I think it's important for us to remember that, as Ngugi mentioned, learning for a colonial child is cerebral, not emotional. When I travel or learn a new language, it's a choice, an intellectual adventure. To be forced into such a journey removes the privilege of decision. As a descendant of colonizers, it may be impossible for me to understand the psychological effect such coercion has on a child.
That said, Ngugi's sense of righteous indignation, which is absolutely understandable, makes his argument less sound. In focusing so much on the mental control involved with Imperialism, he seems to imply that there was some sort of concious effort by colonizers to influence culture and communication. This is an emotional response- for westerners, it was an issue of profit, and the alteration of culture merely facilitated the acquisition of political and economic control. It was necessary for economic domination, not a precursor to such.
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This absence of decision in the education of those who are colonized is important in getting to the heart of what Ngugi is saying about English and the future of African Literature. If African writers are to exclusively use English in their works then they too leave the future readership of the working class with no alternative. Ngugi, I believe feels that this issue with language is his front on the battle against neo-colonialism. If he can provide works in his mother tongue and convince others to do so as well, while at the same time taking a shot at English so as to knock it off a perch he feels it has bullied its way to, then he as done something for his country men and the resistance tradition he is apart of.
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