ALEX FERGUSON'S NEW BOOK

By Omoseye Bolaji

To the delectation of thousands of readers, Sir Alex Ferguson - revered erstwhile supremo of Manchester UTD FC - has just released his latest autobiography. The event once again highlights the yawning chasm between the western world and Africa, re the genre of the written, published word.

The palpable euphoria, the fulsome excitement and ambience even before the book was released is a story in itself. But what else can one expect in an “enlightened" society where some newspapers over yonder actually sell in MILLIONS? - hence to put it as mildly as possible, here is a veritably literate society indeed.  

It has been reported that the initial print run of Ferguson's book is 100 000 copies, expected to be sold out soon, with reprints guaranteed. Small beer compared to sales of Harry Potter books perhaps, but these are scenarios the literary scene in Africa can only envy in quintessential manner.

The interesting thing is the way the western world generated transcendent interest in Sir Ferguson's book even before it came out. In their countless dozens of newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs etc the anticipation over the book was generated, reaching a peak just before the book was published this week.

There were even countless perceptive reviews before the book came out; provocative presumptions and assumptions about probable "acerbic" comments. What would the great man, Fergie, write about the likes of David Beckham, Arsene Wenger, Roy Keane, Rooney, Ronaldo, etc? All these ingredients added to the frenzy.

And the perspicacious media provided even more fillip, whetting even more appetites with excerpts and reviews from the book just before its release. The emphasis of course was on the more explosive, controversial aspect of the work, the "pungent attacks" on the likes of Keane, Beckham, and more mildly on Arsene Wenger. So why would the book not fly off the shelves?

And don't forget to add into the tantalising mix the reactions of those "attacked" by Fergie in the book. It is still early doors, but even before the book was formally released this week Roy Keane has already ventilated his chagrin; to the effect that Fergie should not have written negative things about those who did the hard job on the field of play for years - ensuring the author's greatness as Coach and leader.

Perhaps. But the point here is how the wheels of the western publishing
world is well galvanised and oiled; a true publishing, sports and literary repast. If only the same operated here in Africa! Alas, the general picture is that of despondency and even hints of something of a doomsday scenario as more and more major booksellers close down.

One does not want to paint a bleak picture, but how many of us are reading? Are we aware of new, genuine African books being churned out, meagre though the number is? This year alone I felt like weeping, reading comments from two great (elderly) Nigerian writers, who confessed that even if they heard about any new books, they probably cannot afford to buy such books anyway!    

As I pondered tens of thousands of people buying Alex Ferguson's book - which is just a football book, not literature - I mused over the general pathetic situation in this wise in Africa. Why can't we take pride in building our own private libraries at home, and regularly stocking them with (new) books? But I must still praise those few Africans I know who relish books, and buy new titles on a regular basis – like Mpikeleni Duma, R Mokoena, K Dintlhoane (The Bibliophile)...  

The great thing is that the good libraries often manage to grab hold of new books and stock them; one would necessarily expect libraries in Africa to buy and stock virtually all titles penned by African writers. After all, during our times now, it would be an insult to espy countless recent books published by famous writers from the Eurocentric world easily available in our libraries; whilst it might be onerous to come across books written by our own writers...

But it is a safe bet to assume that the latest Ferguson book will soon be available from most libraries all over the world...

COMPLACENCY CAN BE A BUGBEAR

By Omoseye Bolaji

The crunch final World Cup qualifying games in Africa kicked off throughout the continent over the weekend. Naturally enough, tens of millions of Nigerians looked forward with relish to the first leg of the games with Ethiopia, including in South Africa here.

Ethiopia had done very well indeed to get to this final stage of qualification, one must say. And they are such a lovable, genial breed of people, so law-abiding and essentially decent. In South Africa they exhibit their love for business and amity within each other every time – you see them at the helm of sundry businesses like salons,eateries, and internet centres.

Many South African men often praise the beauty and “nobility” of Ethiopian (or sometimes Eritrean; their east African neighbours’) women. This was especially so during that last Africa Cup of Nations finals hosted earlier this year by SA where glimpses of the pulchritude of such women could be seen in the media intermittently. But I have been used to seeing their women for years, so there is no novelty for moi!

Yes, Ethiopia had done magnificently to get to this final stage but to expect to defeat Nigeria, would to most pundits be over-stretching expectations; yet as we have seen over the decades nothing is impossible in football really. Naturally I wanted the Super Eagles (Nigeria) to win but I still had a lot of sympathy for the Ethiopians.

Such was the fervour, enthusiasm and expectations of the Ethiopians over the game (the first leg in their country) that one could not but have a lot of empathy for them, especially as I have so many good Ethiopian friends in South Africa. It is a pity there has to always be a victor in such mammoth competitions though…

Yet even many South Africans believed that Ethiopia could pull off an upset against Nigeria, at least in the first leg in their country. After all, Ethiopia had acquitted themselves well during the Nations Cup finals in SA earlier in the year (which the Eagles incidentally won). But what a game they had given Nigeria in the very first round, when again many felt the Eagles would win rather easily.

How well I remember that game – it was in no way easy for Nigeria. In fact late on in the match it was clear that any of the teams could actually win it – until Victor Moses won two penalties and converted them. But Ethiopia had made a very fine impression and nobody was underestimating them again.

Certainly not South Africa who were painfully denied the possibility of going to next year’s World Cup finals because of the same Ethiopia. It seemed almost unreal, quite surreal when Bafana Bafana could not win their vital home tie against Ethiopia…but the word “surreal” was accentuated in the crunch tie far away in Ethiopia when SA lost 2-1. Not really because Bafana lost, but because the winning goal of Ethiopia was actually an own goal scored by the normally reliable SA striker, Bernard Parker!

Yet South Africa would be reprieved thanks to a technicality, and there was still a chance of progressing ahead of Ethiopia; but the latter, showing how strong they are these days travelled to CAF and somehow won. So this put paid to Bafana Bafana’s prospects and Ethiopia consolidated their new found respect internationally. 

Yes, Nigerians, we know traditionally would still find it difficult to be in awe of Ethiopia. After all for about fifty years Ethiopia had not pulled up any trees in African football, not even in the Cup of Nations finals for decades! Yet the history book tells us that Ethiopia won the Africa Cup in 1962, something most people around today would know nothing about. Anyway, the simple truth was that this was easily the strongest Ethiopian side ever in decades… and they were bent on going to the World Cup for the first time! Then again there was also the small matter of the thin air that affected visitors playing in their country (Ethiopia)

In the event, Nigeria won the first leg of the World Cup tie against Ethiopia 2-1, despite conceding the first goal of the match in almost bizarre fashion. Then Emmanuel Emenike, never short of confidence and unbridled determination these days, went on to score two goals for the Eagles, the second a very late penalty.

Yet this does not mean that Ethiopia would easily be rolled over during the second leg in Calabar (Nigeria) The Eagles, having won the first leg away are overwhelming favourites, but there should be no room for complacency. Anything can happen in football. For example, some months ago Arsenal (England) lost 2-0 AT HOME to Bayern Munich, but incredibly travelled to Germany and won 2-0 too! A word is enough for the wise…suke…

* Pic above: Emmanuel Emeneke who bagged a brace against Ethiopia

AN ILLUMINATING WORKSHOP

By Omoseye Bolaji

This weekend I was one of the facilitators at a workshop on “Novels, short-story writing” et al” in South Africa, orchestrated by Arts Amuse, which has the redoubtable lady, Rita Chihawa (below) as supremo.

It was an interesting occasion that brought together a number of intriguing wordsmiths, poets and literary protagonists. They included Charmaine Kolwane, a sterling facilitator herself; the ebullient Flaxman Qoopane who was in his element at the event; Ntate P Moiloa, scion of the legendary author J.J Moiloa who is also father of female poet, Pulane; and the incredibly prolific author, Kgang Abel Motheane. 

Also present were published authors like Matshidiso Taleng, Hector Kunene; and the ever-bubbly “Dr Kool”.

We were able to introduce the world of imaginative fiction – novels, novellas, short stories etc – to participants, established, burgeoning, or budding. As the event unfolded, we were able to latch onto the life and times, works, legacy of a myriad of authors, Eurocentric and African.

For me the most impressive and revelatory aspect was the “practical class” wherefore most of the participants had to concoct and write an imaginative piece – each. A few of such impromptu submissions were outstanding. I actually urged the organisers, especially Mme Rita herself, to ensure that these submissions were sooner, rather than later published in book form. After all, the history of creative writing even in Africa, has shown how such gems were discovered at such workshops (eg the Great NGUGI from the early literary conference on African writing orchestrated in the early 60s)

Charmaine and I also prepared a short Introduction to the genre of novels...excerpts here:

Fiction has always been a popular genre of literature all over the world, the most famous novelists naturally come from the Western, Eurocentric world where this form of writing started less than  300 years ago (one of the earliest novelists being Daniel Defoe). The most famous novelist over the century is probably Englishman Charles Dickens who lived in the first part of the 19^th century. Other very famous novelists from England in those days include Thomas Hardy, George Orwell and George Elliot; and the Bronte Sisters i.e Emily Bronte and Charlotte Bronte. Around the same time when America was finding its feet as a new country, it began to produce its own writers; great novelists too like Herman Melville, Mark Twain, John Updike. Other famous novelists from the Western World who are not from England or America include Emily Zola from France, Chekov from Old Russia and Thomas Mann from German.

The Novel came to Africa mainly in the beginning of the second part of the 20^thcentury; but before then there were a few great African novelists, for example Thomas Mofolo who wrote the famous Chaka  about a 100 years ago, Sol Plaatjie’s Mhudi  came out in the 1930s and Peter Abrahams who published his first English  novels in early 1940s.

It was in the 50s that the world began to really celebrate African fiction mainly because of Chinua Achebe‘s Things fall apart 1958. The book is by far the most best-selling ever written by an African. But around the same time Camara Laye From Guinea also stunned the world with his fantastic novels written in French language; by the time these novels were translated into English (eg The radiance of the king) the literary world became aware of the awesome, fantastic talent coming from African Black Novelists. 

Other great African novelists who were to emerge over the decades  include Es’kia Mphahlele from South Africa, Cyprian Ekwensi, Chukuemeka Ike from Nigeria, Ayi Kwei Armah from Ghana, and world class Ngugi wa Thiong’o from Kenya . In recent times other great novelists have emerged in Africa like Ben Okri, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Zakes Mda, Yvonne Vera, Njabulo Ndebele, Naguib Mahfouz from Egypt.

Focusing specifically on South Africa over the decades it is clear that the country has contributed prodigiously to fiction writing in Africa, the women in particular have been outstanding. Mama Mirriam Tladi was the first black woman to publish an English novel, soon followed by Lauretta Ngcobo. And highly talented Sindiwe Magona. In recent times young female novelists like Angela Makholwa and Futhi Ntshingila continue to hoist the flag  of fiction writing among the younger generation.

This workshop will go into more details of the niceties between the novel and the short story writing in general. But let us state briefly here that many fine writers of longer fiction (novels) are also good writers of short stories. This is obvious when we examine novelists like Achebe, Ngugi, and Armah...

Again, for examples, Mme Sindiwe Magona, Gomolemo Mokae, Mr Bolaji from Nigeria have excelled both in novel writing and short story writing.

On the surface one might believe it is easier to write shorter fiction, but over the decades the literary experts and pundits have pointed out that in actual fact the short story is the most difficult to write, and needs special technique, format and discipline...