MOFI UYAHLEKA

SUMMARY

The poem is an ardent attack on ritual murder. The poet is opposed to the man who murders for “muthi” because this shattering practice hinders the progress of the nation. The nation suffers object fear, agitation and above all, helplessness. Everyone fears for their lives and for the lives of their kin. The law is virtually silent on this issue because it is “so and so” (p.23) who murderers for “muthi”. Who then will bring the “muthi” murderer to justice? People know who he is but he is not an ordinary person. What then must happen to him? If anyone ventures to challenge him, will he not murder indiscriminately? (p.8)

The poet introduces another character, a “muthi man” or witchdoctor. As fate would have it, this witchdoctor murders, for the purposes of his own “muthi”, a close friend of the “muthi” murderer. In raging fury the “muthi murderer” sets out to avenge his friend (p.9). Unfortunately, the witchdoctor's muthi is very strong, and he casts a spell on the “muthi murderer” who falls on the ground, rolls and wriggles until he dies. The witchdoctor laughs the muthi murderer to scorn. This is an irony. The murderer killing all the way walks on the path of death in the direction of his own end.

The witchdoctor represents and impersonates the devil, and the murderer represents the devil's agent of evil. The agent has clearly no power over the devil, all things considered, it would seem therefore that evil has not been conquered. The death of Lefu, does not mean the end to ritual murder.