Hubert Kolani is a trained lawyer and a young author from Togo who chose fiction to probe political power. His French-language novel Le Sang du Pouvoir, the first in a planned series, creates a space where difficult truths can emerge without naming real individuals. The story centres on a complex female figure nicknamed "The Iron Lady" and on other characters trapped in contested power struggles, painful choices and broken loyalties.
Kolani describes these situations as "dark politics": contested authority, human sacrifices and the close intertwining of power with spiritual ties and mysticism. The novel also foregrounds women's resilience, maternal love and strong physical love, while showing characters who laugh, doubt, dream and care for family and friends.
He argues that fiction offers more freedom than journalism or essays. Journalists must depend on verifiable facts and can face risks when they investigate power, and essayists who take clear positions may be censored. Fiction acts as a shield and can reach places other formats cannot. Kolani also writes about generational change: earlier generations often accepted silence as protection and saw politics as community loyalty, while younger people use the internet and social media to compare, question and refuse silent acceptance.
His aim is not to lecture but to prompt debate and reflection and to restore some humanity to political life, especially in Africa, and to encourage readers to find their own truth.
Difficult words
- probe — examine or investigate carefully and deeply
- contested — disputed or challenged by different people
- intertwine — to become closely connected or linked togetherintertwining
- resilience — ability to recover from difficulties or hardship
- censor — to suppress or remove unacceptable content publiclycensored
- shield — something that protects from danger or criticism
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think fiction is a safer way to discuss political power? Why or why not?
- How might social media change the way younger people challenge political silence?
- How can an author show difficult political truths without naming real people?
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