“Tell Me No More” by Senzenjani Lukhele

  

Swazi author Senzenjani Lukhele wrote  Tell Me No More, which was released in 1986. The story focuses on the rules of adoption and a child’s rights through adoption. It follows Gugu, who is thrown out of her home by her father after being accused of adultery and insulting the village chief. In fact, Gugu’s supposed crime was speaking out of turn and giving an opinion during a discussion. However, the chief’s incensed messenger gives a false report to the chief and his council; Gugu’s father, Cele, is one of the council members. 

To Gugu’s shock and her mother’s, Cele disowns her, calls her a “bastard,” and orders her out of his household. Gugu denies the allegations in vain, and Cele refuses to relent, dismissing her account of what really happened. La-Mncina is forced to reveal the truth of Gugu’s paternity before sending her to her older brother in Manzini. Only after Gugu leaves does the chief inform Cele that he violated the rules of adoption by not consulting the chief and the council on how to deal with Gugu. Cele stubbornly prefers that Gugu return and ask the chief’s pardon rather than admit any wrongdoing.

Okay,  Gugu shouldn't have involved herself in a discussion that had nothing to do with her, but she meant no harm. She is deferential towards her elders but refuses to apologise for something she did not do, a difficult stance in a society where women are expected to be seen and not heard. Still, one can admire her for standing her ground on 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, she 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 was 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, 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 the 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.'

 The 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 the council's reputation as well as his, so the matter finds its way to court.  

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

The book — 16 chapters —highlighted how important the rules of adoption were in Swaziland, now present-day  Eswatini.  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.

Quote: 

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