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Our greatest enemy are those close to us. Drawing your illustrations from Blossoms of the Savannah, discuss this statement.

Answer Text:
It has always been said that fear your friends because you don’t know their intentions for your enemies intentions are always known to you. This statement goes hand in hand with the one that says our enemies are those close to us because we tend to trust those close to us not knowing that they are in a better position to use circumstances around us to harm us than those who are distant from us.
In the novel Blossoms of the Savannah we see Ole kaelo, who is the father of Resian and Taiyo acting as their enemy. He betrays their trust of being their father. On page one, we are told that Ole Kaelo refused travel to Mombasa with other young men and women selected by an FM radio station for a music extravaganza (pp.1-2). He refused to allow her saying that no daughter of his “…would so demean herself and her family as to perform in public in exchange of monetary gain” (p.45). This is where Taiyo’s passion is, but to him that would be like engaging in harlotry. He also kills his daughters’ ambitions to join Egerton University preferring instead to marry them off to Oloisudori. This shows he is not ready to help them realize their dreams as a father should do and he makes them undergo mental torture and suffering as they seek for liberation.
Mama Milanoi also portrays enmity to her daughters through her choices. Being their mother, she is expected to protect them from early marriage. Mama Milanoi also allows her daughter, Taiyo to be accompanied by three women to take her to Resian only for her to end up being forcefully subjected to F.G.M. She does all this out of her docile submission and fear of her husband. In addition, she has to play along with Ole Kaelo in his devious acts so that they cannot lose the wealth Ole Kaelo has corruptly acquired by doing business with Oloisudori. Later, when Resian and Taiyo are reunited, they blame their mother for their ordeals saying “She was an example of a wife they never wanted to become”.
Olarinkoi is a frequent visitor of the Kaelo’s even though the girls do not like her, he constantly brings meat for the family. He also rescues them when the two men accosted them which makes the girls trust him. He has a hidden agenda which is not known to the Kaelos. That is why he kidnaps and attempts to rape Resian when he finds a golden opportunity and together with his mother plans behind her back to circumcise her. He therefore proves to be of more harm than Oloisudori who is not as close to the Kaelos as he. Mama Milanoi’s nephew, Lante Muyo, is a close relative to Resian and Taiyo. He is their cousin. He attempts to rape his own cousin. Joseph Parmuat who is not even having a blood relationship with them is more concerned about them.
In conclusion, we are more vulnerable to those close to us, they are our greatest enemies who can ruin us more that those who aren’t close.