Friday, April 24, 2015

ISHMAEL MZWANDILE SOQAGA (Book review)




By Leke Giwa



The delights of reading can be expressed when one comes across impressive books unexpectedly. Such was the case with the book of Aderemi Adegbola which I reviewed some time ago.  
      
This would take place again this week when I had the opportunity to read the book, Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga. I was already aware of this new book thanks to the internet but it was a pleasure to finally read it. 
This is a book that celebrates literature, African literature. The enthusiasm of the author is endless, and it can be no coincidence that his comments and reviews are always positive. 

Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga (by the way, he is a South African essayist and literary critic) is interested in writers from all over the continent. In this book he refers a lot to a wide range of writers and authors. 

Specifically in at least three separate essays, he writes about writers who have died in recent times: "the peerless" Chinua Achebe, Obi Egbuna and Apantaku. He even lists most of the works published by these writers, which is good.  

This is how Soqaga concludes about Achebe: "To be honest as a young black South African, I am deeply proud of the colossal, mammoth, phenomenal and imperative literary contributions of the great Achebe!"

Soqaga himself has published a number of books, this latest one being the third, I believe. In the early parts of this work we see some essays and critiques on Soqaga's own work. Thereafter he reproduces many essays he himself has penned on a number of books/authors. His language is often colourful, ecstatic and adjectival. Some samples here.

Throbbing South African Black Literature (edited by C Mautjana) "This book is gripping and absolutely whets the appetite for going through it again and again. It is an anthology which contains profound, enchanting essays and reviews from different writers. The book is a panoply of literary appreciation which focuses on the growth of black literature in SA".

Secrets (by Matshidiso Taleng) "As we witness the great thriving moment for Matshidiso, simultaneously we must feel worried about women's conditions in Africa. Many women are experiencing predicament situation in their lives; they are constant abuse victims, rape, molestation and chances for them to blossom are thwarted by an unequal world where man is still predominant. Infelicitous misery and anguish that women are faced with in today's life are unacceptable..."              

From "A Trio of Poets": "I really relished reading the poems of the three remarkable bards... They are quite interesting and they are intended to furnish imperative insights into our society...it is good to see African writers unequivocally raising these serious continental issues in their writings; this is necessary as it suffuses awareness about the demon of xenophobia..."        

Also: "It will be injudicious for me to avoid mentioning that Thaisi and Mzamo in their poems also pay great tributes to the now late world icon, Nelson Mandela. I strongly believe that the time for our African people at grassroots level to familiarise themselves with literature is imminent..."

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Things Fall Apart - CHINUA ACHEBE




'All our gods are weeping. Idemili is weeping. Ogwugwu is weeping. Agbala is weeping, and all the others. Our dead fathers are weeping because of the shameful sacrilege they are suffering and the abomination we have all witnessed...'

- From Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

Thursday, April 9, 2015

"HOUSEBOY" (novel) - by Ferdinand Oyono





"I have held the hand of my queen. I felt that I was really alive. From now on my hand is sacred. .... My hand belongs to my queen whose hair is the colour of ebony...whose skin is pink and white as ivory. A shudder ran through my body at the touch of her tiny moist hand...my life was mingling with hers at the touch of her hand. Her smile is refreshing as a spring of water. Her look is as warm as a ray from the setting sun" - from House Boy

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

AFRICAN RENAISSANCE ANTI-CLOCKWISE By Pule Lebuso


African Renaissance Anti-Clockwise (Book)

Written by Pule Lebuso

(First published February 2001)

Review by Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

I’ve been reading Pule Lebuso's book, African Renaissance Anti- Clockwise and I dramatically find it fascinating and interesting to read.  Significantly I can add that the book is one of the fine books to be written by an African writer.  The author’s belief is very imperative as it cerebrally challenges the reader and essentially provides transcendent debate about African Renaissance.  In my opinion I could recommend that the book needs to be read with a glaring consciousness rather with a myopic apprehension that will cause defectiveness into realising the actual belief of the writer.  Of course the book is non-fiction, however it comprises serious quiz about African values and culture.



Honestly, as an African I am very enthusiastic to see the book being a success in this wise, because it is not easy to find books like this being accepted by the powers-that-be in particular in Africa where leaders are not phlegmatic.  As far as I know and I think is ubiquitous in Africa to see leaders shrug off the idea of being excoriated and commonly believe that whatever ideas they come with must be unanimously congenial to all.  In fact some leaders of Africa invariably hold their own beliefs as absolute and they do not expect to be critiqued.   For certain times we see the very same independent African states being intolerant to criticism.  Sporadically, writers will be incarcerated without trial just because they write something which the state doesn’t want.   Sublime writers like Wole Soyinka, Jack Mapanje, Ngungi etc all experienced the same persecution and unscrupulous treatment from their governments.

Fortunately there is a need to applaud with great felicity to see the book African
Renaissance Anti-Clockwise survived such treacherous treatment.  The book is phenomenal for Africa and its inhabitants.  The manner, in which the author elucidates his belief, verily evinces explicitly his proficiency that he is a veritable writer.   Unlike writers who will only anticipate and appreciate what the authority is saying and write without quizzical or analyzing the concept comprehensive.  Overall, the book by Lebuso gives courage and motivation that writers should not only think about writing to be loved and seek favour from the men who are in power.  Writers by obligation are assigned to ventilate their opinion freely and produce genuine literature that is fair and arresting. 

the late Mr Lebuso as an ardent African who was passionately fond about Africa and its culture never allows being allured by the concept of African Renaissance while African values are in limbo and malpractice.   He strongly questions democracy which according to him affects African values and culture.  Primarily, he based his argument on the decline of family values of Africa and the lack of discipline among the Africans.  Although he is not antagonistic towards democracy but albeit, he is strongly discontented with its insipid and sub-standard practice.   Mainly, he emphasised that democracy advocates certain rights of other people like women and children and neglects men’s rights.  To reiterate; the book is not a fiction but its main point is based on democratic South Africa which is the strong proponent of 'African Renaissance'. 

Specifically, Lebuso apparently believes that men (as opposed to women) have no place in a democratic society as his rights are wholly suppressed and not recognized.  This is what he narrates in the “General Introduction” of his book.  “I am getting worried when I see so many children living in such terrible conditions especially nowadays for they are being abandoned mostly by Fathers because of an obvious reason:  Men being denied their rights of parenthood.”  Lebuso make us to look on these things very seriously and apparently what is saying is what is happening.  Did democracy bring a change that is satisfactory among the people of Africa or it is another force that intends to eliminate Africa?  However, what is extraordinary about the author is his brilliant savvy which he displays with great prowess, to include other people's views over the issue of African Renaissance in his book.

Moreover, in the book we read how the author conducted his interviews to find more from the people regarding the idea of African Renaissance.  In fact the interviews are necessarily exquisite as we see how people express their opinion unequivocally.  This range of interviews took place from different places, public place, shebeen, with men, women, young and old furnishing superlative answers about African Renaissance.  All responded with gusto to questions Mr Lebuso so eager to hear.

(A few excerpts)

Preliminary Conversation

Q    Mr Mbena, could you please explain what you understand by African culture?

 A    By African culture I understand a culture of discipline when a child was a child and a woman a woman, when a man was a man not a ‘child’ like today.

African Renaissance Conversation

LEBUSO (sitting beside two rather young ladies – greetings)

My sisters, can you believe I’m going around asking for people’s views on ‘African Renaissance’ what do you feel?

First Lady:  (pausing) African Renaissance.  That thing of our president?  I’m not sure I have thought seriously about it; life is about struggle.

Second Lady:  Come on!  Surely you must have an opinion.  I mean.  To me the aspect is all about the best features of original African culture.  Maybe you might call it ubuntu.  Like in the old days, our people hardly indulged in crimes.  Human life was sacred.  Strangers were welcomed into every house – there was fun.  Now, we are all scared of strangers.  It’s tougher for we women, as we might be molested or abused.  If we can go back to the past there will be human dignity.  At least much better than nowadays.

Final Conversation

LEBUSO:  Negritude?

BOLAJI:  Yes, quite a number of decades ago beloved, in Francophone countries here in Africa there was thing intriguing movement called negritude.  Pride in our past, our heritage, culture, that sort of thing.  Great writers like the late Leopold Senghor, Camara Laye, etc. contributed greatly to this movement.  Pan African movements meeting were organized. 


African Renaissance Anti-Clockwise has something important and stupendous to offer.  To divulge further; it is a book that adapts with times.  The book is logical and outstanding.  The book is the profound example of how writers should be and think.  Although colonialism had done great damage to Africa it does not mean that facts must be ignored about our own African leaders who are corrupt and uncaring about Africa.

It is important to apprehend that independence of African continent need not to be view as an Alpha and Omega or some sort of Manna from Heaven.  It should be known that writing in Africa never began with the advent of colonialism and it never ultimately ends with the eventual dismantling of colonialism.  Therefore writers through their hard work should not expect things will always be as good as anticipated, but they should be consciously ready for any circumstances, whether good or bad, even to face prison if it is possible - just for the love of words.

Africa, I believe,  must be gladly delightful at what many pundits will consider to be a magnum opus book - i.e African Renaissance Anti-Clockwise by Pule Lebuso.