THE ADVENTURES OF SOUZA. By Kola Onadipe

'How do we determine what is a 'classic' in any literature? In the western world works written by Mark Twain (eg Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn), Stevenson (Treasure Island, Kidnapped), Alice in Wonderland etc are stated to be classics as far as children's literature is concerned. Alas in Africa we often sell ourselves short, or even undermine ourselves in inane fashion, mainly due to a chip on the shoulder mentality, or inferiority complex. Happily enough, many African readers having read countless works published by both Eurocentric and African writers –  do not have such complexes. Nor the group of young readers at the time (of youth) who enjoyed such African works written by our African writers. Among such works for children The adventures of Souza will take pride of place - a magnificent, relevant book for young African readers. Pure entertainment and didactic to boot; a work which we read again and again during childhood,  even as we enjoyed our 'Enid Blyton's' too. Souza's adventures in this book are compelling, rooted in reality, in the cunning and confusion of blossoming African youths. The depiction of adventure, excitement, plot, planning, the bush, forest, the heat - and yes the horror and pain sometimes - made one break out in cold sweat intermittently... And it also propelled one to read the book again, and relish others of its ilk written by other African writers. An extraordinary work for African youth' - Malome

ONITSHA MARKET LITERATURE. By Emmanuel Obiechina

'It is reassuring that academics and scholars like the author of this work can intermittently focus on such literary phenomena which might otherwise not have been recorded; to wit, Onitsha Market Literature. The high-brow cynics might sneer, but what is literature if not the interesting dissemination of creative, imaginative pertinent writing enjoyed by a (large) number of people? When Onitsha Market literature was at its peak decades ago, a large number of books with local colour was published regularly; many teeming readers availed themselves of the opportunity to buy these works and enjoy them; literacy was boosted in the process; and many writers emerged... Alas, this is no longer the case in most African communities. Reading books for leisure has become a rarity, for both young and old - very privileged – and when it exists at all, an expensive process. Hence the importance of Onitsha Market Literature at its apogee. The process, and phenomenon is well recorded in this work. The Introduction by the author is most enlightening, and in no way patronizing; the author acknowledges the importance of this Literature, pointing out the features, major works, and the fact that there is plenty of literary merit - and freshness - in the works published. And perhaps most important, the author reproduces a varied selection of such works in the second part of this book. By the way, Cyprian Ekwensi, one of the all-time greats of African literature, early in his career was proudly published by "Onitsha Market" publishers...' - Malome

GANYESA BUBBLES AS TIISETSO THIBA PUBLISHES DEBUT BOOK

The author, Tiisetso Thiba (left) and publisher Hector Kunene - proudly launching the book,  LET'S TAKE A WALK, MAMA at Ganyesa (South Africa)

OILING THE WHEELS OF LITERARY FECUNDITY

By O Bolaji

The history of African literature can be - is - fascinating, with the assorted warp and weft of disparate protagonists over the decades. And I am not even talking about the substantive texts or literary works themselves!     

No, I have in mind the other appurtenant material; peripheral accretions over the decades, if you like, material very important in their own way. For example the process, the evolution, the publications of our continental literature, the early fillips oiling the wheels as it were, those enhancing the growth of the writing, the catalysts, the protagonists, the critics, early publishers...  

For example, young writers, and those interested in African literature generally these days, should strive to know about the wonderful impact of publishers like Heinemann (African Writers series), Macmillan (Pacesetters series) Fontana publishing African writers, Fagbamigbe Publishers, and the ilk.         

Or, specifically in South Africa, the role played by Timbila Publishers; Mbali Press/Phoenix Press...they specifically focused on publishing African writers in genres straddling poetry, fiction, literary criticism, and even drama.

On an individual level, young writers should focus on the wonderful literary contributions of fantastic writers like the late Chinua Achebe, Es'kia Mphahlele, Obi B Egbuna, Zakes Mda, Mbulelo Mzamane, Ngugi, Kofi Awoonor, Ayi Armah, and the like.   

But it is not only as great writers that such African protagonists made their mark, they also focused on encouraging and nurturing other glittering, often younger literary talent. For example, Achebe as an established world class (African) writer did all he could to unearth and encourage Ngugi wa Thiong'o, who also, after initial publication, went on to establish himself as a world class writer. Ngugi has always acknowledged what Achebe did for him, and continues to pay pertinent tribute to him.    

In South Africa, writers like Mphahlele, Zakes Mda, and Mzamane went out of their way to encourage and develop other writers. Mzamane edited so many works of other fine African writers; and Mda in particular edited Gomolemo Mokae's The secret in my bosom.

Interestingly, Mokae himself would go on to help other younger writers, not least his cousin Sabata-Mpho Mokae, a sterling literary talent himself. This is part of the exhilaration of literature – new talents emerging, new works, literary nurturers, editors in the mix, polishing works, lubricating literature in transcendent fashion...

It is not 100 percent compulsory in all cases, but all works, all writers, benefit from deft editorial assistance. It is part of the publishing process worldwide. The best writers in the world – eg Jeffrey Archer, Ben Okri, Wole Soyinka, Zakes Mda - their books are edited by others, many parts thereof re-written, by editors. This does not detract from the authors' work, this does not mean that the editor can now claim to be the writer or author! Editing is normal part of serious publishing.      

Alas, in Africa it is a crying shame, a tragedy really, that a few ignorant, petty, or even cruel-minded people who claim to be "writers" have been known to claim that an ordinary "editor" of a work can magically be regarded as the author, and try to undermine the real author(s) of a work. Such claims are in the real literary world senseless, barbaric, cruel, and smirks of illiteracy. Africa must move ahead with the times and not allow a few misinformed, narrow-minded people to destroy burgeoning literature.

AFRIKA MY MUSIC. By Es'kia Mphahlele

There is no gainsaying the fact that the late Es'kia Mphahlele was one of the most eminent, illustrious writers in African history. This book is a continuation of his autobiography, pursuant to his magnum opus, Down Second Avenue. Here he focuses more on his experiences whilst based overseas (far away from his native South Africa) – his achievements as academic, scholar, author, world traveller, and cultural activist. Excitingly he met and mingled with all the early outstanding African writers from diverse countries all over Africa - personalities like Ama Atta Aidoo, Efua T Sutherland, Wole Soyinka, Ngugi, Senghor, Achebe, Kofi Awoonor (he has very warm words for this wonderful Ghanaian writer); among many many others. Mphahlele also explains how being in exile negatively affected many Africans, and cultural conflicts or dissonances experienced abroad; plus of course the effects on one's children - many who could not speak their parents' mother tongues. The author lived in countries like France and England and America - and in many African countries. Everywhere he stayed he contributed to arts and culture, and continued writing and publishing new works. His account of how he met the legendary Leopold Senghor bristles with dignity and respect. We get the impression that the author is a kindly, decent, intellectual; and humanist (which in fact he has been celebrated for). After some 20 years travelling the world, the author and his family take the decision to return to South Africa, which at the time was still operating under the apartheid system). By this time the author is established as a formidable eclectic academic and author, but even he knows that despite all this life would not be easy for him back in South Africa. And initially it is not - he experiences the deprivations of his fellow blacks in the townships, where even taking a "bath" is still somewhat primitive and embarrassing. He travels all over South Africa, including places like Grahamstown where he ponders over many things. For example, the western world celebrates its white "great explorers" that "opened up" swathes of Africa, but the black men who helped them in their task are never mentioned, never mind lauded. And why should they be lauded anyway since they facilitated the capitulation of their own native areas to outsiders...? Such ruminations dot and mark this second autobiography of a great African wordsmith, scholar, and intellectual. A brilliant work. – Malome

THE AFRICAN WITCH. By Joyce Cary

‘My introduction to this novel as a kid was certainly unorthodox! I had an Uncle who bought books a lot in those days and he would lend me such books regularly. One evening I was with him; we had enjoyed a wonderful African meal with our bare fingers; then he said with a smirk: "Boy, when did you last dream?" Surprised, I admitted to him that every single night I dreamed... all of my 12 years or so by then…But why sir, I enquired. "Well," he replied, bringing out a copy of The African Witch, "This great celebrated white writer authoritatively states in this work that we Africans do not dream...read for yourself…" he flicked the book open, to a certain page, and passage. I read: "The black man's sleep is like death...he does not dream..." I winced. Hence from an early age, I realised that not everything we read in books are true; and later on I again realised the negative reaction by African intellectuals to many of the works written by celebrated white writers on "Africa and Africans" Anyway, I borrowed the book from my Uncle and read it. And re-read it years later.Despite some prejudices here and there, I discovered that the African Witch is a very fine novel. Reading a work like this, it is understandable why the average African reader might not be able to identify with it and its ilk. (For example, the famous Nigerian novelist and scholar, Chinua Achebe heavily criticized Joseph Conrad over the work, Heart of Darkness) In The African Witch, the narrator is many times patronizing and even outrageous. But this does not detract from the fact that this is a well-written novel, and considering the time it was written, the author's prejudices are probably limited. For example he condemns some white characters in the work, stating that they come up short compared to other black protagonists. Again, whilst a white lady character here expresses disgust at "a black skin", another white lady confesses that she found the same black complexion attractive. Finally, as for the portions relating to the 'African Witch' herself here, the least said about this aspect, the better! At best, the descriptions of 'the witch' - her trances, her spells, her mien et al can be dubbed mere fantasy, to pander to the imaginations of a detached, Eurocentric readership. On the whole, reading this novel without a chip-on-the-shoulder mentality, one would easily concede that it is worth reading.’ - Malome