes that looked much simpler and less appetizing than their
fancy names suggested. Nonetheless, they savored the food and they gulped their
wine with such grace, it was as though they did this every night.
And so the night went on, a poem
was made, songs were sung and speeches were heard, Cura the comedian stood up
to make us laugh for a good fifteen minutes, an ice basket was passed around
the room for those who could to put some offerings in and then finally, came a
segment of the night that I never saw coming, the part where anyone could stand
up to pledge whatever it is they could that would help towards the burial of
the ninety souls that had been left alone even in their very last hour. The
first Good Samaritan went on up the stage and pledged five hundred maloti of
which everyone in the room weightily applauded, then another went up to pledge
M1000, ahs and wows could be heard, then another went up to pledge M5000 and
another followed with M2500 and a few more who swung between these amounts.
Then there was the man who stood up to pledge two sheep and another a cow,
there was also a lady who said she would bring the pork because it was her
specialty, then another lady who offered samp and vegetables and a gentleman
who sided with her on the vegetables, then there was the man who pledged to buy
the coffins and also offer transportation for all those who wished to attend
this mass funeral, Cura stood up and promised his mighty presence as well as
his sound system and emcee skills, women who owned catering companies stood up
to pledge their culinary expertise, promising that they would cook all the food
that would be brought. All this while my jaw dropped a little more each time
someone climbed that stage, I was left in awe of what a success the night had
been but more so, of how giving my people could be when circumstances demanded
them to. All in all, the money that was raised on the night, minus all the
other provisions was a round-of of M36 000.
When it was all done, I went home
to think about how often such cases plague our societies yet more often than not;
those in a position to do something about it would rather turn a blind eye to
such ill occurrences. This is not taking away from those who, like our Social
Development minister, Mme Matebatso Doti are doing all the good they can in our
communities in order to make some kind of difference in the lives of those who
are less fortunate. I thought long and hard about how this event could serve as
a platform in which various social inequalities are addressed by regular
citizens of this country.
I write from a place of pride and
happiness in my people, Basotho have warmed my heart with their giving and
considerate hearts, they have restored my faith in humanity and have inspired
me to live to make a change and difference in the world- no matter how small.
Basotho ba heso, I salute every one
of you who stood on that podium to pledge on that night and those of you who, like myself,
were present in good faith.
Aluta!
Until next post,
Afrika Rising, Peace & Revolution...
