Book: OMOSEYE BOLAJI: A voyage around his literary work

Book: Omoseye Bolaji: A voyage around his literary work (2012) Author: Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

This new book is the latest in line of books dedicated to examining the works of Omoseye Bolaji, a rather prolific writer. Here I am not attempting to review the new work (maybe I might do so later); rather the publication of this new book made me cast my mind back on such books published over the years. The late Pule Lebuso published the early work, Omoseye Bolaji: his writings/his role as a catalyst for FS Writing (2001). Strangely enough, despite the passage of time, this book still has the best analysis of Tebogo’s spot of bother, which was Bolaji’s second adventure of Tebogo Mokoena the sleuth. Then came Flaxman Qoopane’s study titled: Omoseye Bolaji: perspectives on his literary work (2003). Qoopane was later (in 2008) to publish another book on Bolaji dubbed: THE CREST: Omoseye Bolaji honoured in Nigeria.

It was refreshing to see Charmaine Kolwane, a young black woman, putting a book together on Bolaji (in 2005). The book, titled Omoseye Bolaji: channelling one’s thoughts onto paper, was a success. Just a year later (2006), Petro Schonfeld published Tebogo on the prowl, a study of Omoseye Bolaji’s sleuth Tebogo Mokoena. The book drew many positive reviews at the time. Pule Lechesa also published the book, Omoseye Bolaji: on awards, authors, literature (2007) which focused more on Bolaji himself, as he talked about his life and works. 2009 saw the publication of Julia Mooi’s, Omoseye Bolaji: further perspectives. Hector Kunene weighed in with a lovely book simply titled OMOSEYE BOLAJI in 2010. It was (still is) a substantial work containing many different articles published on Bolaji’s work over the years. To his credit, Hector included, in particular, a superb interview near the end of the work.

And now comes this new work by Ishmael Soqaga which also considers Bolaji’s literary ouvre. This is a feather in the cap for both the author (Soqaga) and the subject, Omoseye Bolaji. - Paul Lothane

INTRODUCING MENAN DU PLESSIS

Menan Du Plessis was born in Cape Town in 1952, studied linguistics at the University of Cape Town before lecturing at the same university. She began writing poetry in the 1970s, which were published in the journal Quarry. She married Professor Renfrew L. Christie, Dean of Research at the University of the Western Cape. They have two daughters, and were guardian to an orphaned son Cornelius Graafland, from 20 September 1989 to 3 January 1994, when he turned twenty-one. Her two novels, Longlive! and A State of Fear, were well received within liberal circles as it deals with political tension in the mid-1980s South Africa. She was a member of the United Democratic Front (UDF), an organisation opposed to the national government of the time and allied to the ANC, and also wrote for their magazine, Upfront, to which she contributed articles as well. She believes South African writing can offer what European writing cannot: “Reading contemporary British writers, for me they are technically very good, but bland – South Africa offers a richness”. Sources Steyn, Pierre. 1986. Stop flinging false accusations. Frontline, 6(4), August. Aarons, Michelle. 1989. Private Anguish amid the Teargas. Weekly Mail 5(25), 30 June. Dederick, Jane. 1989. ‘Longlive!’ a Response to ‘85’s political turmoil in SA. The Cape Times, 7 July. Munnik, Victor. 1989. Menswees in die Revolusie. Vrye Weekblad, 13 October. Holtzhausen, Evelyn. 1989. Dull Characters in Search of a Plot. The Cape Times, 12 August. P.A.S. 1989. Portraits of a Familiar Scene. Daily Dispatch. 5 August. Ngcobo, Lauretta. 1988. Review: Apartheid South Africa: Through Women's Eyes. Third World Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 1, Succession in the South, (Jan.), pp. 299- 306 North, James. 1987. Unfolding Horror. New York Times, November 8 Political Editorial Staff. 1992. Polisie, IVP takel Amnestie oor verslag, aanklag. Die Burger, 10 June. 1986. Menan skenk Sanlam-Prys aan UDF blad. Beeld 30 June. 1992. Focus on Menan du Plessis. The New Nation, 15 October. - Senekal, B.A.