A HARVEST OF BOOKS

I got a very flattering letter this week from Mr Ishmael Soqaga, a South African writer, essayist, literary critic and Pan-Africanist. With his kind permission his letter is reproduced here:

Dear Omoseye Bolaji,

With the release of your book on poetry this week, I could not believe my eyes and I was filled with so much happiness for you. I am sure it has occurred to you that in respect of new books celebrating your works being churned out, this has been a most wonderful year for you. At this stage of your writing career, to have so many successful books out whilst the year still has three months to go is a tremendous achievement.

It must be a thrill for you to be witnessing all this whilst still alive. I think of outstanding African writers like Bessie Head, Dambudzo Marechera and Ingrid Jonker who died whilst relatively young. They are now acknowledged as great writers but this was only many years after their death. In your own case we are always hearing that you are “finished”, very sick” - but great literary things keep on happening to you.

I recollect that I was very happy early this year when you published a new book titled It Couldn’t Matter Less. This is a book I treasure very much, which I always turn to read every now and then, even if it is only a few chapters. It seems to get better every time I 

read parts of it. It really is a mature work of vignettes.

Mid this year I remember your shock and horror when you learnt that your childhood friend, Kunle Apantaku had died prematurely! You and Kunle used to write from your early days and it is no surprise his demise hit you very badly. Yet you turned this tragedy into something of a triumph by writing the book, KUNLE APANTAKU, a brilliant work that I believe everybody who loves African and international literature should read. It is also in my personal library.

Skhokho, I know you were delighted when the fantastic study book on you, BOLAJI IN HIS POMP was finally released a few weeks ago. The author, Ntate Pule Lechesa has really done a great job in the book; I can not even imagine how much research he must have done whilst putting the book together, with the bonus of that world class interview with you also in the book. This is a world class study that celebrates your literary contributions and more.

We are still awe-struck over the book, BOLAJI IN HIS POMP …then within the last couple of weeks two more books have been published - both written by you! At first I thought it was a joke (as you normally bring out one new book a year) but I have seen that these new books are a reality. Tebogo in the thick of things (2013) has been published by Mbali Press.

By the way, I think it is wonderful and positive when publishers are not afraid to bring out new books. I once read that African publishers would advise our writers to wait till like “next year” even if manuscripts written by the same author are outstanding. If some Eurocentric authors can bring out up to 6 new books (same author) out in one year, why can’t this be the same for African writers? Hence I am very happy that apart from Tebogo in the thick of things, Mbali Press has also just released your COLLECTED POEMS (2013) almost at the same time.

And lest I forget still this same year, Charmaine Kolwane, the hard-working intelligent young lady also published a book study on you called: Omoseye Bolaji: Channelling one’s thoughts onto paper. I love the way she analysed the last three or four of your “Tebogo Mystery books” It was my pleasure to finally chat with her (Mme Charmaine) at one major library a few weeks ago.

Allow me to say hearty congratulations Ntate Bolaji! I have no doubt in my mind that whatever happens to you in the future, you will always remember 2013 as an extraordinary year as regards book publication!

(P.S: I still haven’t managed to get a copy of your new Collected Poems; can you help me?)

Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga (Mangaung)