THE EDIFICE. By Kole Omotosho

'Why do couples get married? Or to narrow things down, why do men decide to marry and settle down? Surely love must be a major ingredient, or should be, despite the fact that as time goes on the protagonists might get disillusioned, disenchanted and drift apart. This is a common scenario worldwide. In this work a young Nigerian travels abroad for his studies and marries a white English lady, Daisy. Ultimately they come together to Nigeria where things fall apart decisively for the lady. Her man (husband), Dele does not come across as the most charitable of men, as he is wont to cast aspersions on women generally, including his "native" women back at home – are they (women) really that grasping, greedy and importunate? But Daisy actually seems a very nice lady and it's a crying shame that she's subjected to such humiliation and pain by her husband. After all, looking at it objectively, she makes tremendous sacrifices, leaving her well known comfort zone in Europe to be beside the man she loves far away in Africa. The man who treats her like trash. Daisy's docility seems incredible.(Contrast the situation in another celebrated novel, by Mariama Ba – THE SCARLET SONG -, where the "scorned" white female protagonist in a similar situation apparently snaps, kills her own baby and tries to murder her own two-timing man). Some pundits point out that when African writers paint such picture of white women involved with African men suffering inexorably, it is some sort of atonement for how the "western world plundered and purloined Africa". Nonsense? Essentially, the sympathy would solidly be on Daisy's side...'

Other books by Kole Omotosho

Creative Works

The Edifice (1971)

The Combat

Miracles (short stories) (1973)

Fela's Choice (1974)

Sacrifice (1974, 1978)

The Scales (1976)

To Borrow a Wandering Leaf (1978)

Memories of Our Recent Boom (1982)

Just Before Dawn (Spectrum Books, 1988, ISBN 9789782460073)

The Curse (1976)

Shadows in the Horizon (1977)

General

The Form of the African Novel (1979 etc.)

The Theatrical Into Theatre: a study of the drama and theatre of the English-speaking Caribbean (1982)

Season of Migration to the South: Africa's crises reconsidered (1994)

Achebe or Soyinka? A Study in Contrasts (1995)

Woza Africa (1997)

A SELECTION OF AFRICAN POETRY

By Theodore G Vincent and Kojo Senanu

'A magnificent work - and although published decades ago, not really dated as this is quintessential poetry dished out by some of the most outstanding poets/writers in African history. This was/is a veritable textbook and general work throbbing with the acme of poetry as produced by great early African writers. The names of the poets whose works are introduced here are illustrious - they include Lenrie Peters (Gambia), Okot p'bitek (Uganda), Leopold Senghor (Senegal), Wole Soyinka, J. P Clark (Nigeria), Kofi Awoonor, Kwesi Brew (Ghana), David Rubadiri, Denis Brutus (Southern Africa) among many others. This is a top-notch work which also includes the best of translations, even from African languages into English. The approach of the authors is sublime; as we are given brief biographies of the poets, and then individual poems are brilliantly analysed, with excellent comments and explanation. In the process we can appreciate the variegated figures of speech, general imagery and ideas of so many poems. We learn for example that poets like Soyinka and Peters are rather "difficult", yet the authors *editors, rather, pull out all the stops to simplify or explain their work in detail. The variety of selected sample poems is extraordinary - for example, one can relish a work like Lest we should be the last (by Kwesi Brew) whose dazzling simplicity reaches a bathetic crescendo...' 

- Malome

A Penny for Lechesa's Thoughts

Publisher: Mbali Press

Genre: Literary essays/criticism

Year of book publication: 2016

Contents include:

Introduction by Ishmael M Soqaga

Qoopane at 60: A Critique

Lechesa on Free State of Mind (poetry)

Lechesa interviews literary icon Zakes Mda

Lechesa adumbrates on Sesotho literature

Lechesa zeroes in on John Kani

The author, (above) has put together a solid body of literary work over the years.

BOLAJI'S IMPOSSIBLE LOVE (New edition)

Published by MBALI PRESS
2016

MY MUSE

Authors: Hector Kunene and Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta

"When a journey to find a soul mate is cut short because of vindicating matters of two hearts who seem to meet each other, yet drifting apart due to seasonal abundance of both love and it's opposing measures. My Muse merges the end points of a relationship gone brutally challenged and left hanging by its dire skin to survive. Hector Kunene and Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta reveal some hard-core excruciating truths between reality and a dream

A personal reflection of one's realism is a must after reading this book, whether we love because it is convenient or we love our souls connect remains an introspective encounter. The two poets here do not shy away from writing about this journey that seems to have no beginning, neither ending" - from the blurb 

FAREWELL, ELECHI AMADI (1934 - 2016)

Tribute by I M Soqaga

Elechi Amadi, one of Africa's finest writers, has died. Apart from writing and publishing the acclaimed novel, The Concubine, Amadi was also author of several other excellent imaginative works.

One of Africa's early pre-eminent writers, his works were read by hundreds of thousands of people over the decades, and some of his books were studied in schools in West, and eastern African countries.

Yes, one of Africa’s sons, the priceless literary giant of African literature has finally departed this world.  Certainly Africa is reeling with the poignant demise of the “Captain” Elechi Amadi.  The continent is absolutely appalled at the gloomy bombshell.  Recently we witnessed how African pioneers and catalyst of black African literature leaving this world, like Chinua Achebe, Obi Egbuna, Lewis Nkosi, Es’kia Mphahlele, Grace Ogot, Kofi Awoonor etc.

Elechi Amadi has done tremendously well in advocating African literature with great vim.  Surely, his name can be mentioned and reckoned with profound ecstasy.  His name will remain memorable in many people’s mind.  He was one of the indomitable African writers who were not ashamed to express African literature unambiguously.

For decades- his contribution in African literature was categorically prodigious.  The peerless Elechi died at the time Africa is faces with mammoth challenge of ignorance. By the fact that is one of the early pioneers and catalyst of African literature, apparently a lot can be gained from his literary work.   Africa and Africans have to realize that ignorance is one of the precarious setbacks; its purpose is to seriously besmirch quintessential African literature.

Elechi Amadi was a Nigerian author of plays and novels that are generally about African village life, customs, beliefs and religious practices.  Amadi is best regarded for his 1966 first novel “The Concubine”, which has been called “an outstanding work of pure fiction”. Some of his works include The Great Ponds, Isiburu, Sunset in Biafra, Dance of Johannesburg, Peppersoup, The Road to Ibadan, The Slave, Estrangement and the Woman of Calabar.

Definitely, questions concerning the perpetual survival of African literature will always be asked.  As whether African literature is still apposite and vibrant like in the past years when the world would be astonished at the literary material African writers used to produce?  Significantly, ignorance in every single city of Africa is something that needs to be extirpated.  Obviously, Elechi Amadi is a paradigm in this context.  He boldly shunned the notion that Africans are incapable in cultivating awesome world class literary material.  Throughout his life, he actively committed himself by promulgating literary knowledge in this wise.

It is completely amazing at how the world recognized his unmitigated literary achievement.  His thrilling literary works remains monumental to many people in the world.  Currently the anticipation is that literary fraternity need to doff their hats and show sincere gratitude to the African own literary wordsmith “Elder” Elechi Amadi.  It is imperative for Africans to remain firm to bona fide African literature and to avoid being docile to the potent of modern technology with its engrossing comfort and privileges. 

Africans must always remember the importance of their heritage and be courageously active in promoting their heritage.  Elechi Amadi was instrumental as an exponent of African literature; this dimension was illustrated by his transcendent erudition that he displayed during colonial times and also in present time. He celebrated his 80th birthday in Port Harcourt, in 2014 releasing a souvenir edition of one of his plays, Isiburu to mark his 80th birthday.  His literary achievements must invariably continue to steer us as the living example that need to be emulated.  Rest in peace “Captain” Elechi Amadi!

Elechi Amadi's Works

    The Concubine (novel) - 1966 (London: Heinemann African Writers Series); Ibadan:
    The Great Ponds (novel) - 1969
    Sunset in Biafra (war diary) - 1973
    Isiburu (play) - 1973
    Peppersoup and The Road (plays, combined volume) 1977; Ibadan: Onibonoje Publishers
    Dancer of Johannesburg (play) - 1978, Ibadan: Onibonoje Publishers
    The Slave (novel) - 1978, Heinemann
    Ethics in Nigerian Culture (philosophy) - 1982, London: Heinemann
    Estrangement (novel) - 1986
    The Woman of Calabar (play) - 2002, Port Harcourt: Gitelle Press
    Speaking and Singing (essays and poems) - 2003, University of Port Harcourt Press
    Collected Plays (ed. Seiyifa Koroye) - 2004, Port Harcourt: Pearl Publishers