MALI 220: Malawian Literature

Madala’s Children by James L. Ng’ombe

The novel begins with a prologue which introduces a stern old father, nicknamed Madala, who
has witnessed the birth of a Republic and its atrocities.

Chapter One

In this chapter, we are introduced to Madala, his real name is Pangani, a teacher by profession.
His wife is Analiyela. They have four children, three males and one female. The first born is
Adam. He has a sense of superiority and egocentric, self-centred. Sigmund Freud’s
psychoanalytic theory about human personality best characterises Adam. Adam “grew up in a
family of four children but at no time did he show any real affection for the others” (p.4).

When the second born child is born, Luka, Adam feels very bad, “He is not my brother,” Adam
declares. Despite this rejection, “acceptance, became Luka’s landmark” (p.5).

• Adam plays football and comes home very late, described as a devious and wayward
character
• Adam and Luka fight

Naomi is born when Luka is six years old; she is a quick learner, as ambitious as Julius Caesar
(p. 11). John is the last born child in the Pangani family. After the birth of John, a doctor advises
Pangani and Analiyela that he should be the last child because the health of Analiyela is in
danger.

• Child spacing and contraceptive measures introduced

• Mrs White , wife to an American pastor, takes interest in John
• She describes John as cute, articulate, well-coordinated and brilliant (p. 14)
• Mrs White’s MSc Thesis at the University of Wisconsin is based on the study of John.
The title is “The African Child: Genetic and Cultural Factors in their Development” (p.
15).

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Chapter Two

“Luka and the others”

John enjoys a privileged position in the family and described as “alert, articulate, coordinated,
self-centred, ambitions, leadership material” (p. 16).

• Naomi enjoys her position as the only daughter and John as the last born in the Pangani
family
• When John, Naomi and Luka take positions one in their respective classes in primary
school, Adam declares his hatred for everybody because he thinks his younger brothers
and sister have been favoured
• Transfer of Pangani to another working place in the city, to edit a church magazine and
head its Youth Department
• Adam has no regard for his family and after failing his JC the report describes him as
“loquacious and destructive” (p. 17).
• Pangani laments Adam’s failure “The republic needed educated men to carry forward the
aspirations of the post-independence era. The republic needed teachers, engineers,
doctors, accountants and many more specialists. Why should my son be left behind?” )p.
20).
• After repeating Adam passes his JC and moves to forms three and four.
• When about to sit for O-Levels , Adam is suspended from school; he is described as
defiant and impudent
• Adam fails drastically, his Cambridge School Certificate (hatred with boarding master,
Mr Chibonga)
• Luka plays football as a very good player and he goes to Zambia to play for his team
• Naomi’s impending womanhood, needs counselling because she plays football with boys
to the annoyance of her mother (p. 27)
• Naomi is described as a “boy in dresses” and therefore is taken home by her mother for
counselling but she does not cooperate and the language used by the women councilors is

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 foul (pp. 30-31). Naomi asks her mother after the ordeal, “what was all that about?” (p.
31).

Chapter Three

• Adam refuses to re-sit his Cambridge School Certificate

• He gets a job as sales representative/truck driver for Coca-Cola
• Five years later he works for Bata in a similar position
• After several on-the-job trainings, he rises to sales manager, goes to Bata Canada
headquarters for three months
• Adam then becomes warehouse manager with Manica at Ndele depot
• Adam marries Upile, he is twenty-three years old; the marriage has Christian and
traditional aspects (pp. 33-34)
• “At the end of the day, after nightfall that is, the new couple retired into a room where
they were subjected to a traditional form of indoctrination. All elders representing the
church, Islam, the part, headmen and chiefs turned up to impart words of wisdom to the
beginners on a road that must end in death however rough or smooth” (p. 35).
• After everything Adam tells his mother and father: “I just wanted to say this. I am now
independent. You have done everything to discriminate against me. You have love your
other children more than me. Especially your daughter and John. You have even given
them better education. Now you can stop worrying about me. Go on and worry about
your other children whom you love more” (p. 36).
• Luka shows a sense of purpose as reflected in his performance (grades)
• He goes to the best Catholic secondary school in the republic, a day school
• Luka passes Cambridge Certificate Education with first class and selected to National
University to study a degree in the sciences
• He becomes chairman of University Students Union, captain of the university football
team, and member of Christian Students Organisation
• During the Youth Week patronised by the Youth Pioneers

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 • The Youth Pioneers clash with University students, Luka’s fate is that he is chairman of
the Students Union (p. 37)
• Inspector Chimpini of the Special Branch of Police visits the Principal, Professor Mame:
Luka Pangani’s issue becomes a security issue (the irony the security personnel feeling
insecure with people without even any gun) – like the USA, a super power feeling
insecure with what they have dubbed “terrorism”
• Notice the imagery of the eagle in the novel (p. 38)
• The future of Luka, a gifted young man is doomed as he is taken to the police station
where we witness police brutality; he is beaten and his ear becomes deaf (p. 39)
• Naomi at CCM Secondary School, John at Samala Education Centre
• The Police Special Branch in the republic – symbol of terror, brutality and immorality (p.
40)
• Inspector Chimpini visits Pangani and takes him to Police Headquarters: Luka charged
with conspiracy, “He is conspirator” (p. 42) - this is how Luka loses his freedom,
imprisoned and released six months later, benefiting from offered political prisoners on
Independence Day eve
• Luka is deaf in one ear and suffers from insomnia (sleeplessness, restlessness) – he is
psychologically traumatised; he reads a lot
• Adam is not affected with Luka’s plight

Chapter Four

• Naomi passes with distinction her Cambridge School Leaving Examinations (6 points)
• Naomi learns that the Pangani family is blemished by the republic due to Luka’s incident
• She applies for a scholarship but not acknowledged while less deserving students go to
the UK, USA, France or Germany (p 45); for example, Pamela gets a scholarship because
of her relationship with the Chief Training Officer (p. 45) – corruption
• John scores 8 points in his Cambridge School Leaving Examinations (6 points and 8
points not even a scholarship to the National University)

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 • At the age of twenty-one, after three years of waiting and working for Standard Bank,
Naomi responded to an advert for a scholarship
• Naomi visits the Training Officer’s, and she learns from his secretary about Pamela’s
promiscuity
• The Training Officer, Brian Bwemba, abuses his office – invites Naomi to lunch in order
to trap her (p. 47) – Naomi tactically handles him without selling her body
• Naomi and John get scholarships – Naomi to study medicine at the University of
Birmingham; John to study accountancy in London (people suspect Naomi to have slept
with Brian for the two scholarships) – loss of virginity is the parents’ worry (p. 49)
• Farewell party is organised before Naomi and John leave for further studies
• In London, John falls in love with Sarah, a girl from home
• Naomi marries her Clive Mecklenburg, her teacher, a white man, with racial, cultural and
age differences
• Luka is under surveillance, the political environment, Adam is isolated
• Naomi is a doctor who treats medical conditions and diseases that affect women and their
reproductive organs; she deals with children and the medical treatment of their illnesses

Chapter Five

• Naomi plans to become a paediatrician (specialist in the case of babies) but she ends up
being a gynaecologist (specialist branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and
hygiene of women) – she stays in England to practice her profession
• She writes to her parents to inform them about her marriage with her professor: Clive
Mecklenburg is divorced with no children with his first wife; fifteen years older than
Naomi, caring – Naomi spells out the fears of racism “In fact colour does not stand, I
mean cannot stand between us…” (p. 57) – she sends photographs of her wedding,
husband and baby boy.
• Parents’ reaction? –disbelief and mourning; signs of “their daughter’s waywardness”; “Is
there a shortage of our people thee?” (p. 57) – Analiyela.

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• Is Naomi’s marriage outside her race a sign of “their failed parenthood?” (p. 58) – why
should she marry mzungu, mzukwa?
• After the stormy reaction, the parents calm down and begin counting grandchildren – four
from Adam, two from Luka, one from Naomi (seven) – Naomi has “another child, a girl,
within three years of her marriage and that was to be her last” (p. 59) – population control
measures, limiting the number of children
• The Pangani family has cattle, goats and other domestic animals
• Adam and Luka are seen together and this is news; Luka has been visiting his parents and
therefore not as alienated as Adam. Adam always points his fingers at others as being in
the wrong (pp. 60 – 61).
• Why Adam and Luka have visited their parents? To discuss with parents their sister’s
marriage to a white man – conclusion is that the discussion demonstrates enmity between
brothers and sisters, between parents and children – “when will it end?” Madala asks,
(pp. 62 - 64).
• Two critical issues disuniting the Pangani family revolve around the failure of Adam and
Luka to excel in their education Luka employed by City Breweries, has a company car
and house: Adam is cunning, calculating, manipulative and gets Luka on his side
• John becomes a successful accountant; employed in the chain stores called Kwaela Shops
– Financial Director and Company Secretary at the age of 36 – qualifications ACCA
(chartered accountant), with free water, house, electricity, telephone (p. 65).
• John connects his parents’ house to electricity, drills a borehole and provides a reservoir
• John is not hypocritical about religion, he does not go to church, drinks openly
• People in the republic listen to BBC news about Mengistu Marriam of Ethiopia, Jimmy
Carter of USA, and the Soviet Union – meaning that the setting of the novel is before the
collapse of the USSR in the 1990s (p.66); the republic’s currency is Kwaela.
• John announces his marriage to Sarah Nchowa, from the same republic, she is an
accountant. He consults his uncle, Chinthiti for preparations (p. 67) – marriage ceremony
in City Hotel (p. 70)
• Naomi arrives home as Dr Mrs Mecklenburg; her hybrid children, George (7) and Tama
(5), and a white husband – interracial marriage: discuss advantages and disadvantages
• Realism in the novel – detailed descriptions of events of the wedding (pp. 72-74)

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 • Wedding songs (p. 74)

Chapter Six

• Ten years since return Naomi and Clive establish themselves with a reputation as
physicians
• Naomi and John open a farm and provide employment to the community – electricity and
water made available including accommodation for gardeners and house servants (p. 76)
• Pangani and Analiyela enjoy their old age with soft life
• Adam’s conduct improves; employed as Administration Manager by Agriculture
Marketing Board, he owns a car and has sophisticated household items
• Turning point in John’s life – politics – he is appointed as MP for Mapanga North
Constituency and also as Minister of Finance (p. 77)
• Rumour has it that the regime does not like the educated and they are incarcerated or
imprisoned, Mambala an only intellectual, for example, unceremoniously removed from
the position of General Secretary of the Party
• Pangani and Analiyela are therefore worried about the fate of their son, John
• Adam’s reaction to John’s appointments is that of total disgust, disbelief – he himself was
meant to be a politician and not John – how come? (p. 80)
• Adam is involved in politics at the district level as the party’s District Chairman and he is
popular; praised by the president of the republic for composing praising songs –
panegyrics; described as a choir master by Dziwazonse
• Adam wants to enquire from Regional Chairman of the Party and Minister at Large –
Honourable Lekeni; Mrs Mwapenga, his secretary tells him he is with Honourable
Dziwazonse – believed to be the next president of the republic and therefore feared
• Adam is of the view that the appointments should have him and not John, his brother – as
a failed person with only JC, would he have managed as Minister of Finance? – no
mathematics and no physical science (p. 81)
• Political rivalry in the party and between Adam and John; there are secret connections
between Adam and Dziwazonse

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 • Global capitalist economy; the Minister of Finance, Honourable John Sathaonse Pangani,
leads a delegation to Washington to seek aid and get clarification about reforms imposed
by World Bank and IMF – SAPs – structural adjustment programmes – devaluating the
currency (p. 83)
• “I want you to assist me develop this country” – the president to Hon. Pangani (p. 86) –
to what extent has he helped?
• Meanwhile Pangani and Analiyela are in ill health; hypertension due to John’s
appointments

Chapter Seven

“Dark Clouds”

• Adam described by Luka as an unpredictable character; Adam is jealousy of the

successes of Naomi and John, “My brother, we should also have acquired degrees”,
Adam tells Luka (p. 90)
• Adam fails to pay for his daughter’s, Grace, fees in secondary school (pp. 90-91)
• We learn about Rhoda, Luka’s daughter, who has a child, Nkaneni, a boy (p. 90) – also
lacks school fees for readmission (both Adam and Luka appeal to their parents for
assistance and they talk ill of Naomi and John): “We have a minister who is selfish” […].
As for your doctor, she is now with the white people, she is herself behaving even more
white than Clive himself” (p. 97)
• Adam is domineering over Luka, he is self-persecuting in his conduct

Chapter Eight

“The Handover”

• John and Naomi at their parents’ house and we are exposed to the art of pottery by
Analiyela in which Rhoda is performing well (p. 100 – 101)
• Rhoda should go back to school and that Naomi shall take care of her boy child, Nkaneni.
• Madala’s heath is not getting any better and he is concerned about John’s political
involvements and advises him to quit politics due its hypocritical system – “metallic

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 smiles on the faces of his fellow ministers” that is, artificial smiles, for example,
Dziwazonse – but John has started enjoying power (pp. 102 – 103)
• Adam’s fear of those around him and makes it his goal to pull them down – he makes his
crusade, a guerilla warfare for his own physical and psychological survival - there is
sense of insecurity for Pangani family members (p. 104 – 105)
• The politics of survival – John has tasted power and he has to learn to win favours from
Dziwazonse and his sister (a reference to Tembo and Cecilia Kadzamira) (p. 105)
• Biblical reference Matthew 25:14 – 30 (pp. 107 – 108), Naomi and Rhoda – what is the
significance of this reference?
• Adam, by his birth right is now the leader of the Pangani family and he becomes the
centre of attraction

Chapter Nine

The Party

• The Mecklenburgs establish a clinic and Clive concentrates on checking population

explosion as the government categorically refuses to implement WHO, UNESCO or Red
Cross resolutions about family planning and sex education (p. 111)
• The Secretary General of the Party warns the Mecklenburgs for their involvement in
family planning services that they provide – abortions lead to immorality
• Naomi argues that she acts within her professional ethics – courageous character and
daring
• The British High Commission warns Clive to contain his wife
• John Pangani is now not only MP for Mapanga North and Minister of Finance, but is also
the Secretary General of the Party
• John becomes unpredictable in politics
• Rhoda goes back to school and studies medicine
• Brian Bwemba has been imprisoned without trial for failing to secure a place for
Dziwazonse’s niece
• Naomi declared a public enemy number one by the republic/party

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 • On the 27th of August …. Between 10 am and 3 pm (p. 121); at about 4 pm (p. 122) –
historical realism; details about dates and time
• John gets used to being called to the palace by the President and the question of his being
appointed as the Vice President to the annoyance of Dziwazonse and his sister
• The hooting of owls, bad omens; John is ordered by his family members to resign from
politics
• Politicians are disappearing and rumours have it that these disappearances are
masterminded by Dziwazonse – recall the killings of Dick Matenje, Aaron Gadama,
Twaibu Sangala and David Chiwanga

Chapter Ten

• The President is reported to have a poor health

• Dziwazonse becomes increasingly fearful
• Dziwazonse and Man secretly discuss John’s private life. Adam – a black sheep, animal
imagery of the unfavoured – is engaged in a plot to eliminate John
• Henry Lekani, MP and Regional Minister for the South, Hon Dziwazonse, Minister of
Internal Affairs – politicians can afford to send girlfriends abroad to live in hotels
• The President has a terminal illness requiring brain surgery and John becomes the most
senior politician
• John Pangani, Henry Lekani – seen together – the snake in the grass imagery
• Government car changes number plate to 8201 for plotting purposes – driver, Pangani
and Lekani killed in a staged car accident in which Adam is unknowingly used
• Simulacrum
• Announcement on the only radio – “two cabinet ministers are missing… (p. 145)
• Adam hangs himself

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