FURTHER GLIMPSES INTO AFRICAN LITERATURE

Book: Further Glimpses into African Literature
Editors: I. M Soqaga and Omoseye Bolaji
First published 2018
Publisher: Eselby Jnr Publications (South Africa)

By R. Mokoena
 
And so it is a new year and a new work out on African literature, essentially co-authored by the duo of I M. Soqaga and Omoseye Bolaji (above).

I could not hold back a wry smile upon seeing Bolaji's name on the cover as co-author or editor. This man, for decades now, continues to do fine things for African literature in almost every genre.  His longevity and consistency in this wise is so commendable.

And going through this work, one can see how much Bolaji contributes to this new book in prodigious fashion. He actually writes almost half of the 30- plus essays, reviews or profiles published here. His contributions include articles on:

Peter Abrahams

Wole Soyinka

Flaxman Qoopane

Heidi Holland

Charles Mungoshi

Adebayo Faleti

Dillibe Onyeama

Nadine Gordimer

Bra Willie Kgositsile

Cyprian Ekwensi

In addition to this, it is also noteworthy that the formal Introduction to this book is written by Bolaji himself ; in the same introduction he explains how the book came into fruition, and he especially praises the input of Mr Soqaga , stressing his zest and passion for literature. What a combination!

Let me also point out that this is not the first time Bolaji would co-produce a book...almost 20 years ago he combined with the late Flaxman Qoopane to write a biography, Gilbert Modise the man and the myth. But that was a slight work; the new book here is much more substantial.

Many times, people would badger the likes of me who they believe are more familiar with Omoseye Bolaji's works over the decades, and say something like: "This Bolaji is so prolific...he has published so many books; but how many exactly?" With this latest effort, let us try to attempt a comprehensive list of Bolaji's published books thus far:

The Termagant
They Never Say When
Eagles at USA 94
Snippets
Impossible Love
Fillets of Plaice
Tebogo Investigates
The story of Collins Mokhotho
The Ghostly Adversary
Tebogo's spot of bother
The Guillotine
You never know with Women
The Quack of QwaQwa
Gilbert Modise: The man and the myth (with Flaxman Qoopane)
Thoughts on Free State Writing
Tebogo Fails
People of the Townships
Molebogeng Alitta Mokhioa
Ask Tebogo
My Opinion
Reverie
The subtle Transgressor
My Life and Literature
Poems from Mauritius
Omoseye Bolaji: On awards, authors, literature
Tebogo and the Haka
Tebogo and the epithalamion
Tebogo and the pantophagist
Miscellaneous Writings
Tebogo and the Bacchae
It Couldn't Matter Less
Kunle Apantaku
Tebogo in the thick of things
Collected Poems
Far Up! Far Out! Far More!
Windmills of the Dames
Cognoscenti
Sorry You've been Troubled
Further Glimpses into African Literature (with I.M Soqaga)

OMOSEYE BOLAJI AND EBEDI REVIEW

There are two refreshing features published on writer Omoseye Bolaji in the latest edition of Ebedi Review, a journal which is the publication of the Ebedi International Writers Residency in Iseyin.    

The first feature is on page 61, titled For Malome (Omoseye Bolaji). It is written by the South African poet, Tiisetso Thiba. It is a rather long poem, and some of its trenchant lines might raise a smile:  

“Bold black and tall.

Cavernous voice.  

Mirth and Beam.

Face always dressed up.

And with a meek humanity.

Sole trends.   

Black shades on your eyes.

 Bag stacked with books and papers.

On your shoulder..."

The second feature appears on page 85 of Ebedi Review. It is a review of

Bolaji's book, Cognoscenti (2016) written by Raphael Mokoena, critic

and blogger. Here is how he reviews the work: 

“ Omoseye Bolaji is a prolific African writer. He has published some 30 works comprising fiction, poetry, drama, biographies, essays and literary criticism. Cognoscenti (2016) is his latest work.

Although Nigerian by birth, Bolaji is more renowned as a writer in South Africa where most of his books are published; and where he has garnered many accolades for his proficiency in writing, including Lifetime Achievement Awards, and being conferred with the Chancellor's Medal by the University of the Free State.

For many literary  pundits, Bolaji is often associated with interesting fiction -  including novels and short stories. However over the last few years it  is discernible that he has been focusing on the genre of literary  appreciation, criticism, hermeneutics and its ilk.

His published works over the last few years illustrate this - Miscellaneous Writings (2011), It Couldn't Matter Less (2013), Kunle Apantaku (2013), Far Up! Far Out! Far More! (2014). These works largely comprise literary criticism and appreciation.

Cognoscenti (2016), Bolaji's very latest work, concentrates totally on  literature, largely African literature, African authors and books. The  author makes sparkling contributions to the continent's corpus of  writing here.

Most of the essays/reviews here are short, couched in interesting fashion in a manner that brings the pertinent  books to life. The authors straddle the decades, and include E'skia Mphahlele, Mbella Sonne Dipoko, Ola Rotimi, Peter Abrahams amongst  many others.

In this work, Bolaji pays a special tribute to  South African writer, Flaxman Qoopane, as he turned 60 in 2015. It is a flowing, lovely, anecdotal essay that has echoes of Bolaji's  fiction.

 The longest essay here is on the literary work  of another South African writer, Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga. Bolaji  brings together lots of analyses of Soqaga's work over the last few  years; and this is by far the most comprehensive focus on Soqaga, a mini-book in itself.

Apparently, the author does not discriminate between writers renowned for their "literary style" and the more popular ones. Why should we undermine or even forget skillful writers like Victor Thorpe, Cyprian Ekwensi or Kalu Okpi because they appealed more to mainstream readers?

Indeed, at least one of the  reviews here is that of Cyprian Ekwensi's Jagua Nana's Daughter.  Ekwensi, as an incredibly prolific writer of novels and short stories,  deserves a lot of respect.

 The author has a zany, unorthodox  style which often reflects in even his serious essays; this can be  seen clearly here in his reviews of the books, The Wanderers (by Es'kia Mphahlele), and The African Witch (by Joyce Cary)...this witty approach makes such reviews very interesting and lively.

All in all, this is a satisfactory work that would whet the appetite of readers and scholars alike to appreciate African literature over the decades.”

Novelist Matshidiso Taleng salutes Omoseye Bolaji on his Birthday

By Matshidiso Taleng (below)

If you want you can call him "Heaven Sent" "an Angel from above" I personally consider myself blessed to know Mr Omoseye Bolaji and today (August 16) on his birthday, I feel like saying happy birthday to him would be plain, because through all the years I've known him, he has taught me everything I needed to know about literature.

When I published my first book in 2013 I had no clue who Mr Omoseye Bolaji was, a journalist from the Free State news came to me at the Bloemfontein Library one day and said Mr Bolaji's been looking for me and struggling to get my contact details from anyone, that he wants an interview with me, I asked her who Mr Bolaji was and why can't she do the interview instead, she told me that Mr Bolaji wants to do the interview himself, we then set an appointment for the next day for me to go to their offices.

When I got home that day, I surfed the internet and searched for Mr Omoseye Bolaji... And God was I amazed, to have read such great stories about this man! It then scared me a little because now I didn't know what was I going to say and prayed I don't say something stupid during the interview with the great literary bard, I even wanted to cancel the interview right there and then.

The next morning I went there and waited in the other room where this lady from yesterday was, I sat with her and had a little chat while I wait for Mr Bolaji to finish what he was doing in his office, he called me to his office when he was done, I got there and here's the first thing he said to me "wow! Its the Supper star herself, you're very difficult to get hold of, but I guess that's what you supper starts do, very busy" and then he laughed. It baffled me a bit because yesterday was the first time I heard of him and that he's been looking for me, I asked him what he meant by "very difficult to get hold of" because he knew people who had my contact details, he said he asked them but they didn't give them to him, we don't know why.

So we did the interview and despite my nerves and all, the interview went well, then he asked for my email address, since from that day I made it my mission to read all the books written by him and since that day.Mr Bolaji started sending me so many stories and articles to read, sometimes I'd want to lie and say I read them, but I knew he was going to ask for my opinion on whatever he sent at that time, so then I'd read and give him my thoughts, I was confused at first as to why this man was sending me so many stories and articles, but I got to know when he said to me one day "you see, now you're coming right, I always knew you were a smart young lady" that's when it hit me that Mr Bolaji's actually mentoring me to be a greater writer, I ended up enjoying the stories, most of them were funny, and some of them were sad, but they were the most exquisite stories I've ever read.

When he told me that he was going back to his country, I was crushed, I started wondering how he was going to continue mentoring me and if he will continue, because I assumed that once he got home he was going to forget or be too busy to attend to my emails, but he promised to keep in touch, and till today he still is.

I remember with my second book (a novel, Unfolding the Documentary). It started as a short story on my blog, Mr Bolaji read it one day and said to me "this is a beautiful story Star, you just can't leave it like this" I asked what he wanted me to do, he said I should prolong it and make it a novella or novel, I laughed and thought the Old man was crazy now, and that Old Age was getting to him, I didn't think I could do it, but he encouraged me and said if I think I can't make it a novel then I should make it a novella because it was a beautiful story that just can't be left like that. So then I did it, he was with me every step of the way, there came a time when my laptop crashed and I lost everything and I didn't have back-up, I cried so much and emailed him, told him I was giving up because now the story was gone, he said "Relax star, its not the end of the world, this happens to many of us, relax.. The story will come to you again if you've forgotten what you wrote, it'll come and you'll write again"

At that time I didn't understand what he was saying because I was frustrated, I beat myself up for thinking I could ever write a novel, I thought it was God's way of showing me that I could never write a novel, that I should just stick to poetry, but the great ever so shy and always ready to advice, Malome was there to help me throughout all that unhappy period of my life, the story came bit by bit in my head but now all I could remember was towards the end of it, I spoke to Malome about it and he said I should start my story there... I should start it with the end, then as I go further I'll remember how I went about it or I'll even come up with a new storyline. My creative juices came back and I wrote. He laughed at me when I told him that the story exceeded and it doesn't end where he knew it ended, then he said to me "now you have your Novel Mama" I finished the book, published it and dedicated it to him, all because he knew all the blood sweat and tears that I went through to get it done and was with me every step of the way, though he was halfway across the world, he managed to help me through that difficult time.

Knowing Mr Bolaji (pix, above) has been a privilege and a blessing in my life, I have never met anyone of his calibre be so kind and helpful in anyway possible, I thank him for his undying support and mentorship, he is simply the greatest of them all.

I have never seen him angry at all and I hope I never will, even when someone has upset him by saying hurtful things about him, he'd still talk good about them and tell me not to fight with them or start disrespecting them in any kind of way. When he got sick, I remember he used to refer to himself as "the old dying Malome" or "the old finished Malome" hahahaha! Well you're not dead Malome, just getting older.. I did tell you that you'll still be here when my book is out and here you are... Still alive and kicking, hahaha! Happy Birthday Malome, may you grow even older to see more years of joy and happiness, God bless you to continue mentoring me and the long list of others, may He bless you to continue being the soft-hearted person that you are at all times... Suke!

LET'S TAKE A WALK MAMA

Collection of poems by Tiisetso M Thiba

Introduction by Omoseye Bolaji

Published by First Born Distribution (South Africa)

INTRODUCTION

The genre of literature -never mind poetry for a moment - though admittedly global, is nonetheless hydra-headed in many ways, with disparate hues even whilst employing a common language.

Thus amidst classical English poets, the use of language, imagery and kindred ideas varies. The poetry of the likes of T.S. Eliot, William Shakespeare, Emily Bronte, Thomas Hardy, D. H. Lawrence is notable for its dissimilarity despite their common inheritance. How much more African poets to whom English, French or Portuguese are essentially foreign languages?

But as pioneering - and powerful -African poet, J. P (John Pepper) Clark, once said, African writers, specifically poets, would still want to regard themselves as writing within the same "international canon and stream". And can we doubt even for a moment that African poets like Mongane Serote, Lenrie Peters, Wole Soyinka,  Jack Mapanje, or J. P Clark himself are not mainstream poets?

Yet for many African writers and poets, there is also the element of integrity; whilst they want to be part of the warp and weft of mainstream writing, they also want to be considered as authentic African writers as regards their subject matter, ideas and the very language and imagery they use. This is not a trivial issue, as witness the long-standing feud between revered writers Chinua Achebe and Ayi Kwei Armah, with the latter nettled at the suggestion that he might not be a "real African writer".

The late literary giant Nadine Gordimer, once opined that "African writers are always translating from their mother tongues" – which invariably adds a subtle richness to their writing.

Indeed, there can be no doubt about the fecundity and remarkable expressiveness of our indigenous African languages. The plethora of proverbs, idioms, wise saws, imagery, "wisecracks" can be seen reflected in the works of diverse writers, even when they are writing in so-called European languages.

It is universally acknowledged in the literary world that Chinua Achebe was not only technically adroit and accomplished as a prose-stylist, but he was unambiguously "African" in the process too, with the fascinating litany of Igbo expressions, ideas, aphorisms that dot his work.

The same could be largely claimed for the likes of Chukwuemeka Ike, Zakes Mda, T. M Aluko, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Ama Ata Aidoo, among others - all African writers who combine prose of a fairly high order with (intrinsic translations) of their own linguistic heritage.

From the point of view of the western world, Gabriel Okara might well have gone too far in his novel, The Voice which contains prose directly translated from his native Ijaw into English with scarcely any mediation. But on the whole, skilful African writers often manage to be authentic in their writing.

Which brings me to this book, and its author, Tiisetso Matthew Thiba. I have been somewhat familiar with his imaginative writing for some years now; at the moment poetry is definitely his forte.

Thiba writes a lot of poetry, and the exciting thing about his repertoire is the way he effortlessly combines fine, striking verses in the western sense with quintessential African traditional expressions and imagery. I have found this startling many a time, and the reader of this work would no doubt see many examples of this for themselves.

Ultimately, one day I was prodded to ask Mr. Thiba: "Your poetry is often what one would expect from an elderly African, not from a young man like you. How do you do it?" And he replied with a saturnine smile: "You see Mr. Bolaji I grew up in a real African village where things were still very much as they were in the past, the ancestral cultures, which included language and philosophy. I guess this is reflected in my poetry..."

Ah, well. Enjoy this debut work of Ntate Tiisetso Matthew Thiba.

         - By Omoseye Bolaji