Kenyan novelist Margaret Ogola honored by Google

Google joined Kenyans in celebrating the novelist’s (Margaret Ogola ) 60th birthday with a Google doodle. ”Happy to celebrate Kenyan award – winning author of The River and the Source. Which is your favorite quote from the book?” Google in Africa twitted.

The author is known for her many books including The River and the Source which won the 1995 Jomo Kenyatta Prize for the Best First book.The novel revolve around a character Akoko who has been used to describe the struggles of a girl child in the traditional society to the modern society.It also speaks about the rich Luo heritage and the tradition system of governance.The book has since been translated to Italian, Lithuanian and Spanish.

Other books written by her include I swear by Apollo, Educating in Human Love ,Place of Destiny and Cardinal Otunga:A gift of Grace with Margaret Roche a biography which examines the life and of the first Catholic bishop, archbishop and cardinal in Kenya ,cardinal Maurice Michael Otunga .
She also completed her final book Mandate of the People, before her death in September 2011.

Margaret Ogola served as a paediatrician and the medical director of Cottolengo Hospice, a hospice for HIV and AIDS orphans.
Kenyans online shared their memories of her book The River and the Source which was a must read in Kenyan secondary schools.

“….I never used to appreciate to appreciate Kenyan writers until the day I read The River and the Source …that was years ago and I’m glad I came across her works ,for the love I have for writing was cultivated by #Margaret Ogola ….”@Esthermwalimu1 wrote on twitter.

Another one praised Google’s move to doodle the writer and acknowledge that it was a good way to celebrate the author. “ The late Dr Margaret Atieno Ogola ….featured on today’s #Google #Doodle .What a way to celebrate the award-winning author of The River and the Source , and I swear by Apollo ,” @Nrm9n twitted .

Others shared memorable quotes from her book including;

“A home without daughters is like a river without a source “

“Do not decide the wisdom of a man by the brevity of his silence or the multitude of his words ,a fool knows everything .It’s only a wise man who doesn’t hide hid folly behind many words “

What’s your favorite quote or excerpt from the book The River and the Source?

By John Otieno