Togolese novelist explores political power ^{CEFR B1}

Hubert Kolani, a trained lawyer and young Togolese author, published the French-language novel Le Sang du Pouvoir, the first in a planned series. He uses a fictional story to examine contested power and the risks around it. The plot features a complex female lead nicknamed "The Iron Lady" and other characters who face broken friendships, hard choices and darker forms of mysticism.

Kolani calls these issues "dark politics": human sacrifices, close links between power and spiritual practice, and fear that shapes behaviour. He argues that fiction lets writers say difficult truths more freely than journalism or essays, because journalists must rely on verifiable facts and essayists take clear positions that can attract censorship.

The book also reflects a generational shift. Kolani notes that younger people use the internet and social media to compare and question, rather than accept silence. He hopes the novel will promote debate, reflection and a more humane political life, especially in Africa.