About forty years ago I took a course with Professor Doug Killam called Commonwealth Literature. On the syllabus were a couple of titles by Chinua Achebe. That was my introduction to African writers writing about Africa in English. It hadn't particularly occurred to me that such a thing existed.
Not only did Professor Killam know Commonwealth Literature, he in many cases knew the writers personally, and that was the case with Achebe. If I remember correctly he knew the Achebe family well enough to be invited to the wedding of one of their daughters.
The lesson that stuck with me from the course was this; not only were Commonwealth writers from Africa capable of writing in English, they excelled at it. The English language writing skills of the colonized were every bit the equal of the colonizers, and often better.
In the realm of political satire in the English language, nobody beats the work of Wainaina. Here's a wee taste, his "open letter to Madonna" from a few years ago.
Satirical brilliance of the highest order!
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