Nthatuoa Koeshe

UP-AND-COMING author, Takatso Kumi, has broken new ground by penning a book on the experiences, thoughts and the philosophies of modern day Basotho.

The 25-year old National University of Lesotho (NUL) alumnus authored The Unstoppable Youngsters, a 200 page book which was recently published in South Africa.

He wrote the book during his teaching practice at John Maund High School in 2016.

“I became aware of the potential possessed by the children I taught and there were days when I would gather them around to share my thoughts with them,” Kumi told Xpress People in a recent interview.

He said he later decided that instead of gathering a few people to share his observations, he then decided to organise his thoughts and ideals in a book that would leave a legacy.

“I am the kind of person who observes people and what they say and the book is an attempt to chisel down what I learnt from them into a legacy that will be remembered and referred to,” he said.

In the book, Kumi argues that Basotho, like any another nation have something unique to offer and if they do not do so then the world would have lost out.

“Our focus has always been on what can’t be done, rather than on what can be done.

“Our generation can succeed because it is bathed in a pool of abundant opportunities that prior generations did not have. We are a foundational generation of pure and original thinking.”

He said there was hardly, if any, local literature in philosophy to refer to and he was surprised that although Basotho are well read, they are not courageous enough to write books that would shape the story of their own existence.

He said Basotho had their own wisdom to share.

“We learn philosophies from Socrates and Plato but we have not yet developed our own philosophy based on our own experiences.

“I became aware that our people have a Western mind in an African body, they had lost originality and authenticity. I read a lot of books from overseas just to see what the solution to this problem could be and I came to realise all western and eastern personal development books were written about the actions and thoughts of their own people, hence promoting and marketing them globally.”

He said the problem with Lesotho writers and speakers research less about the potential in Lesotho, hence write less about Basotho that is why he was on a mission to awaken the lost hope of Basotho in all aspects of development- in schools, business and politics with a philosophical approach that will stand the test of time.

“I believe in the potential of Lesotho and Basotho and my book gives adequate reasons why Basotho should win, because winning is wired into their nature,” Kumi said.

He said the book will be on the shelves in mid-August.