When I was in college, I took an African literature class taught by Chima Nwankwo. He was raised in Igbo villages in west Africa in what is now Nigeria. When we read “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, he sang the Igbo parts and translated them for us.

We compared two authors writing political novels about their respective home countries. One writer had left her country 15 years before the publication of her novel. The other was still in his country. As we discussed these books, the discussion turned to what it means to fight for change. I will never forget what Chima said…

He said that since the author had left, she had no business trying to fight for any change. She had left the struggle and has now become willingly disconnected from the conflict. Her only information is second-hand. If she had wanted to evoke change, she should have stayed.

That is has been eating away at me for some time. I am tremendously disappointed. I hope this changes soon.