TEBOGO IN THE THICK OF THINGS. By Omoseye Bolaji

A review by Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

Another fine literary book of the prolific African writer Omoseye Bolaji is currently out with some stunning popularity.  The book among many other things is exhilarating, it is a book that the literati may enjoy exceedingly and the general lovers of literature would like to own.  This year alone we have witnessed a plethora of books being churned out in the Free State. 

The book Tebogo in the thick of things comprises two famous two books written by Omoseye Bolaji.  They are popularly known as Tebogo and the Ephithalamion, and Tebogo and the Pantophagist.  Enthusiastically the combination of the known mystery series created by Omoseye Bolaji has a lot of excitement to provide.  Although most of Omoseye Bolaji work is known on the grassroots level and internationally but his mystery series have gained gigantic and interesting publicity.  Apparently among his books the Tebogo Mokoena mystery series has been the one which the protagonist used his prodigious zeal to create such awesome literary fiction.   In the new book Pule Lechesa (Literary Critic) has written a gripping introduction:

“How well I remember my unbridled glee when I discovered the "Tebogo Mystery Series many years ago in Ladybrand libraries! My exhilaration increased when I realised the series was based in the Free State!  I devoured the early adventures, and as subsequent episodes were churned out I read them - many times over.”

The Tebogo mystery series has been appreciated by many literary pundits.  And in particular it has been reviewed and studied by literary experts and critics.  In particular the compendium titled OMOSEYE BOLAJI, put together by Hector Kunene contains extraordinary reviews about Omoseye Bojali Mystery books.  On the very same book on pages 48, 50 and 52 Pule Lechesa, Peter Moroe and Paul Lothane wrote remarkable reviews on the book Tebogo and The Epithalamion.  Lothane gave special attention on ‘folksiness in the Tebogo and the epithalamion’. Pule Lechesa in his own review stated clearly that "for the average reader or even many critics like me the first thing that comes to mind is: what is the epithalamion.  We learn that an epithalamion is or was a sort of song or poem in celebration of a bride/wedding.”

Secondly Peter Moroe also wrote significantly in his review "Although probably the worst book in the series, this is another very readable edition of the adventures of Tebogo Mokoena the private investigator.  Regular readers of the series would be thrilled.”  Thirdly, Paul Lothane also wrote "The important thing is how a chord of folksiness on the part of the people runs through this work.  There is a strong, unforced feeling of camaraderie and bonhomie- in part also typified by the many jokes, smiles and grins-in Tebogo and the Epithalamion.  A feel good factor is reinforced despite the mystery involved; and it is almost as if we black Africans are reclaiming our heritage in the new Millennium…”

Excitingly enough in the same book by Hector, Peter Moroe on page 88; and Pule Lechesa on page 96 also provide thrilling review on the book Tebogo and Pantophagist.  Peter Moroe asserts that the book "Tebogo and the Pantophagist is the seventh book featuring the adventures of Tebogo Mokoena, the Free State based sleuth created by Omoseye Bolaji.  And this new edition is also readable.”  In the meantime Pule Lechesa concentrated on football, a favorite sport of author Omoseye Bolaji.  Lechesa emphasized that "This story is less complicated than the others and the elements of mystery are mainly concentrated in chapters one, and nine.  But here I want to emphasis the aspect of the football loving side of the author that emerges again in this new work.  Bolaji has published countless articles on soccer football over the years in newspapers and magazines all over the world.  In fact he was one of the first black African to contribute lengthy articles on football to the British based international magazine, World Soccer.  It is no surprise that sometimes his love for the sport emerges clearly in his work.”

Quite significant is the combination of this “two into one book” edition; ie Tebogo in the thick of things.  Obviously the mystery book created by Bolaji has been respected worldwide.  Patently it deserves special recognition.  Perhaps I might be misunderstood as one who just ‘worships and praise’ the great achievement of Omoseye Bolaji literary work.  Honestly, I mostly enjoy reading Omoseye Bolaji books and I have relished them in the most exhilarating way.  I am grateful for the publication of the book, its introduction by the critic Pule Lechesa is piquant.

Imperatively in the introduction he magnificently explains how Omoseye Bolajis literary mystery series is considered as rather unique especially produced by black African writer. The mystery books of Omoseye Bolaji are worth reading.  In the first paragraph in the introduction Pule Lechesa said "Mystery/Detective fiction is an integral part of western writing and literature.  We all know world famous names, protagonist like Sherlock Holmes (created by Conar Doyle), and Hercule Poirot (created by Agatha Christie).  Over the centuries, so many such writers and their sleuths have emerged in the western world.  Research into what we might call the Africa equivalent of Mystery/Detective genre or series will easily reveal that authentic black authors in this wise are very much thin on the ground.  Indeed the two (arguably) most famous African writers of this ilk are both white- Alexander McCall Smith, and Pepetela.

Conspicuously, Omoseye Bolaji is one of the few prolific African writers who have managed to create the most admired mystery series books based on Tebogo Mokoena, the fictional Free State townships sleuth.  At the launching of Tebogo and the Pantophagist the protagonist Omoseye Bolaji (in his book, Miscellaneous writings (page 53) says: "It rather excites me that the Tebogo Mystery series is almost ten years into since inception!  The first one I wrote and published was Tebogo Investigates(2000); this has now been followed by Tebogo's  Spot of brother (2001) Tebogo Fails (2003), Ask Tebogo (2024) Tebogo and the Haka (2008), Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009); and now Tebogo and the pantophagist. (Of course Tebogo and the bacchae was to come out in 2010)

I believe the Tebogo Mokoena Mystery is the most profound ever produced literary work by Omoseye Bolaji.  It has received many excellent reviews from prolific writers and critics and it can be found in many libraries and on the internet.  The outstanding Petro Schonfeld has set the record straight by producing a very fine enchanting study based on the Tebogo Mokoena Mystery series.  It can be more exciting to see many studies produced and made about Tebogo Mokoena Mystery series.

Lastly on Bolaji's literary legacy, the well known literary critic Raphael Mokoena posits: “What will Omoseye Bolaji's main legacy be as regards African literature?  Few would disagree that it is mainly his striking contributions to the Mystery/Detective fiction that many will continue to cherish him for…”

Pule Lechesa writes on literary snippets in Omoseye Bolaji's It couldn’t matter less

Book: It Couldn't Matter Less


Author: Omoseye Bolaji

Isbn: 978-0-620-55980-5

It is stating the obvious now to say that a thread of literary allusions always runs through virtually all Omoseye Bolaji’s published works – his new book, It Couldn’t matter less (2013) is no different. A number of literary commentators have over the years written about this aspect (1)

It couldn’t matter less contains almost 50 short essays – “shorter writings’ of the author penned in recent times. This of course reminds us of the earlier work Miscellaneous Writings (2011) which was very much the same. The topics treated are disparate in their range, breadth, approach and quality.

There are many references to the world of literature, African and international, in the book. There are also direct quotations from the works of writers, often weaved into individual essays. Some examples here:

“The unexpectedness of my daughter smoking gave me a shock . A woman’s mouth exhaling the acrid smell of tobacco, instead of being fragrant. A woman’s teeth blackened with tobacco instead of sparkling with whiteness” (Mariama Ba in so Long a letter)

“The moon watched us caress. It lit over the perfect world of perfect persons, a man and a beautiful woman under its unwinking stare and the stars who winked as if celebrating our glorious kiss. Table mountain could have peeked over the balcony to witness us under the conspiratorial luminescence of the moon”(Deon-Simphiwe Skade in A series of Undesirable events)

“Blessed be the man that spares these stones and cursed be he that moves my bones” (William Shakespeare’s will)

“The people who have the sweetest insides are the think-nothing people and we here try to be like them. Like logs in the river we float and go whither the current commands and nothing enters our insides to turn the sweetness into bitterness” Gabriel Okara in The Voice

“To the last I grapple with thee;

From hell’s heart I stab at thee;

For hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee!” Ahab in the classic, Moby Dick.

The essay, ‘Unsung literary catalysts’ pays tribute to a medley of great literary personnel in African history who are not as celebrated as they should be; figures like Uli Bieir, David Cook, Jacomien Schimper, Alrina Le Roux, Ben Mtobwa, Vonani Bila – although arguably the latter is quite celebrated enough in SA!

The ‘essay’, Interviews with effervescent Writers – the text shows the author’s excitement over the ‘project’ – highlights one of the classics of African Writing, Talking with African Writers, by Jane Wilkinson. Indeed it is an eminent work that focuses (via interviews) on many outstanding African writers from different countries. Maybe one day the book, Interviews with effervescent writers will assume a lot of significance too?

The ‘effervescence of the Nobel award’ once again reveals the author’s exceeding admiration and respect for the illustrious African writer Wole Soyinka. The piece is supposed to celebrate Nobel laureates, such as they are in Africa, but Bolaji’s ‘worship’ for Soyinka mars the piece and makes it rather unbalanced.

Even worse is the piece titled, ‘The lady Bards’. Hardly have I come across such an opening stringent powerful argument followed by a weak, timid conclusion or concession! Here Bolaji initially bravely explains why sometimes he finds himself undermining poetry or ‘poets’, and with good reason too, offering international examples to buttress his point. Then unexpectedly he starts singling out and praising a trio of female bards without even highlighting their work!

This reinforces what I have always suggested that the author has some sort of weakness for women. (2) It also reminds me of one of my essays titled “Pule Lechesa refuses to be carried away by the hype over Free State of Mind’ where I stated that many men find themselves somewhat “intimidated” when confronted by the work of female writers. Is this not the case again with “The lady bards”?

In ‘Profundities of Initiation’, as we read on we do not really expect anything laced with literature; then suddenly the author refers to the great African writer, Camara Laye, and comments: “My mind went briefly to Camara Laye’s classic, The African child which brilliantly re-creates the poignant ambience, fear, dread, pains and travails of such initiations in his old society (Guinea) I suppose there is a lot to be said for Africans still having pride in certain ancestral customs...’ (page 34)

‘An Interview’ contains concise, straightforward discourse on literature – with breathtaking brevity. Most of the literary works referred to here are now regarded as classics; including – Pamela, Clarissa (by Richardson), Gulliver’s Travels, Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde), Madame Bovary (Flaubert), Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Thomas Hardy, Samuel Beckett, Shakespeare, D.H Lawrence, Charles Dickens, T.S Elliot, Joseph Conrad, George Orwell...

In ‘Grappling with malignant hatred’ Bolaji brings in the celebrated work, Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. It is done in a creative manner, yet the details of “Moby Dick’ itself are presented with the usual brevity of the author: “I thought about Moby Dick where Ahab wanted revenge on the awesome whale, Moby dick; he hated it with all his heart to the gruesome end – with virtually everybody on the ship dead because of this”

‘It Couldn’t matter less’ (where the title of the book is taken from) shows how much Bolaji loved thrillers during his youth, in this case the works of Peter Cheyney. It is interesting that a contemporary critic, Achal Prabhala has confessed that he had never heard of Cheyney before in his life until Bolaji told him about him; then Achal found himself buying many copies of the work in India! Such are the disparate influences of literature

The piece, ‘The Behemoth’ illustrates the literary influence Bolaji is having on others himself. Here, in this charming narrative he meets a young South African reader in the townships so much enamoured with Bolaji’s detective series (books) based on the fictional Tebogo Mokoena. And by a coincidence, the young man’s name is Tebogo Mokoena too!

‘Parley with a critic’ features Bolaji having lunch with a critic, Ishmael Soqaga (who published a study on the author) at a wholesome ‘Waterfront’. They exchange ideas. Bolaji has always encouraged younger African critics and even mentored quite a number of them. Soqaga’s potential as a critic and intellectual is evident from in his debut work.

‘It’s festive season time again’ the last ‘essay’ in this collection, rounds off things in neat fashion; appropriately it was written at the end of 2012. Bolaji briefly ponders on his life as a writer, his credo; and reflecting on his latest Lifetime Achievement award writes: “...”The recent glittering Mbali Awards that took place in Clocolan was easily one of the highlights. It was an occasion when I was honoured with another Lifetime Achievement award and it was thrilling to see the phalanx of intelligent people, Black, White and “coloured” gracing the event. There were traditional Zulu and Sesotho praise-songs, or rather poems rendered in my honour. And Zulu regalia in particular can be picturesque!" (page 100)

This is a work in the mould of the earlier Miscellaneous writings, It couldn’t matter less is a very important book; often very informative and witty to boot.
- P Lechesa

REFERENCES

1. See for example R Mokoena’s essay titled “Literary allusions in People of the townships”; and “Literary references in Tebogo and the bacchae” by Paul Lothane. Both essays are published in Hector Kunene’s OMOSEYE BOLAJI (2010), and Ishmael Soqaga’s O. Bolaji: A Voyage around his literary work

2. The Evolution of FS Black Literature. By Pule Lechesa. 2006

Omoseye Bolaji's IT COULDN'T MATTER LESS (2013)

Book: It Couldn't Matter Less
Author: Omoseye Bolaji
Publisher: Eselby Jnr Publications
Year published: 2013

Isbn number:  978-0-620-55980-5

 

"This is a selection of recent shorter writings by the writer, Omoseye Bolaji, following in the wake of an earlier collection, Miscellaneous Writings (2011). Topics or/and individuals treated here include sports, world history, crime, circumcision, metamorphosis of television, Rasputin, Olympics, Peter Cheyney, Dvds, women abuse, Mary Slessor and Emily Hobhouse; Moby Dick, Gabriel Okara, John Brown, You Tube, among many others..."

THE ARTIST

A short story by Omoseye Bolaji

It was if he were engulfed in some sort of sudden whirlpool! One minute he was all alone at the plaza, and the next a woman was throwing her arms around him hugging and kissing him. After some time he
managed to see who it was: Nono!

"It's been a long long time indeed!" she said now kissing him briefly and taking his hand. "Ah, you haven't changed at all!"

He wished he could say the same for her. She had put on some weight and there were hard lines etched around her face. And then of course there was the terrible scar on her neck. That's where the guy stabbed her, he thought.

"Let me buy you lunch here," she said to him. "Let's go to Ronnie's" In her direct authoritative manner she led him to the eatery and to a corner where they sat down. She noticed that even after she ordered the initial drinks and ice cream he still looked rather awkward and remote.

It's my fault, she thought. It was about time they put the past behind them. She said: "Seems you are still in pain after all this time. After all, it happened some four years ago. Poor you! I knew it would hurt you a lot. Does it mean you will never forgive me?"

He stared at her. "Do I look like someone fighting? I don't blame you. It was my fault. I was stupid and believed very much in love. I was naive; I did not know then that love is wasted on most of our black women,"

She stared at him. "Don't say that. Don't be cynical please " she said. "It's not like you at all." He thought about his great love for her at the time; and how he had felt when he learnt that at the same time he
stupidly thought she was his girlfriend, she was spending nights with another man (Dan) and was pregnant for him. The awful pain and shock had lingered on for quite some time.

As they sipped their drinks Nono said: "That's why I could not tell you at the time, I knew you loved me so much; it was so sweet, so good but we women want security. You and your artist's mentality and good
behaviour was not enough. Dan had money, a fine car, apartment. I allowed him to seduce me. I stayed with him. It was only after some months I realised he had other women; he even abused me whilst I was
pregnant. It was either he had never loved me or at some point hated me. I had to leave him in the end,"

"So you were heart-broken eh?" he said trying not to sound sarcastic. "You had left our city here by then, but word soon reached us that you were already hooked with another man..."

She stared at him. "Yes, that was Shasha, the one who nearly killed me. Maybe it was a rebound thing, or the fact that he always had a lot of money to spend on me; at least in the beginning. Then I discovered that despite his short, very slender frame he was a very violent man...fights everytime...he called me a witch who wanted to control him completely...he never had any time for romance for me. It reached a peak the
day he slashed my throat with that awful knife.

"The pain was paralysing. I thought I was dead of course. It was only later that I heard that even when I was being rushed to the hospital he was celebrating 'killing' me with some of his friends, drinking like a fiend. Of course I made sure I sent him to jail later. Who knows what he would do to me when he's finally out of jail?"

He wished she would stop, but she went on: "I thought about you a lot whilst recovering; about your good nature and your real love. I sometimes even wondered whether what happened to me was because of
what I had done to you. I wondered whether you were perhaps even happy that I had suffered a lot too; that I was being punished?"

He grimaced. He hated violence and blood and gore...he could sympathise, empathise with what had happened to her; though any love he had for her was gone for ever of course.

Nono squeezed his hand. "It's like we are strangers now; as if you hate me now. Yet I have been alone for over a year now with two young children whose fathers despise me (one in jail). It's a pity we can
not go back to the past. You hate me now?"

He said nothing as she, in her authoritative manner, now went on to place food orders for both of them. She knew, or rather she thought from the experience of how she knew him well in the past that he would not mind. She wished that - if only for a few seconds - he would gaze at her again in his love-suffused manner of the past. Now he was more or less a stranger. I did this to him, alas, she thought.

Nono said now, smiling that smile of hers he knew only too well. "Maybe you were just too good for me. You were too kindly and decent. My artist! I treasure all those wonderful sms-es you used to send to me. I
still remember those tender embraces and kisses. Yet you were just too good...you never even tried to sleep with me even when we were all alone. What a decent man you are! I can even confess that I used to
sometimes imagine you sleeping with me tenderly..."

He winced. She's now really spitting on my grave, he thought. "Good guys" lose out everytime.

She saw some emotion in his eyes now, and squeezed his hand again. He wished she would not touch him at all. She said: "Maybe your reward will come sometime...I mean, decency and true love should have some
compensation. I really still respect and like you...”

He said: “A fat lot of good that does me when the woman I love so much ends up in the arms of other men every time,"

She began to sob softly. It was clear that he had become cynical. Maybe he did not believe in true love again. And who could blame him? I did this to him...

She managed to say, just as the waitress brought their food on plates: "Okay I am sorry. Let's eat now..."

OMOSEYE BOLAJI: A voyage around his literary work

A review by Julia Mooi

Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga has just published this new study on Omoseye Bolaji’s literary profile. As someone who has published a similar work on Bolaji, I was very excited about this new book. Soqaga selects certain works of the author which he comments on.

I was particularly happy that Soqaga dwells in length on the novel, People of the townships which is a favourite of mine. There is some disagreement on the way Bolaji portrays women in his fiction; but I think that it is obvious he enjoys portraying most central women in his books as the so-called femme fatale. This is particularly clear in the Tebogo Mystery series.

From Susan in Tebogo Investigates (2000), to Neo in Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009) these “irresistible women” often cause havoc, and Tebogo’s weakness towards these women (though he is happily married) can hardly be concealed.

In the latest Tebogo book, Tebogo and the bacchae (2012) we have at least two examples of femmes fatale that stand out. Lolita, early in the book; and then of course Thobeka. There is thus nothing to suggest Bolaji would change this approach in his works in general.

Hence, People of the Townships (not a Tebogo adventure) is intriguing in his own way. The protagonist, John Lefuo has been rightly described as a misanthrope. This negative approach seems to affect even his “romantic” life, or the lack of one. His erstwhile girlfriend, Alice Memela has a child by him but despite this John certainly does not like her.

So can we then assume (though never stated) that Alice was a sort of femme fatale too?; or how else could a man of apparently high moral values like John have been attracted to her initially? The problem in the narration is that John’s (now) strong dislike for her colours the way she is presented. If it was true that she was piling up boyfriends so easily, does this not suggest that she was a lovely, charming lady?

And there are other questions we might still ask. Why is the baby being brought up in the Lefuo household? What was the real reason that made John break up with her apart from her “promiscuity”?

Many readers, especially we females of course, were not happy that John Lefuo kills Alice in the end; mainly because of the possible future plight of their child. It is a concern critic Ishmael Soqaga shares in this new study. Soqaga writes:

“It is very sad John would have to go to jail for the murder he had committed against Alice the mother of his daughter. To many, it is extremely unbelievable that a person like John will do such a horrific, malicious act against a woman. John in the first place was a decent man who dislikes “immoral” acts, he is brilliant and he always has a good vision about the spread of literature among the blacks in the township. He likes to read and is quite frank that he knows lots of things but is quite surprising at the very same time how John decided to end the life of his ex-girlfriend...

“It might be argued that John was supposed to let Alice live and ignore her as he did with other girls like Rose and so on and allow her to live the life of “fun” as she preferred. What is the point here? John, as his mother worried about him when she was still alive, and knew very well that he was only partially accepted in his family house. Also, what about his daughter who will be in care of John’s family? One hopes that John will continue with his ambitious adventure of reading and writing books in jail...”

TEBOGO AND THE BACCHAE

Book: Tebogo and the Bacchae
Author: Omoseye Bolaji
Publisher: Mbali Press (Ladybrand and Lesotho)
Book lay-out by Thabo Ntai


...The pivotal character of 'Thobeka' in Tebogo and the Bacchae

A perspective by Leke Giwa

Omoseye Bolaji’s new adventure of on investigator Tebogo Mokoena, Tebogo and the Bacchae (2012) has just been published. Another fascinating story, much of the appeal for many readers will focus on the author’s presentation of another “intriguing lady”, Thobeka

Tebogo’s initial impressions, upon first seeing her, cosmetically seem unflattering, but yet mixed with increasing fascination:

He suddenly felt, then saw, a young woman staring at him. She obviously worked here, as she had emerged from the kitchen. Her eyes were fixed on him.
She was striking-looking, Tebogo felt. She was very slender and very dark. Her face was not beautiful, but was quite picturesque. Her eyelashes were orchestrated in a most bewitching manner.

Bewitching! That was it! Tebogo thought this girl, this young woman, gave the impression of being an attractive young “witch” if such a thing existed. She had a most disconcerting stare. Rubbish, Tebogo tried to tell himself. I’m imagining things she’s just an ordinary woman. Maka (lie) she’s not!!

She came to his side and smiled. Her movement was graceful, quite feline. “You are new here. This is your first time here,” she said flirtatiously.
Tebogo found her very attractive, “you are right,” he beamed, “although to be honest, if I had known someone like you was here, I would be coming here everytime!”
She laughed, “My name is Thobeka” she said.

..................

Unambiguously Thobeka also takes a liking to our Tebogo too (though he’s married). Some time later, they go for a drink and he vouchsafes to her:

“Well, you look like the type of lady men will be fighting over! I don’t want your boyfriends taking an axe to me!”

“Ag, I’m single, “Thobeka said.

Tebogo could not help laughing. He felt that a woman like Thobeka could never be single. It was impossible. He had no doubt about it. She looked at him sideways, laughing.

This almost seems like a modern exchange between Gabriel Oak and Bathsheba – characters created by Thomas Hardy in Far from the Madding Crowd!

As we soon learn in this work, Rebaone Ntokozo, a woman journalist, dislikes Thobeka and does her best to paint her in a bad light to Tebogo.

She tells Tebogo: ".... The cleaner here (at shebeen) for example knows about Thobeka too. I can call her now to tell you …”

Tebogo winced. He touched Rebaone’s hand lightly, “No, no, I believe you. I appreciate your honesty. You are a journalist. A brilliant one. You can express yourself with such competence. Being a woman of course augments your intelligence and perspicacity!”

“Hey that’s a big word!” Reboane laughed, “even I don’t know this perspi - stuff of yours. Actually I have nothing against Thobeka. But I just pity those men who are foolish enough to get involved with her.”

But Tebogo, apparently stricken with Thobeka in his own way, finds himself making excuses for Thobeka as he muses:

It appeared to Tebogo that it could be rather easy to destroy a woman’s reputation. Thobeka had explained what had happened when she had stayed the night in Mpho’s house, and her innocuous account had had a ring of authenticity. But for Rebaone, the slant was that Thobeka was something of a slut or cheap woman.

Yet over the years, how many boyfriends had Rebaone had herself? She seemed desperate in her utterances and mien, and it was likely that a number of men would have taken advantage of this too. Should we start to imagine how many times Rebaone herself, an adult to boot, had spent nights at disparate men’s houses?

What did it matter anyway? Tebogo thought. It was a new era – women were ‘free’, more than free really. In the new millennium women could have as many men as they wanted, and the moralists could flinch about this. Yes the reputation of a woman still mattered to a certain extent even nowadays, but was it fair to try to drag a woman down, as he was sure Rebaone was doing?

....................

Tebogo’s delight is again obvious when he comes across Thobeka at the Park later. Even when the mystery of Khayachow town has been solved, Tebogo in the end still goes out of his way to make her happy, indulging in some sort of match making. His fascination here is almost reminiscent of his relationship with Charlotte in Tebogo and the Haka; but one feels he goes much further in this new book.

Yet it is a weakness in this book (unless this critic is the one committing a clanger) that Thobeka is never given a surname in this work.

Tebogo and the Bacchae is the latest (2012) and 8th volume in of the Tebogo Mokoena Mystery series. It already has at least two different editions.

OMOSEYE BOLAJI AND HIS WORKS (revised and updated)

By Kgang Abel Motheane

This piece is intended as a sort of introduction to Omoseye Bolaji’s ever increasing literary output. Many people can not reconcile his prodigious contributions to journalism - eg the fact that Bolaji has written for, and edited many South African publications- but in this article we are focusing on most of his books.

Impossible Love (2000) is perhaps Bolaji’s most famous novel, a hit with readers, male and female, and a popular read at libraries across the country. The stunning story of a gentleman who somehow found himself later falling in love with his own daughter (!) is one that will always fascinate.

After the publication of The Ghostly Adversary (2001) Bolaji’s reputation as a skilled, fascinating African novelist was arguably assured, whether he published other works or not. In this highly readable book that "no true reader would be able to put down" we are cleverly guided through a series of well planned, sustained violence and mystery with the pivotal “Mr. Tortoise” an enigmatic person till the end of the book.

The "Tebogo mystery" series of books was born in 2000 when Bolaji published Tebogo Investigates in which he introduces the "detective" Tebogo Mokoena. The first book, now in retrospect, does not look as impressive as it once was, but the initial party scene in that first adventure is still etched in the mind.

Tebogo’s spot of bother (2001), the second of the series, was a real triumph with a double or triple gripping twist at the end of the book that would bring any reader of the book out in sweat. This was also the time when Bolaji began to write the detective series in the first person, bringing Tebogo closer to our hearts

Tebogo Fails (2003) maintained the puzzling nature of the Tebogo novelettes. In this story set in Botshabelo, the thing that strikes one most is that Tebogo goes on to fall in love! "the type of romantic love in Impossible love on a minuscule scale " as Flaxman Qoopane commented. Yet Tebogo still solves the baffling mystery in the third adventure in the end.

Ask Tebogo (2004) is the longest, and reveals what seemed like Bolaji’s pessimistic approach to his then writings (a follow up to People of the Townships). He introduces essays into the story,(mystery) in the latest of the Tebogo series.

Strangely enough within the last few years Omoseye Bolaji has seemed to re-discover a somewhat rich vein of creative form, especially as regards churning out new adventures of Tebogo Mokoena the detective. In 2008 he published the celebrated Tebogo and the Haka which inter alia adumbrates the intriguing dramatic performance of the Haka by the New Zealand Rugby squad.

Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009) and Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010) soon followed by the author. Both works are rather different from the others as there is really no blood-shed or violence. The stories are more like “fun-filled fiction” despite the twists and turns. Tebogo himself becomes more cerebral and conciliatory. Ever more articles have been published on the exploits of the Free State based sleuth in recent times.

The year 2012 opened on a good note for Bolaji, and especially followers of the Tebogo Mystery series. The eighth book in the series came out, titled Tebogo and the Bacchae. This new adventure is NOT written in the first person like the preceding six books in the series were. No doubt as time goes on, the literary commentators and reviewers will have more to say about this new work.

But some years ago by the time Bolaji published People of The Townships (2003) the reading public had come to expect the invariable startling conclusion to his books, and he did not disappoint. People of the Townships attracted the Community Publishing Project grant from Cape Town. The book, and its denouement, reminds one in particular of the skill employed in Agatha Christie’s mystery books. But we must also note the social commentary, "moral" exhortations, in the work.

As for Bolaji’s short stories, You never know with women (2002) and The Quack of Qwaqwa (2003) are too slim for any analysis even in an article of this nature. In his book, The Guillotine (10 short stories by Bolaji) most of the stories grip us, none more so than The narrow escape.

But Bolaji has not written and published fiction only. In Fillets of Plaice (1999) Bolaji gives us glimpses into the world of journalism essentially. In Thoughts on Free State Writing (2002) - his own contribution to literary essays - we see how well-read Bolaji himself is, with a somewhat comprehensive taste. The Story of Collins Mokhoto (2000) is biographical, but NOT as regards Bolaji himself.

It was only in My life and literature (2007) that Omoseye Bolaji comes closest to writing an autobiography; but still it is far from the real thing. The work mainly celebrates two major awards the author garnered that same year: A lifetime Achievement Award, and the Chancellor’s Medal from the University of the Free State. The book however has some interesting analysis of books.

A year earlier (2006) had seen the publication of Bolaji’s only play, The subtle transgressor. The drama also has a startling finale and has been put on stage a number of times. The Sesotho translation of the play by Pule Lechesa was also very successful.

Snippets (1998, 2002, 2004, 2006 editions) contains Bolaji’s poems, and if they are not as simple as we would want them to be, perhaps it is no surprise that he is hardly regarded as a popular poet. Meanwhile Omoseye has added two more works of poetry – Reverie (2006) and Poems from Mauritius (2007). The literary allusions in Reverie probably make it an important work; whilst Poems from Mauritius might be perceived as self-indulgent.

In 2005 Bolaji published My Opinion, a collection of some of his popular columns in Free State News - "Opinion" Some years later (2010) he wrote another regular international column “Letter from South Africa” which will be issued out in book form in 2011.

*Originally published in MAFUBE NEWS, Feb 2005 edition. Updated in April 2010

WORKS BY OMOSEYE BOLAJI


Fiction

Impossible Love (2000)
Tebogo Investigates (2000)
The ghostly adversary (2001)
Tebogo’s spot of bother (2001)
People of the Townships (2003)
Tebogo Fails (2003)
Ask Tebogo (2004)
Tebogo and the haka (2008)
Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009)
Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010)
Tebogo and the Bacchae (2012)


Short stories

They Never Say When (1994)
The Guillotine (2001)
The quack of Qwaqwa (2003)

Poetry

Snippets (1998)
Reverie (2006)
Poems from Mauritius (2007)
Collected Poems (2013) - Mbali Press. Sponsored by NAC of South Africa

Literary essays/criticism

Thoughts on Free State Writing (2002)
Molebogeng Alitta Mokhuoa (2004)
Miscellaneous Writings (2011)
Cognoscenti (2016)
Sorry You've Been Troubled (forthcoming)

Biographies

The story of Collins Mokhotho (2000)
Gilbert Modise: the man and the myth (2001)
My life and literature (2007)

Drama

The subtle transgressor (2006)


General

Eagles at USA 94 (1994)
The golden pen of Eselby (1994)
Fillets of Plaice (2000)
My Opinion (2005)
It Couldn't Matter Less (2013)
KUNLE APANTAKU (2013)
Windmills of the Dames (2014)
Far Up! Far Out! Far More! (2014)

Supplementary

Omoseye Bolaji: Catalyst... By Pule Lebuso. 2001.
Omoseye Bolaji: Perspectives on his literary work. By Flaxman Qoopane. 2003
Omoseye Bolaji: Channelling one s thoughts onto paper. By Charmaine Kolwane. 2005
Omoseye Bolaji... On awards, authors, literature. By Pule Lechesa. 2007
Omoseye Bolaji: Further perspectives. By Julia Mooi. 2009
OMOSEYE BOLAJI. By Hector Kunene. 2010
Interviews with effervescent Writers. Edited by Christine Mautjana. 2012. (pages 20 –39)
OMOSEYE BOLAJI: A voyage around his literary work. By Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga. 2012
BOLAJI IN HIS POMP. By Pule Lechesa. 2013