Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Soqaga reviews the book, KUNLE APANTAKU



Recently the world of literature was completely appalled by the demise of the celebrated African writer of all times and seasons, Mr Chinua Achebe.  
Astonishingly while his death is still very much fresh in the memory of many in the world of literature O Bolaji has produced another fine literary essay (book) dedicated to his friend Kunle Apantaku. Although he may not be famous in the literary world (like Achebe) Bolaji has successfully managed to write a book about him. 
This is another brilliant, breathtaking work of literature produced by Bolaji.  Those who are familiar with his books might tentatively think the book is one of the phenomenal fiction books of the author. Bolaji is largely known for his excellent fiction which attains popularity in many circles. However, in this new book dedicated to Kunle you find a rather different style of writing that is fundamentally imperative to quintessential literature.  
Unequivocally, the author is not afraid to ventilate his opinion concerning the current trends that attempt to change the tenor of idyllic literature.  “These days, books publishing, even among blacks in SA, has become something of a techni-colour ‘fashion show’.  The simple truth is that few people actually read the intermittent books churned out; the concern seems to be about how ‘beautiful’ the book looks physically. 
“In the good old days a large spectrum of people read books regularly, and they really enjoyed devouring the printed word.  There were in-depth discussions of books by the young and the old, and people took delight in replenishing their libraries even at home...”
Interestingly enough, the book is largely detailed in particular about what O. Bolaji summarised on Kunle Apantaku in his earlier book My Life and Literature. (2007).  What is central about this new book is that it provides outstanding general lessons about literature. Conspicuously, it explains how the protagonist (Kunle) experienced melancholic situation in congruence with his early frustrations.
Patently, we learn from this work that Kunle Apantaku was a precocious, brilliant person since his teens; he was able to write novels of more than 200 pages. He was a very ambitious and optimistic young man who wished by all means to become one of the greatest African writers idyllically acknowledged around the world.  His sacrifice for literature as a youth was gargantuan and incredible.  He was strongly affectionate about books and literature was his favourite subject; and amusingly he even emulated Bolaji’s hand-writing! 
We learn that books were Kunle’s treasure; as his then home in Kano (Northern Nigeria) had a splendid home library which had all kinds of literary material.  Bolaji had an opportunity to visit his family in those days and he was very impressed with the extraordinary family library of the Apantakus’.  
“It was clear that this was a family of bibliophiles.  I marvelled at the sprawling library which was almost like a small house on its own.  There were countless titles to choose from, including many of my personal favourites.  “How did you manage to build up such a library?”  I had to ask Kunle this question. Kunle smirked.  “My brothers and I love buying books regularly and my parents, my Father and Mother are only too keen to indulge this.  We receive generous allowance all the time.  And though my younger brothers are still kids they are already reading adult novels.  This one in particular “At this stage, Kunle with a saturnine smile, pointed at his baby brother Abiodun- “is already reading very big books like your Sidney Sheldon.  Lanre (the other brother) reads everything...”
Dolefully, Kunle Apantaku’s agony and suffering for literature was very excruciating; frustrations and fallacious expectations denied him the chance to potentially become one of the greatest African writers.  However, kudos to the author (Bolaji) who excellently manages to resurrect the literary spirit of Kunle Apantaku to the world.  Kunle was exceedingly passionate about literature!  
I strongly believe that this new book needs to be used as a guide to young people. Alas,  nowadays technology in particular - smart phones with electronic features like Facebook, Twitter and What’s up etc - gobbles up most of the time of young people; and subsequently literature in general is dwindling.  

Comprehensively, this book reveals a most interesting story about young boys who were so keen to be writers. The youth throughout the continent in Africa must make efforts to read and write books. It is completely unacceptable for literature to be the privilege or domain of only a few people, like academics. Inevitably, literature in Africa must flourish and avoid the current deteriorating situation.   
 - Review by Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

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