Untold Stories with
Carl Manlan

When my sister Taaka Awori mentioned the idea of being interviewed for her book, I was inspired by her decision to document contextual experiences of leadership by Africans.

I am of the generation that received “education as banking.” Ideas were deposited in our minds. It was an opportunity to master the discipline that comes from listening with intent, respecting ideas without challenging for the sake of doing so. And most importantly, accepting that the intention was noble but not novel. Eventually, we had to depart from that position to weave our experiences with what the rest of the world had to offer.
On that path, Taaka acknowledges the need to field independence. The latter being the ability to stand against the crowd, risking being unpopular for what one values and believes in.
One of the most powerful case studies in the book, is the narrative of the security guard exercising leadership without #authority. We do not always acknowledge the daily experiences of leadership that transcend titles yet transform communities. For this, I salute Taaka.
As I came to the last page, I could not help but feel that this book is about the next generation of Africans who may not appreciate the “road less traveled.” It is not the path to the front page. Yet, the constant decision to keep the work – exercise of leadership – at the centre. And this work is, as she describes it, about values that must be visible and persistent.
Many in the book chose to stand firm and paid the price for drawing a line. But there is no better cost than keeping the values visible and persistent. In the midst of the challenges, it is the line that defines who we ought to be for the next generation. Ultimately, Taaka argues that leadership is also about charting the path in organizing oneself financially to continue to honor those values.
In the end, one of the key lessons from the book is how leaders have learnt to manage diversity by “seeing clearly and holding their experiences with compassion.”
With gratitude Taaka as your bricks, layered with the individual and collective experiences, stand on our foremothers’ foundations.