By Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga
Excerpts
of his speech here:
Excuse my use of cliches, but this is
indeed an auspicious occasion - as we not only celebrate this special birthday
of Mr Omoseye Bolaji, but we also launch his new book, Far Up! Far Out! Far
More! (See image below) Bolaji has
published dozens of books, and we can no longer keep count!
For many years till date many people who
are ardent lovers of literature have candidly admitted that Omoseye Bolaji is a
great African writer who invariably fascinates the world with his literary
prowess. Significantly and simultaneously his literary work has not only been
enjoyed solely for the purpose of reading but however it has been imperatively
studied by some literary aficionados and other important institutions.
Habitually, the most famous work ever
published by Bolaji is the popular Tebogo Mystery series. Briefly Mr Raphael Mokoena in the book “Tebogo
In The Thick of Things” (Introduction) accentuates the fact that Omoseye Bolaji
and the African Detective genre is one of the most inspiring, comprehensive yet
terse. This essay has now been
translated into many international languages, including French and Spanish.
Equally important Omoseye Bolaji’s flair for writing has been witnessed by his
multi – skilled repertoire in creating so many piquant literary genres that
include fictions, play, poems etc.
Glaringly, as many know Omoseye Bolaji is seriously passionate about
literature since his childhood.
Apparently, in his literary autobiography My Life and Literature is
conspicuously noticeable to understand that the protagonist is comprehensively
attached to literature.
Moreover,
it is important for me to state that Omoseye Bolaji originated from a country
(Nigeria) where literature has been highly advanced for decades. Nigeria over the years has produced many
remarkable writers whose literary influence has contributed immensely in the
world of letters. Starting with Achebe (world
famous for Things Fall Apart) and Wole Soyinka the first African writer to win
the Nobel Prize in Literature – these are outstanding African writers.
Nevertheless, Omoseye Bolaji though he originated
from a country where literature is extremely thriving but his broad mind remains
the pillar of strength in his overall impressive understanding of
literature. In fact it is generally
conceded that his literary achievement although internationally recognized essentially
blossomed in South Africa where he garnered so many delectable accolades.
Moreover, it is quite interesting to
apprehend the fact that Omoseye Bolaji’s literary dexterity has earned him
oodles of respect throughout the world.
Apparently, his splendid achievement and studies are explicitly glaring
on the internet! On the whole, he is an extraordinary writer in Africa and the
world.
It is gripping and enthralling to see
Omoseye Bolaji continuing to produce proliferating number of exhilarating
books. Definitely, while the memory of his
more recent books – like It couldn’t
matter less, Kunle Apantaku (below) Tebogo In The Thick of Things (some might include Bolaji
in His Pomp by Pule Lechesa) - is still vibrant and alluring in many people’s
mind. He has again just done it on his
latest birthday, with the publication of his new book.
Nevertheless, it is profoundly arresting to
find out that at this point in time he persists to delight the world with his
unremitting writing. The assiduous
Omoseye Bolaji remains a symbol of inspiration to many people, patently he is a
charismatic African writer. In essence I
would like to briefly compare him with the never-to-be-forgotten Ullil Beier.
Ulli Beier was a German Jewish editor, writer
and scholar, who had a pioneering role in developing literature, drama, and
poetry in Nigeria as well as literature, drama and poetry in Papua New
Guinea. Of course Omoseye Bolaji might
have been influenced by Beier as he was one of the impressive teachers in
Ibadan who was interested in Yoruba communities – but that was decades ago!.
Due
to his subsequent anthropological work among the members of the clans that are
native to these places, Beier was awarded Yoruba honorary Chieftaincy, a titular ilk
that was also conferred on Bolaji.
Omoseye Bolaji has also been conferred with an African Chieftaincy by
the Olubadan of Ibadanland in Nigeria, again for his
contributions to African literature. Beier was pivotal in encouraging and
publishing many first generation African writers. And how Bolaji has encouraged
literature in general too!
In the meantime it is worth mentioning that
the new book by prodigious Bolaji is being launched here as the icon celebrates
his birthday on the 16 August. As many mark his special day I must say his new book is a must-read book and
it is fundamental to advance literature. The new book Far Up! Far Out! Far More! is dedicated to Petro
Schonfeld and Obafemi Fasanmi (Esq). It is a super- duper, fantastic work of
literature that whets the appetite...
Selected
Bibliography of Bolaji
They
Never Say When (1994)
Snippets
(1998)
Fillets
of Plaice (2000)
Impossible Love (2000)
The
ghostly Adversary (2001)
The
Guillotine (2001)
Tebogo's
spot of bother (2001)
Thoughts
on Free State Writing (2002)
Tebogo
Fails (2003)
People
of the Townships (2003)
Ask
Tebogo (2004)
The
Subtle transgressor (2006)
Reverie
(2006)
Poems
from Mauritius (2007)
My
life and Literature (2007)
Tebogo
and the Haka (2008)
Tebogo
and the epithalamion (2009)
Tebogo
and the pantophagist (2010)
Miscellaneous
Writings (2011)
Tebogo
and the Bacchae (2012)
It
Couldn't Matter Less (2013)
KUNLE
APANTAKU (2013)
Tebogo
in the thick of things (2013)
Far
Up! Far Out! Far More! (2014)
