On March 18, 2020, it marked five years since the death of one of Kenya's most prolific writers of fiction, Grace Emily Ogot. Her legacy lives on through her numerous short stories and novels, including two novels that focus on the 'political philosophy of the Luo.'
Published in 2018, three years after her death, 'The Royal Bead' and 'Princess Nyilaak' offer a unique perspective on the Luo nation and its people. These novels are a journey through Ogot's most predominant subject in her writing, the Luo people and the imaginary Luo nation.
Reading the two novels is a testament to Ogot's devotion to writing stories that were grounded in the Luo nation, Luo protagonists, and Luo culture. Her work has been a resource material to students and teachers of literature, and continues to provide insights into other disciplines.
The two novels resurrect and translate two distinct Luo legends that have conventionally been told through oral tradition into the novel. They provide an opportunity for readers to access a fresh insight on tales that have existed to them as myths in the past.
Grace Ogot's legacy continues to inspire and educate readers about the politics of inclusion and exclusion.
