The River and the Source

by Margaret A. Ogola

In 1995, this novel won both the Jomo Kenyatta Literature Prize, and the Commonwealth Writers Prize Best First Book in the Africa Region. Now reprinted, it remains in great demand. An epic story spanning cultures, it tells the lives of three generations of women. It traces the story of Akoko in her rich traditional Luo setting, through to the children who live and die in the 20th century.

Genres: Fiction, Africa, Kenya, Historical Fiction, Novels, Female Authors, African Literature

292 pages, Paperback

First published December 29, 2004

About the author

Margaret Atieno Ogola

Reviews

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I read this book I must've been 14/15 in my first year of high school. I was in an all girls secondary school back then and to pass the time (because there is nothing as boring as same sex schools and a boarding school no less!) I would read anything and everything.

I found this book quite magical telling stories about strong women who in their intelligence, strength and resilience reminded me so much of the women in my life. My Grandma, our strong matriarch who was so much like Akoko in character. My mother, our saint, ever the selfless one with a fierce love for her children that knows no bounds. The late Ms Ogola's masterpiece was one of the books that awakened the feminist in me at such a young age.

I loved how the book built up women and elevated them as the pillars of the African society as is they usually are. Rereading it gave me such deep nostalgia and I will forever be in awe of one of the greatest Kenyan writers that ever lived

[Andrew Kirimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book countless times between the ages of 16 and 20 and to date it remains my all time favourite book by an African author. As a huge supporter of all forms of feminist movements, I loved the fact that most of the story lines covered over the 4 generations are led by very strong female characters; all the way from the headstrong Akoko in the 1800's to Awiti and her children (Vera specifically!!)in the late 1900's. Faith, hard work, discipline, love, family and knowledge of self stand out (for me) as the major themes in this book as well as issues such as AIDS in the 80's in Kenya.

As a Kenyan, this book also makes for a much more interesting history lesson as we delve into pre-colonial Kenya at the start of the book and join the characters as they experience Caucasians for the first time, colonial government structures, education, Christianity...and much later in the 50's & 60's we catch a glimpse of the fight for independence from the view point of a community often accused (wrongly perhaps)of not having played as big of a role in that fight as the Central/Eastern tribes. I love how easily the context is set over the book's time frame and how fluidly the social, political, cultural settings change as time does.

All in all...good book.

[Jane Gakere · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad this book was a book club pick as I got read it again as an adult. I loved it as a teenager in high school and loved it as an adult. A masterpiece

[Nancy Oyula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly one of the best books to ever be published by a Kenyan author. I've read it a couple of times in my life. Every time I spot it, I feel like I should read it again from page one. I loved all the characters.

[George Ciuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another story set in Africa. Worth reading if you are interested in other cultures

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

About one family descended from the powerful Akoko, the matriarchial namesake we all would be lucky to call our ancestor, this book is about family ties, finding the way forward, and honouring those who came before you by living a life that is true to yourself. The history here, particularly in the beginning of the book was excellent, the characterization of Akoko’s various descendants were apt and relatable, and Ogala’s storytelling prowess was it. This book was a compelling read. However, once Akoko entered the colonial world, the book took a moralizing turn that irked me to no end. As a relatively strong willed and pragmatic human who you also can’t tell shit to, I didn’t like that this book kept on wrapping up lessons about living a good life (hard work, children, marital devotion, often Christ) into a really good story. Regardless, I think this one is a Kenyan classic and I think you should def pick it up. I liked everyone in this book in some way, and I felt like a member of the family the entire time I was reading it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in high School (as a compulsory literary text), really loved it, so much that I re-read it again and again. It also marked the beginning of my fascination with the Luo Culture. Last year, I was finally able to visit Kit-Mikayi, and I could still recall Mark Anthony Oloo Sigu's description of his homeland Seme, and was awed by the magnificence of the huge rocks. Beautiful narrative, lovely blend of the traditional and modern, not forgetting the strong women who keep the family's (and by extension the society's) river flowing....

[Mercy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful read... although the author is clearly a feminist. She kills all the male characters in the book to strengthen the female characters. An Interesting read all the same exploring issues faced in the African setting.

[Aggrey Odera · Rating 5 out of 5]

No exaggeration at all: I've read this book more than twenty times over the course of my life. Sometimes (mostly around the time when I was eleven or twelve), I would finish the story and immediately begin reading the book once again, doing this maybe four consecutive times. The book is about four generations of Luo women (my family is from the Luo tribe in Kenya) and the families they raise, and it traverses the history of modern Kenya, from pre-colonial times all the way to the years after independence. It's a masterpiece, in my opinion, and though there's no single narrative that will ever capture the diversity, immenseness and richness of Kenya (outside of Nairobi, even though we like to deny it, we are still a mostly tribal country - we have forty three recognized tribes, all so different from the next that one might as well be visiting another country, and the various cultural expressions, ways of life, food etc. of these tribes are so remarkably rich), this book comes pretty fucking close to being THE great Kenyan novel.

[Watetu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it aptly describes the personal lives of three generations of (mostly)women that is influenced by the rapidly evolving times in Kenya i.e. from pre-colonialism sometime in the 1870s, to the colonial period, through post-colonialism (up to the 1990s). I'm honestly amazed at how well over 100 years are captured in under 300pages. After reading the book, it all felt so heavy in my mind. I felt so much had happened and I had really connected with many of the characters all through those years. I also liked the slight twist of the tale in Part 4: Varying Winds - I guess you could say the river took a slight bend to my people, the Kikuyus :-D.

I highly recommend the book.

[Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did this as set book in Highschool literature. Awesome read, still retains a copy in my library almost 15yrs later

[Neville Tirimba Ogoti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Omogano tori mobe korende enchera egetabu eke kerikire ngechieti gosansamora amanyinga ane nonya ng'ake. 'Omoriki omuya noori okorika ase chinkwana chitari chia botambe.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It never seems to grow old, the wisdom and lessons to be learnt from this book. One to be kept in a bookshelf to be removed time and again.
My children have to read this.

[Dennis Ombachi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author: Margaret A. Ogola
Genre: Historical Fiction, African Literature
Setting: Kenya, spanning the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial eras


Introduction

The River and the Source is a remarkable novel by Kenyan author Margaret Ogola that chronicles the lives of four generations of women, beginning with Akoko, a bold and resilient woman in pre-colonial Luo society, and following her descendants through the sweeping changes brought by colonialism, Christianity, and modernization. The novel explores themes of tradition, family, love, loss, betrayal, and the pursuit of personal freedom. It is a powerful tribute to the strength of women and their ability to adapt and thrive in the face of adversity.

Plot Summary

The story begins with Akoko Obanda, a young woman of great beauty and strength, born into a Luo family in pre-colonial Kenya. Akoko defies societal expectations by choosing her husband, Chief Owuor Kembo, based on love and mutual respect. Their marriage is filled with happiness until tragedy strikes with the loss of several children. After Chief Owuor’s untimely death and a dispute over her husband’s wealth, Akoko takes a bold step, seeking justice from the white colonial administrators. Her courage and determination lay the foundation for future generations.

Akoko’s daughter, Nyabera, inherits her mother’s resilience. Nyabera’s life is marked by sorrow as she loses multiple children to disease. In search of hope, she converts to Christianity, finding solace in her faith and a new sense of purpose. Nyabera's daughter, Awiti, becomes the first in the family to receive formal education, marking a shift toward modernity and new opportunities for women.

Awiti’s journey takes her to the city, where she marries Mark Sigu. Together, they raise a family grounded in education and ambition. Their children, particularly Elizabeth and Vera, embody the next phase of change as they navigate post-colonial Kenya, balancing tradition and modernity. Through the generations, the women of Akoko’s lineage carry forward her strength, shaping a legacy of empowerment.

The novel concludes with Akoko’s great-grandchildren embracing a future shaped by the sacrifices and struggles of those who came before them. The river, representing life and continuity, flows on, symbolizing the enduring spirit of Akoko and the resilience of her descendants.


Themes

1. Women’s Empowerment and Resilience:
The novel celebrates the strength of women in a patriarchal society. Akoko, Nyabera, Awiti, and Vera each fight for their autonomy and break societal norms, paving the way for future generations.


2. Tradition vs. Modernity:
The tension between preserving cultural identity and embracing change is central to the story. As colonialism and modernization reshape Kenya, the characters must navigate the clash of old and new values.


3. Family and Legacy:
The novel emphasizes the importance of family and the transmission of values across generations. Akoko’s legacy serves as a guiding force for her descendants.


4. Love and Betrayal:
Love, whether romantic or familial, drives much of the plot. Betrayal, particularly within families and communities, challenges the characters but also fuels their growth and resilience.


5. Religion and Spirituality:
Christianity becomes a source of solace and transformation, especially for Nyabera. The novel explores the impact of faith on personal identity and societal change.

Character Analysis

Akoko Obanda:
Akoko is the heart of the story. Her courage and defiance in seeking justice set the tone for future generations. She symbolizes strength, resilience, and the power of a woman’s will.

Nyabera:
Nyabera’s life is shaped by loss and faith. Her conversion to Christianity marks a turning point in the family’s journey toward modernity.

Awiti:
Awiti represents the bridge between tradition and modernity. Through education and personal ambition, she carves out a new path for women in her community.

Mark Sigu:
As Awiti’s husband, Mark supports his wife’s ambitions and values education. He symbolizes the evolving role of men in embracing change and empowering women.

Vera and Elizabeth:
These two represent the new generation of Kenyan women. They are educated, ambitious, and confident in shaping their destinies.

Writing Style and Narrative Technique

Ogola’s writing is rich and poetic, capturing the beauty of Kenyan landscapes and the complexities of her characters’ emotions. The narrative spans decades, smoothly weaving personal stories with Kenya’s historical evolution. The language is simple yet profound, making the story accessible while deeply moving.


Significance and Impact

The River and the Source is more than just a family saga; it is a tribute to the resilience of African women and a reflection on Kenya’s socio-cultural transformation. The novel resonates with readers worldwide, inspiring conversations about gender equality, tradition, and the power of education. It has become a staple in Kenyan literature, often studied in schools for its rich storytelling and powerful messages.

Conclusion

The River and the Source is a beautifully crafted narrative that celebrates women’s strength and resilience in the face of adversity. Through Akoko and her descendants, Margaret Ogola weaves a tale of love, sacrifice, and the unyielding pursuit of change. The novel is a testament to the power of education and the importance of family, reminding us that while the river flows on, the source — our roots and values — remains vital.

This is a must-read for anyone interested in African literature, stories of empowerment, and the exploration of cultural identity. It leaves readers inspired to honor the past while shaping a better future.

[E. Magda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a shy child warming up to the world around them, this book grew on my heart the more time I spent with it. Following four generations of a highly respected Luo family, Ogola pours honesty, grace, and love into her story. This book has the power to reach across time and place, to touch in a meaningful way every person who picks it up. I fell in love with Akoko from the start, then Awiti and her whole family. I found it refreshing how Ogola portrays family as the most cherished aspect of this life.

She had opened up new vistas for her family, which showed another world and the possibility of a different way. (85)

[Phillip Gauronskas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic novel is an essential read for most school age children in Kenya, and I found it immensely enjoyable, and I feel it helped broaden my perspectives about the culture of pre-colonial East Africa, and post-colonial East Africa. Because I found the novel so enjoyable, I decided to pick up the sequel and read through that as well (I Swear By Apollo). If you are like me and notice that there is an underwhelming amount of African literature in most local bookstores, I highly recommend you check this book out.

[Njoki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, delicious as it was all those years ago when I read it as a teen. Such a beautiful book, rich history, funny bits, compelling story with such strong willed characters.
I have really enjoyed it!

[Bethecowboyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this way back when I was in my first year of highschool. I've reread it 3 times. I'd give anything to read it for the first time again.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, compact multi-generational epic that tracks four generations of a Kenyan family as modernity advances and traditional society transforms, but where ordinary people go with the flow.

[Melanee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a warm story displaying the importance of family over the generations. I found myself more intrigued by the words of wisdom passed down through the years. I'm sure my kids will be hearing a few of them.

[S A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in Kenya and the three generation thingy and the uniqueness was so cool.However,the fact that they're all smart and successful makes the story a little ...ummmm...convenient and unrealistic.

[Jose Manuel Gude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, full of character and strength. One book about life and death, looking the problems in the eye. And about virtue, virtue in real life for authentic people.

[Kagwima Wakahora]

The book inspired my vocation too as a Priest

[Moraa · Rating 3 out of 5]

School. School. School.

[Deborah S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The River and The Source by Margaret Ogola tells the story of a family over four generations, following them from traditional village life to modern(ish; 1980s) urban living. It begins with the birth of Akoko, a remarkable woman who experienced great joys and great tragedies. It ends with the death of Elizabeth, Akoko’s granddaughter, who likewise experienced great joys and great tragedies. Through the lives of Akoko and her descendents, we the readers watch as Kenya transforms with colonization, involvement in foreign wars, and independence. The book does not emphasize the politics of any particular time; rather, the focus is on one family’s adaptation to changing circumstances.

The novel was inspired by Ogala’s own life. She was a devout Catholic, serving in both advisory and leadership roles within various Kenyan Catholic organizations, and a defining moment in the book is the introduction of Catholicism to the family. Ogala was an accomplished physician, and medical difficulties among her fictional family members demonstrate her specialized knowledge. Ogala was a proponent of women’s empowerment, and this novel focuses on the women of the family: the men are often admirable, but it is the women who show the greatest strength, adaptability, and resilience. The entire novel is an ode to the strength and support that is found through family.

At only 292 pages, this book is not long enough to provide the immersive, moment-by-moment experience to which many modern readers are accustomed. If the typical writer’s refrain is “show, don’t tell,” Ogala turns that advice around, telling about great swaths of her characters’ lives, and dipping in every now and again to show a particularly important episode. The episodes that she shows, however, are well-crafted to reveal the key aspects of her characters and to inspire readers to care about what happens to them. The book provides a solid, satisfying read and is a great starting point for readers who are interested in Kenyan literature.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this story of four generations of a family in Kenya. It begins with the birth of a girl, Akoko Obanda, the daughter of a chief who marries a chief and has a rare monogamous relationship with him despite the urgings from all sides for him to take more wives. Akoko is a strong, hard working woman, more, she's a woman of deep character and it's easy to love her. She survives tragedy after tragedy with fortitude and courage. She's a mother-- of two sons and a daughter-- a grandmother who fights to protect her grandson's inheritance, and a great-grandmother, a matriarch of a family.

She also becomes a woman of deep faith after her daughter is widowed and seeks out a Christian mission. Nyabera, baptized Maria, then brings her mother and her daughter and her nephew back with her to the mission, thus changing the course of the family's fortune.

Although some readers think that Ogola makes her women strong at the expense of the men, I did not see that at all. Akoko's father and husband are both great chiefs and men of character. I really loved her husband Owuor Kembo especially. He is a good man, a strong man, a likeable man. Yes, he dies early and her grief at his death is a hard blow for Akoko, but his strength is also a part of her strength and a part of what makes her who she is. And Akoko's grandson Peter Owuro who becomes a priest and then a bishop; Awiti's husband Mark Anthony Sigu, the soldier; and her son, Aoro, are all very strong men and characters I very much admired.

I liked the way the Catholic faith was portrayed in the novel; there was a real depth and complexity. And I liked that it wasn't overly simplistic.

If I can find any fault, it is that I wanted more. More details, more stories about the lives of the characters I'd come to love. The novel could easily have been twice as long and I would have been content.

[Nukes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave the book fours stars for its conspicuous theme of-of showing that inter-ethnic integration is possible. Equity among women and men is possible. Polytheism and monotheism religions have a place in an African and can co-exist without conflict.

I removed two stars from the four because this book achieves its two other motives, empowering girls while diminishing boys. The theme revolves around the achievements of women despite the extortionist men around them (Akoko vs brother in law)
Women are also taught to materially get the most from the men in their lives and not feel guilty for mortgaging their sexuality for material gain (Becky).
They are taught to casually walk away from relationships (Akoko, Vera, Becky) without giving negotiation a chance.

The female characters are depicted has achieving everything they put their energy to while the male ones are doomed to die young. Meaning "don't put your hopes in men. They will die and you will remain".

A lesson on Selfish: Everything is about me, myself and I. Wandia leaves a house full of children including a four-year-old and a busy husband to go pursue a PhD

[Cailin Slowik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m late on reviewing this as I read it in class at the beginning of the year. But this book was so beautiful. The way you get the step by step through generations is a wonderful thing to think about as we all have it. My grandfather was illiterate, he was a dreamer, he was a kind man with a huge heart. That is all apart of me. His nature forged mine. I can’t let go of the comparisons because we all have that generational connection.

“I am the hopes and the dreams of the slave.”
- Still I Rise, Maya Angelou

We are all created from the steps that our ancestors took. Whether you reflect on the pain and resilience or the love and the growth it’s all the same. They’re all moments that have influenced so much. The strength that Akoko showed through her entire lifetime is so admirable; inspiring to be better, do better, create more. She gives me hope that I can create something for the people that come after me. I can move my family’s mountains and still rest well at night. We all owe it to the ones before and the ones after to keep pushing, keep dreaming, keep living.

[Vanessa Cyrilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

"For the great river starts its journey as a little stream which at first meanders around without any apparent direction, sometimes disappearing underground altogether, but always there, always moving towards the sea"

The first I ever heard of this book was from my mother who wrote her Bachelor of Education's project on it. She dedicated it to my sister which I found unnecessary but whatever. On reading, I got to understand why it's so celebrated.

The story spans across 3 different generations, offering insight on the societal standing of each period. Margaret Ogola's skillful use of time to show the steadfast yet unpredictable nature of change is absolutely brilliant. The characters are of staunch resolve, which is extremely refreshing to see of women, especially given its time of publishing.

Culturally, the text is full, with an understanding of traditional and modern aspects of Kenyan culture. Allegories are in plenty and the dialogue is easy to follow. It makes for a compelling read that renews ones understanding on women as the backbone of a standing society.

I would strongly recommend this classic to anyone seeking an introduction to Kenya literature.

[Charitah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that I’ve finished reading The River and the Source, I can’t help but feel that Margaret, while an incredible storyteller, allowed her growing frustration with patriarchy to seep into the narrative so deeply that it bordered on misandry. It’s clear that the book was written during a time when women’s empowerment was gaining traction, and she used it in a way to reclaim space and authority for women in a male-domonated society.

she seemed to intentionally give men very little ground to stand on. Most of them were reduced to simplistic characters😂either dying early, plagued by disease, morally weak, or hiding behind the safety of priesthood. It was as if their only functions were to act as stepping stones in the growth of the women or as warnings about the consequences of unchecked male privilege.

And Becky’s ending? That still doesn’t sit right with me. For such vibrant character, her story ended with little grace. It felt like she was punished for being different.Becky deserved more.