Mandela Dolazi do Leah

Croatian

Lawrence Kiiru

 “Ne, sloboda nikada nije uvjetovana”, reće

Glas veterana Robben Islanda s stegnutim okovima.

“Ne, znanje ne dopušta isključivanje”, reče

Glas ožeženog, ali neuplašenog lica Pakistanske djevojke.

“Ne, vjera nije pod prinudom”, reče

Glas zatočene, ali prkosne  zarobljenice u Dapchiju,

 Njena baklja neoslabljena u brlogu revnosnika.

Kroz vrijeme, se tako ponavlja testamentarni glas

Mandela, Malala, Leah Sharibu – baklja poput

“Ne, reče Prometej”, plamen i himna,

 Pronalazi pukotine, kroz koje prolazi blistav plamen

 Chibok i Dapchi, da ponovno osvjetlji svijet.

—

Read the English translation – Mandela Comes to Leah by Prof. Wole Soyinka 

---

Lawrence Kiiru was born and raised in Kenya. He studied directing and graduated with an MA at the Academy of Dramatic Arts, University of Zagreb, Croatia where he currently resides. He has worked extensively in theatre, directing puppet and children’s plays, as well as long theatrical plays both in Kenya and abroad. He has written numerous scripts, worked as an assistant director in a number of film productions and directed short feature films, documentaries for Zagreb Film Company, Zagreb Cinematheque Pruductions such as Don’t give up man!, Lerman, and Martinska-Martinique. Notably, he has for many years worked as a TV director for Croatian Television & Radio Company writing scripts and directing documentaries, live programs, TV drama, live shows, music concerts and radio plays. He has also appeared as an actor at the Dubrovnik Summer Theatre Festival (in Krleza’s Christopher Columbus and Areteus) and in Zagreb: Zagorka’s The Grich Witch, Herb Gardner’s I am not a Rappaport and in David Eldridge’s Festen (Croatian National Theatre).