Do Kenyans honor their heroes more in death than in life?

It is no secret that the late professor Wangari Maathai was honored more abroad than in her native Kenya. It is in deed the outside world that awarded her the ultimate prize, the Nobel peace prize plus a slew of other awards. It really is true that a prophet is never honored at home. Two days of mourning have been declared and the late professor will get a state funeral.

One only needs to look at athletes, sportsmen and women, musicians and actors to realize how desperate some of them are in their old age. As many of these heroes have carried the flag of the country high, they have been neglected by the country after they retire or are no longer able to represent the country. It is no wonder that some time back, many athletes were changing their citizenship, as they thought that they would be recognized more in their adopted countries than in the country of their birth. Even today, many bright youngsters dream of going abroad, where they feel they will be more appreciated than if they would have put their talents to use in Kenya.