The Trial Of Cecil John Rhodes

by Adekeye Adebajo

“You will now be tried in this fifth heaven for five crimes committed in the Herebefore. First, mass murder; second, racism; third, grand theft of Africa’s natural resources and land; fourth, exploitation and enslavement of African workers; and fifth, egotism and a vainglorious quest for immortality.”

Set over five days in an African Hereafter called “After Africa”, this story revolves around the British South African imperialist, Cecil Rhodes, awakening in an After African Limbo after being asleep for 120 years. Guided by Ghanaian writer Efua Sutherland, he is taken on a tour of After Africa’s five heavens, experiencing Africa’s great civilisations, its Nobel laureates, its writers, its musicians and its sporting legends. The novella centres on the grand trial of Cecil Rhodes in the fifth heaven for five crimes committed in the Herebefore.

Two Counsel for Damnation – Olive Schreiner and Stanlake Samkange –face off against two Counsel for Salvation – Nelson Mandela andHarry Oppenheimer. The seven judges from Africa’s five sub-regionsand its North American, Caribbean and South American diasporasare also well-known figures: Ruth First, Wangari Maathai, BoutrosBoutros-Ghali, Patrice Lumumba, Taslim Elias, Maya Angelou andToussaint l’Ouverture.

“Many people want Rhodes to fall, and his statue is definitively toppled by Adekeye Adebajo.” – Ken Barris, award-winning writer

“[…] The Trial of Cecil John Rhodes can become the most powerful drama on all theatre stages of Africa […]”– John Kani

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

176 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2021

Reviews

[Tshegofatso (atime2sharebooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗸𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗷𝗼." - 𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀, 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿
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𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘁?
Everyone!!!
It's a mini history lesson; so have your pencils close by and bring your A game. You'll learn a lot about some of Africa's great civilisations, it's Nobel laureates, it's writers, it's musicians and its sporting legends.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
You don't always get great value from all books, but I can safely say that there's so much value in this novella. Not only did I revise my knowledge of the history around Cecil John Rhodes and all the things he did. I was also introduced to some of the legends from the African continent.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'll be picking up more books by the author.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸
Imagine a time where the imperialist Cecil John Rhodes wakes up after sleeping for 120 years and he has to be tried for the crimes that he committed when he was alive (in the Herebefore).

"𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳."

As he makes way to his trial he is escorted through the five heavens by an African legend. To his surprise he sees what Africa has become and what has transpired while he was in limbo.

At his trial he is represented by the Counsel of Salvation (Can you guess who they are?). The Counsel of Salvation have a face off with the Counsel of Damnation who want Rhodes to be punished severely.

The final verdict is left in the hands of the seven judges that come from Africa's five sub-regions; it's North American, Caribbean and South American diasporas.
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[Cordula · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the wake of “Rhodes must fall”, “Black lives matter” and the re-evaluation of historical figures, this novella makes an important contribution in imagining a trial against Cecil Rhodes for his crimes. I only wish that a larger part of the book was dedicated to the actual trial, its arguments and counter-arguments. The first half of the volume presents eminent scholars, athletes, artists, politicians etc from the African continent, proving wrong to Rhodes his colonialist belief in white supremacy. This should have a place in the story, but it did read rather like a list. A worthwhile read though and an interesting addition to the current debate.

[Mika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing concept. Half the book mirrors Dante's Divine Comedy but Cecil Rhodes journeys through levels of heaven encountering (to his disbelief) laureates and other greats from the African continent and diaspora. I enjoyed this part, it's a neat and inspiring (even if sometimes still surface level) overview of African achievement. Perhaps credit to many years of readings, esp. in international law, the second part of the book, the trial, was less surprising - nothing that I wasn't aware of. The writing isn't spectacular but accessible. Wished I had been able to read this in high school history class, in which case I'm sure this kind of book would have had a great impact on me. In any case, I'm still glad I picked it up during my time in Cape Town - and actually finishing the book after having read the first half on the flight back (accidental book abandonment).

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Cecil John Rhodes had been asleep. Still wearing a crumpled tweed jacket and white flannel trousers, he got to his feet slowly, and tried to look around, oppressed by the absolute darkness that surrounded him."

I loved this book from beginning to end. Such an interesting concept, and I kept wondering what an earth trial of Rhodes would have looked like. I loved learning about various African individuals and their works as Rhodes was taken through the various heavens. It's a fresh premise on a topic that is still so relevant.

I also found it interesting that Nelson Mandela's legacy was also, to a certain degree, put on trial in the novel. It spoke a lot to the conversations happening in today's world. As well as more established conversations about how to judge colonisers when using the lens of the modern world. If only the leaders of colonialism could be 'alive' to see the vastly tainted legacy they currently have.

All-in-all a light-hearted yet educational novel, that I look forward to hopefully one day see performed on stage!

[Brandon Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Adebajo’s writing style of using narrative as a powerful tool to give perspective. A very eye opening read.

[Helle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cecil Rhodes, notorious symbol of the worst brutalities of British imperialism, takes a tour of the five lower heavens of After-Africa, home to the dead of Africa and the diaspora, and is instructed in the ancient wonders of the continent, and sees Africa’s Nobel laureates, writers, musicians and sporting legends – before being put on trial for his monstrous crimes in the Herebefore.

Counsel for Damnation are Stanlake Samkange, Zimbabwean historian, and Olive Schreiner, a contemporary of Rhodes who condemned him in his lifetime for Imperial brutality. Counsel for Salvation are Harry Oppenheimer, diamond magnate and anti-apartheid reformer, and Nelson Mandela, advocating even in the Beyond for reconciliation.

What this book is good at:
- Giving an excellent potted tour of Great African Achievement, such that the reader who is so inclined can add significantly to their knowledge and their reading list, especially with respect to authors honoured in Africa but not generally known outside.
- Rebutting colonial myths of Africa as backward and underachieving
- Tearing down Cecil Rhodes definitely and completely, with no ambiguity that he was the Absolute Worst

What the book is not trying to do:
- Deal with the time-travel fantasy aspect of getting a character from an earlier time to meaningfully think about what the world has become after him. Cecil is made uncomfortable by the things he sees, but the book isn’t interested in what he might have to say about them.
- Engage with the concept of an African heaven where Everything African goes, and the questions this throws up.
- Redeem Rhodes even the slightest bit.

The primary defence of Rhodes within the book is given by Nelson Mandela himself and centres on the good done by both the Rhodes Scholarships and the Mandela-Rhodes Foundation – though not without pushback within the book! One character asks “Madiba, couldn’t you have taken the Trust’s blood money without linking your name to his?”

It’s not so much a work of fiction as a historical argument dressed up in a frame-story. Have you ever desperately wanted to tell someone from history: "You are wrong, and here is why", and give a brilliant I Told You So speech? This is that fantasy writ large, the idea of talking back to imperialism personified and getting to reject it utterly. On that level, it’s extremely satisfying.

The book gives an extremely useful short history of the specific ways that Rhodes caused harm both in his lifetime and the ripple effects that continued to cause harm. It's also great for increasing a reader’s awareness of African art and writing to go away and look into.

[Sipho Lukhele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected the book to be a play, and I think the idea was planted by the way it was launched, at least by Jacana media, who asked the great Dr. John Kani to be in conversation with Adekeye Adebanjo. As is turns out, the book is not a play but a wonderful work of creative fiction, based in the afterlife. I was never exposed to the crimes committed by Cecil Rhodes, no attempted to learn of his history. However, I have learned enough about it in this very short and well written book. I loved all sections of it, and the style it is written in, as well as all the famous historical names I came across. I have learned a great deal about influential names in literature, music, nobel peace prize winner's and politics, mostly from the African diaspora.

I highly recommend this book.

[Babwa Apple]

After his death and after spending a huge amount of time in limbo. Cecil John Rhodes is summoned to the court of new africa where he stands trial for all the bad and suffering he brought to africa. very informative and educational

[Heather Rudd · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not well written and very badly researched, a huge disappointment and a waste of valuable time.