Sociological Thought of Prophet Sakawa Among Abagusii for Sustainable Development in Modern Kisii Town

Abstract

The Abagusii had a famous prophet known as Sakawa, who prophesied that “Amandegere name Getembe kia’gusuku, no’oyobwate omomura nayae” [the mushrooms would sprout in Getembe [Kisii town] and whoever has a son/daughter would harvest them]. This had sociological and philosophical connotations and needed deep interpretation and application to the present development going on in Kisii town. The paper focused on how the society despised the sociological thought, which was key to development and economic growth of people dwelling in Kisii town and later regretted once those who interpreted and applied became the beneficiary to socio-economic growth in Kisii town. The paper applied content analysis and observation method in development and economic growth of Kisii town, since the time of Sakawa’s thought through to the present. Kisii Town is like prophet Sakawa’s sociological thought and prophesy that “the mushrooms would sprout in Kisii town and whoever who has a son/daughter would harvest them”; in other words, those who had money could buy land in Kisii town and build storey houses and be sources of economic growth. It is argued that even to the present those who have wealth would acquire any land in any town in Kenya. The sociological thought was vital in 1920’s and it’s quite relevant and applicable in the modern contemporary societies among the Abagusii and other peoples in Kenya, Africa and the whole world. It is recommended that sociological thought be applied to lead people to sustainable development in the country, Africa and globally.