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

A review of Omoseye Bolaji's TEBOGO FAILS

By Peter Moroe


Because of the ever-expanding growth of Free State black literature, it has not always been easy to keep abreast with all the recent trends in the writing available, or even the introductory parts of it. I was delighted to read the book, get hold of the book, Perspectives on Free State Black Writing (Omnibus)(1). Here there are many essays on our local black literature with notes.

Because I seemed to have an affinity with Omoseye Bolaji’s exciting brand of fiction, I read the essays touching on his work carefully. Then when I re-read them after reading his work of fiction Tebogo Fails (2), I realized only too well the importance of one of the essays in Perspectives on FS black writing titled "Vendetta in Bolaji’s writing"(3)

Those who have not read the book Tebogo fails might prefer not to read this essay which somewhat gives the game away. Yet this book of Bolaji once again reinforces the belief that there is a lot of "vendetta" in Bolaji’s writing.

The book, Tebogo Fails starts - and ends - with some romantic undertones which for the purpose of this review I prefer to discount; wishing to get to the heart of the mystery itself. Which simply involves two murders in a certain neighbourhood in Botshabelo. A girl; ,or very young lady (around 14) is raped and murdered and soon after a gentleman (Sizwe) is brutally knifed to death too. Who could have killed them? This is what sleuth Tebogo Mokoena has to find out (4)

The murders are somewhat interlinked though we don’t know for a long time. But a pivotal figure or character is "Bareng" who seems to have suffered most from these murders. Firstly, his own younger sister, Jane, is the murdered girl; then the killed Sizwe is - was - his best friend. From all indications Bareng is a fine character and one sympathises with his losses.

The following passage is taken from Tebogo Fails: "You see, Tebs (Tebogo) Bareng is well known as the complete gentleman in this area. A bit boring perhaps, but honest, decent person… recently two people very close to Bareng have been murdered: Bareng was probably Sizwe’s best friend, and just a few weeks ago, Bareng’s younger sister, Jane was killed, her body left in a field..."

(Pages 10 and 11)

Let us look again at this passage: " (Bareng is talking here about his sister):

"I’m afraid I am a bit emotional where my little sister is concerned. She was an angel. Very responsible. By 7, 8 she was cooking fine food for the family…a delightful soul; well brought up. Rapists! Child molesters! They should all be punished... did you read the book, The Ghostly Adversary?" He did not wait for my reply. "Just deserts for rapists," he concluded (Page 16)

The interesting thing about this passage is not - as some think - that the author, Bolaji - took the chance to "plug" a book of his, The Ghostly Adversary. No, the main thing is the recurrent idea of revenge, vendetta, that the author re-inforces here. It is clear that Bolaji believes in "just deserts" in this wise.

By the time we get to the end of the book, Tebogo Fails we realize that it is Bareng himself who killed his "good friend" Sizwe! Why? Some excerpts from the book here as Tebogo investigates:

Bareng talking: "Tebogo, I could not believe what I was hearing (after Sizwe had confessed to killing his sister). The bastard. Thinking about the outrageous way my sister had died I made up my mind that Sizwe must not get away with this... I did what had to be done. I got in front of him and plunged the knife into his chest. Wiped my fingerprints off it. The bastard deserved to die!"
(Page 52)

But what we should note is that the narrator ("Tebogo" - as the book is written in the first person)) and of course Bolaji himself, is only too anxious for Bareng to get away with his ruthless murder. As Tebogo first muses, then says:

"I certainly would not expose him; rather I’d claim I had failed to unravel the mystery. Lets forget about what we discussed (Bareng’s confession) today, eh?"
(Page 52)

The point here is that Bareng plunges the knife into his friend after he realizes he killed his sister. It is a clear case of revenge or vendetta which our Tebogo - and of course Bolaji - fully supports. Tebogo would rather tell the whole world that he had "failed" to discover the secret behind these Botshabelo murders, than have Bareng arrested or impugned...

NOTES

1. Perspectives on Free State Black Writing (Omnibus edition) By MA Mokhuoa. 2003
2. Tebogo Fails By Omoseye Bolaji. Drufoma 2003. Republished 2005 and 2008
3. "Vendetta in Bolaji’s fiction" By D. Xangaza. Published in "Perspectives on Free State Black Writing"
4. Bolaji has now published seven books on the investigator Tebogo Mokoena - in order of publication, the four books are: Tebogo Investigates (2000), Tebogo’s spot of bother (2001), Tebogo Fails (2003),Ask Tebogo (2004), Tebogo and the Haka (2008), Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009), and Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010)

* First published in The growth of Free State Black Writing Journal (2005). Slightly edited and brought up to date here

Tebogo and the pantophagist - sneak preview

A sneak preview of TEBOGO AND THE PANTOPHAGIST, to be published early in 2010



By Paul Lothane

In Omoseye Bolaji’s new adventure featuring Tebogo Mokoena, Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010) we can discern some “Bond-ian” features (from the legendary James Bond movies). Intermittently, there are faint echoes of what might be exchanges between “M” and Bond.

For example, going back to Tebogo and the Haka (2008) when the “flamboyant man” queries Tebogo:

“”OK let’s cut to the chase. What do you know about the Haka?”

He was dead serious. So I replied: “The Haka? I believe it’s a traditional Maori ‘war dance’, nowadays associated with the New Zealand Rugby team. Quite fascinating to watch really…other South Pacific teams have their own versions I believe …the likes of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa”
(Page 4)

In Tebogo and the pantophagist the flamboyant man again starts by saying to Tebogo:

“I guess we should talk now. Tell me – what do you know about the likes of Alexander Graham Bell, Galileo Galilei, Janssen, Roger Bacon,, James Watt, Louis Pasteur…?”

“Hmm,” I said, “they were all great inventors weren’t they? Bell invented the telephone; Janssen the microscope, Roger Bacon gunpowder; Watt the steam engine or train…Galileo – the telescope?”

The flamboyant man nodded. “You tried; but you have to do better. Much better...”. A bit later on, he adds:

“You see, you must get close to the pantophagist “

I winced. “The what?”

“The pantophagist. It’s still the same man (Mr Shasha) but we like to call him pantophagist because he has a reputation for eating all types of food, without somehow getting tired, sick, or fat. It’s like chewing the cud or something, perhaps….”

Through these brief exchanges the general reader gets to cotton on as to what is happening, with some brief elucidations which do not become tedious. Again, later in the latest book when Tebogo is with the gorgeous Debbie, who is explaining that her father named her after Debbie Allen:

“Debbie Allen?” I tried to remember who she was.

“Yes Debbie Allen, the superb American female dancer and choreographer. World famous for her role in Fame. The TV series and movie. Holds honorary doctorates from lofty tertiary institutions for excelling in such fields. My father loved her very much – and named me after her,”

“I’m not sure your mother liked that,” I grinned… The usual humour characterising the “Tebogo series” is evident. The story, plot (such as it is) is interesting enough, reaching a surprise peak in chapter 9. Maybe all that is needed is a Vodka Martini, shaken but not stirred!

Omoseye Bolaji's play premiered in Port Elizabeth

Omoseye Bolaji’s play premiered in PE

The subtle transgressor, a superb play based on the Mangaung townships had its premiere at Uitenhage in Port Elizabeth in late March (2006). The play, written by novelist, poet and essayist Omoseye Bolaji (above) drew many audiences from the townships as it was brought to life courtesy of the Gladman Theatre. The youthful cast did themselves proud.

A didactic, yet gripping play, The subtle transgressor focuses on the abuse of youngsters, especially girls. It brings together the complicated relationships between the father, Job, the daughter Kate and peer pressure in general. Kate’s friends, Maria and Violet also loom rather large in the drama.

Questions that arise from the play include: what type of pressures do young women face nowadays; what makes them tick? How do they relate to their parents; how does their background fashion, and later reflect on what happens to them in future? How far can a parent go in trying to “discipline” their children?

As typical of Omoseye’s novels in particular, the play ends with a great twist at the very end which left the audience in the hall spellbound, shocked and shouting. Bolaji, invited to witness the production in Port Elizabeth said later: “When I wrote the play, I wanted to focus on some societal problems, but hopefully not in a too pedestrian way. Kate’s disturbing revcelation comes at the very end after the whole situation has built up,”

Rose Moseneke, who acted the pivotal role of “Kate” received a standing ovation for the vigour and reality she demonstrated in bringing her character to life. She handled her lines well, and was brilliantly word perfect near the end of the play when she went into a soliloquy of almost 30 lines of end-rhymes as demanded by Bolaji’s script; ending with:

“…The truth will surely set me free
Not that it fills me with glee
To be or not to be?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see
Yet nothing should shake my firm resolve
My fears and reticence to dissolve
As I first take care of something
To precipitate the firmness of my being”

Rose Moseneke explained: “After reading the play of Mr. Bolaji, I was so impressed and I felt that I was born to play the role of Kate, and it was fun doing so! Our dream is to take the play all over the place. Many of our young ladies can sympathise and empathise with the plight of Kate,”

Although in the original published play, Maria’s grandmother does not actually appear – although referred to in the text a few times – in the staged version this other “granny” actually appears and tells the three young ladies (Maria, Violet and Kate) not to make too much noise outside. Samson Mabuyakhulu, who directed the play for the premiere (and acted the part of Job) said: “I felt it would be more realistic for the audience to see the ‘granny’ at least once as she’s referred to a lot in the published play,”

On his role as “Job”, Mabuyakhulu smilingly said: “I did what I could to portray Job faithfully. In the play he’s so aggressive and fond of losing his temper so quickly. In real life I am not like that!”

Yet it would probably have been better – and certainly more realistic – if real grown ups had acted the parts of “Pule” and “Malome” as required by the original script. The young actors did their best but at times lacked the authenticity to play their roles with complete conviction. The sound effects were also sometimes tentative.

Meanwhile in Mangaung (Free State) itself, some writers and artist expressed disappointment that the play was first put on stage away in Port Elizabeth. Pule Lechesa, the well known author said: “Bolaji wrote the play based on Mangaung here, and in the text we have references to areas in the Bloemfontein townships. Why could it not have been premiered in the Mangaung townships? Maybe the lesson is that we should get our arts and theatre here in order,”
First issued and published by the Eclectic Writers Club in April 2006