THE DISENCHANTED "VISITORS"

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI They came quite stealthily towards me, as I slowly savoured my drink at my favourite spot at this joint. Their collective, nigh-menacing tread on the probe made me more alert. There were three of them; all male; now they moved towards me, and I could see that the one in front was holding a newspaper; the small South African paper I edited! The ambience that surrounded the men ineluctably showed that they were none too pleased with me. Their greeting – if it could be called that – was perfunctory. The man in the lead, a wiry man with a lugubrious expression waved the paper at me and said: “You are the editor of this paper?” I nodded as we all knew I was anyway – “You read everything that is published here. Even the columns,” I nodded again and the man went on: “So you are well aware of this column; the one writing about so-called feminine matters. Flutters or whatever it is called. You also edit it...read everything written there,” I grinned and said proudly: “Of course. I gave the lady columnist the chance to write the column. Intelligent lady, isn’t she? Writes quite well...” The three men stared at me as if I was crazy. The wiry one said: “So you agree with all these bad things she writes about men, all this unfair, self-centred rubbish. As the editor, you have the power to remove some of the terrible stuff she writes but here you are even praising her! What type of man are you, Ntate?” I said: “Surely you know about freedom of speech. This is not a banana republic. You’ve heard of fair comment too. It’s just a column, a personal piece. How can that cause you anguish? Don’t say the three of you are here threatening me just because of a column!” “We are not threatening you, Ntate,” another of the men said, a placid, long-suffering expression on his face. “But surely you can see what this woman columnist is writing is so unfair and cruel to men many times. For how long should we continue to suffer so much because of women, and after it all they still go around saying bad things about us, and even publishing it.” He drew a breath. “I have just left jail...because of a woman I suffered so much for who ensured I went to prison in the end...she just used me...” “What has that got to do with the woman’s column?” I enquired. Their “leader”, the wiry one, now said heatedly: “It is an indication of how much they – women – cheat men. Look what your columnist wrote here -“ he showed me. “She says all women feel used after men make love to them. What an insult to men! So what do we gain from them? We spend all our lives serving them, trying to please them, and the family. We have to endure all their tricks and manipulations. Greed. Lies. Complaints every time. Overflowing debts. Now we learn that love-making, which to put it brutally is the only real thing we benefit from them, makes them feel used!” The third man spoke at last. “Really Ntate, you must not give women platform to say these bad things about us. They can make life so intolerable for us but still blame us for everything in the end, even when we are vicious victims. Really, you can’t encourage things like this in these days when life is bad for majority of men,” I smiled at them. “There is a very simple way out of this matter, gentlemen,” “What?” I grinned. “If she upsets you so much, do NOT read the lady’s column again,” i suggested, studiously going back to my drink.

INTERVIEWS WITH EFFERVESCENT WRITERS

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI

The gentleman - decidedly a stranger to me - seemed out of breath, a frisson of scarcely contained excitement about him. "I'm glad I caught you in your office..." he started.

I stared at him as he went on: "As I told the receptionist ‘outside’, I am from a province far away...I am briefly visiting Bloemfontein. The editor would have killed me if I failed to see you in person!"

“The editor?” I said, wondering what this was all about.

“Yes, ntate,” he replied. "I suppose you have seen, even read the book, Talking with African writers, by Jane Wilkinson... “

I told him that yes, it was a great book. Featuring illuminating interviews with a number of distinguished African writers. I recollected that Nigerian writers, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Odia Ofeimum had been interviewed in the book. Well?

The man said, “I am here on behalf of another South African woman editor who is putting together another similar book of interviews with African writers. The bulk of interviews will be with South African writers, black and white, but writers like you - from other African countries will also feature in the book. The editor wants you in the book at all costs."

Naturally, I was both flattered and delighted. “That is why I am here, tracking you down,” he went on. “We know your love for writing, and we assume you will be very much interested...”

Gingerly, he went on to stress that “unfortunately” time was of the essence as regards the project. There was a strict deadline and they hoped I would be able to co-operate and contribute as much as I could to the project. “We want the product to contribute in momentous fashion to literature,” he said. “So that the book can be treasured like that of Wilkinson even some 20 years after initial publication”

He also added that I could suggest a few other writers whose interviews might feature in the work. “We already have rather large contributions, submissions... and of course some pruning will have to be done. Not all writers will feature in the book in the end… but I can guarantee that you will be there…so long as you meet the deadline,” We both smiled.

We need not go into tedious details here, but I became part of the project. I liaised with one or two other writers in the Province where I am based. As the book took shape I was briefed virtually every step of the way and a few of my suggestions were incorporated into the manuscript.

I am happy to say that the book, titled Interviews with effervescent writers, edited by Christine Mautjana, is now out. Some 20 pages are devoted to me in the book! Hantle, (fine) as South Africans say...