Beleaguered Africa needs exemplary leadership

By Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

Certainly Africa has a colossal, chequered history to boast about, for long time
that this giant continent existed and received absolute recognition
from the great book the Bible, Quran, Greek mythology. Fundamentally,
it is fashionably known as the cradle of mankind.

From ancient times this beloved continent has a record of greatly impressive tales from the visit of Queen of Sheba to Jerusalem, the beauty of majestic
pyramids in Egypt, the famous first written language in the world
hieroglyphics; and the extraordinary River Nile is among the splendid
and wonders of antiquity of Africa and the world.

Notwithstanding the colonialism of Africa by the European countries, this essentially made the indigenous people of Africa to wake up and realize to come
together and unite. In fact largely, the white intruders during colonialism
were soberly creating unpleasant situation in Africa. From all
corners of Africa white imperialists were chaotic and caused
mayhem and with their advanced weapons they were able to overwhelm
and subjugate Africans under their authority.

One should remember that before the arrival of whites in Africa the Africans were
comprehensively aware about their basic needs as human beings. During
the launching of Organisations of African Unity the forerunner of
African Union in 1963 in Addis Ababa on the 25 of May Emperor Hail
Selassie said: “We seek, at this meeting, to determine whether we are
going and to chart the course of our destiny. It is no less important
that we know whence we came. An awareness of our past is essential to
the establishment of our personality and our identity as Africans.
This world was not created piecemeal. Africa was born no later and no
earlier than any other geographical area on this globe. Africans, no
more and no less than other men, possess all human attributes, talents
and deficiencies, virtues and faults. Thousands of years ago,
civilizations flourished in Africa which suffers not at all by
comparison with those of other continents. In those centuries,
Africans were politically free and economically independent. Their
social patterns were their own and their cultures truly indigenous.
The obscurity which enshrouds the centuries which elapsed between
those earliest days and the rediscovery of Africa are being gradually
dispersed. What is certain is that during those long years Africans
were born, lived and died. Men on other parts of this Earth occupied
themselves with their own concerns and, in their conceit, proclaimed
that the world began and ended at their horizons. All unknown to them,
Africa developed in its own pattern, growing in its own life and, in
the nineteenth century, finally re-emerged into the world's
consciousness.”

Colonialism ultimately propelled Africans to unite in 1963. Moreover for the first time in history after the emergence of great modern African thinkers such as Edward Wilmot Blyden, Henry Sylvester William, Marcus Garvey and W.E.B Dubois asserted that unity of the Africans is only the best solution for their plight of colonialism.
Necessarily their thinking was realized and it remains a burnished, living dream,
Now we expect our current leaders to advance their vision.

This noble Pan African Fathers were utterly conscious about the social life of the Africans and they were familiar with the diverse societies of Africa. It is a well known fact that when our Fathers gathered in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to form a unitary body of Africa they were diverse and even today that diversity is yet persisting. Africa has different cultures, different religions and various languages. Like Emperor Hail Selassie said: ‘’their social patterns were their own and their cultures truly indigenous.

Therefore we are now looking to our current African leaders to lead us
in a way that is excellent and promising. As the former president of
South Africa Thabo Mbeki in 2003 said ‘’We suffer hardships in our
Continent, most notably, poverty and conflict. We need to address
these challenges with dedication and commitment, and recognise that
these hardships extend beyond the original, political mandate of the
OAU. For this reason we have transformed the Organization of African
Unity into the African Union in order to deal with the socio-economic
development of the continent in tandem with the need to build
political stability.” Imperatively enough is conspicuous from what
Thabo Mbeki has said that Africa is faced with serious challenges that
need the AU to address.

It is obvious that African Union recently has become fragile as the
results of its unwillingness to be decisive to resolve continental
crisis. Apparently in the highly contested position of the
chairperson of the commission of AU where Sir Jean Ping won with a
slight margin against Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma one could witness that
AU is in dilemma. Many reporters gave information about the two
candidates and it was reported that that Sir Jean Ping and other
Francophone countries were concerned about the link with France. If
then is correct that Sir Ping has the interests of France than that of
Africa our continent is in deep crisis. AU was entrenched under
difficult circumstances when terror and suppression was hindrance and
threat for the subsistence of the Africans. Africans must watch with
the careful understanding the convoluted business of AU, as now we saw another
struggle in African continent. It has become complicated for Africa to
solve its problems. Leaders of Africa are often subjected to the Hague
international criminal court. Africa is suffering from within, as in
the last year’s spring uprising in Maghreb which began in Tunisia, Egypt
and culminated in Libya. In the case of Libya we saw how South Africa
essentially concurred with United Nation Security Council under the UN resolution 73
which culminated in the assassination of the Libyan Brother leader
Muammar Gaddafi. I agree with Thabo Mbeki in his recent Stellenbosch speech when he referred to the situation in Libya and Iraq as false information fabricated by the west.

For AU to achieve its mission and objective in the midst of economic
crisis of euro zone it needs not to be a press statement body that only
condemns any action that is against the rule of law of the Union.
Specifically, it must increase its peace keeping mission and
consolidate its security council and concurrently act decisively
against those who contravene its rules. Africa now is faced with huge
societal problems such as xenophobia, terrorism and undemocratic
states. Surprisingly one read in a Sunday paper (authored by Maite Nkoana-Mashabana) that the UN must take the AU serious, in the same letter, she alluded
how resolution 73 was ill transcribed by the North Atlantic Treaty. AU
must not expect the west to act on their behalf as it happened in
Libya; Africans should not seek any favour from someone it must take
charge of its own continental affairs.

It is indeed disturbing to hear, read and learn about the heinous atrocities
committed by the Africans against Africans. It can’t be that at this
current time when the world is advancing in technology and other
marvels of our electronic world that Africans resort to war against
themselves. Imagine a child who is born and grows up in Africa today
- will he ever wish to stay in Africa? African Union needs to be a strong
body that is determined to advance Africa’s cause in the family of the
nations. We should be ashamed of ourselves if we will allow our
conscience to mislead us to be the monsters against Africa.

Fundamentally, ordinary people of Africa should be informed about the
progress of African Union, they need to be involved in reshaping Africa
that must be great among the family of sundry nations. When Alshabab of
Somalia attacked innocent people in Uganda who were watching World
Cup soccer tournament in South African 2010. The African Union acted
immediately and AU troops were sent to Somalia. Such was a great move
but now it seems AU is losing the focus, and unnecessary things that
jeopardize the unity of Africa are happening and no action is
taken.

For example, we should blatantly denounce what is happening in Nigeria
today, Boko Haram is attacking Christian churches for nothing, unleashing horror and unbridled violence. The struggle to free Africa from colonial bondage was both fought by the Christian and Muslim, then why are we undermining what our Fathers fought for? We must always learn to defend and preserve the legacy of the African Union as Africans and know how to remember people such as Kwame Nkrumah, Gamel Abdel Nasser, Haille Selassie, Mmandi Azikiwe, Sekou Toure, Modibo Keita, Kenneth Kaunda, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Augostino Neto, Samora Machel, Amilcar Cabral, Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela and many others.

* Mr Soqaga is an eminent essayist, critic and writer based in Bloemfontein

PULE LECHESA'S NEW BOOK!

(Above) Copy of Pule Lechesa's latest book

Pule Lechesa, the renowned Free State literary critic and essayist - whose work is well known internationally - will soon be launching his new book. As can be expected, the work is a Cornucopia and celebration of Free State Black Writing; a breath-taking journey straddling the literary work of major Free State writers over the years. This is a work not to be missed! No true afficionado of literature can afford not to have a copy... watch this space for more details!

TEBOGO AND THE BACCHAE

...another unusual title

Book: Tebogo and the Bacchae
Author: Omoseye Bolaji
Publisher: Eselby Jnr Publications
Book lay-out (including cover) by Godmore Jnr (Godfrey) Mofokeng
ISBN: 978 - 0 - 620 - 52543 - 5

An argument can be made that the last four adventures of Tebogo (all written within the last four years or so) have been characterised by a simpler language, whilst the titles have become more difficult or unusual.

This started with Tebogo and the Haka (2008). Not only Rugby lovers relished this work, which many believe is the most accomplished volume of the Tebogo Mokoena Mystery series. But the title endeared the book to many others.

Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009) followed, and even fewer people could state with confidence what the “epithalamion” meant, or what it was all about. The story was weaved around the disappearance of a young lady, and was not at all gory.

The unusual titles seemed to reach a peak with Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010)... a really unusual title. Here inter alia, we are subtly exhorted to remember, and be grateful to the great selfless scientists who over the centuries, and decades contributed little by little to the marvels of our modern world - which we now all take for granted.

For followers of the Tebogo Mystery series, many wondered whether the author would again revel in another unusual title in the next adventure; if there was another adventure after Tebogo and the pantophagist!

Yet that is exactly what Bolaji has done in this new adventure, Tebogo and the Bacchae (2012) . Yet integrating such titles into the twists and turns of these works at grassroots level seems quite simple, almost effortless for the author.

This time around “Biggie” (remember him from Tebogo and the epithalamion?) is the one who explains what the Bacchae is all about in simplistic fashion:

Biggie began to explain: “The Bacchae is an old Greek (Athenian) tragedy, famously written by Euripides. It is about King Pentheus of Thebes and his mother. They were ruthlessly punished by Dionysus - a god - for refusing to worship him.

“Pentheus died a terrible death. Earlier, he foolishly locked Dionysus up - who escaped rather easily since he was a deity! Pentheus, dressed like a woman, found himself atop a tree. The Bacchants, women, grabbed unfortunate Pentheus and ripped him apart piece by piece!...

“And there is the horrific image of Pentheus’ own mother, Agave ripping off her own son’s head unknowingly, and initially proud of what she’s done....
(From the Chapter “Biggie” in Tebogo and the Bacchae, 2012)

Really, this is a good read, never mind the title!

- Courtesy Phoenix Literary Club

TRIBALISM - AFRICA'S CURSE

By Charles Matorera (above)

It was late around eleven at night, and I was coming from the Corner Studio where I was busy trying to record my debut musical album.

I arrived at the taxi rank of Luveve and Gwabalanda. There was only one taxi loading, probably the last one. Like in Johannesburg, taxis in Bulawayo fill up from the back seat. It was an eighteen-seater Toyota Hiace because it sat four people in every row and two front passengers. The conductor who sat anywhere behind the front passenger seat was the nineteenth passenger, as it were.

The back seat was full, so was the second. I was the first to sit on the third seat from the back, which was also the third from the front seat.

I went and sat next to the far right window opposite the combi’s sliding door. Soon after I took my seat, in came two guys of about my age; mid twenties, both of them tall and slim with dreadlocks. They looked like brothers.

Something about them drew my attention. Was it their similarity in appearance? No, I quickly figured out that it was the odd smell of tobacco, they were smoking! I hate smoke as much as a Muslim is reputed to hate pork. I was angry, how could these guys come smoking in a confined place like a combi? I knew if I was in Harare I could have raised hell, but here I was in a new town where a strange language was spoken so I kept my cool and tried to inform them politely. I tried to muster my best Ndebele as I had learnt on the national radio. I said to the guy next to me who was now pulling the cigarette “Eh mfowethu phela mina angizwani nogwayi” (My brother, I do not go along with smoke).

He quickly saw that I was a Shona, from such a little statement. I could see by the way his eyes brightened; then he blew all the smoke from his lungs to my face saying: “Eh mkoma seyi phelile phela!” using the Shona word for big brother mockingly (It’s almost finished); showing me the cigarette which was only half finished.

With the cloud of smoke on my face I realized that he would blow smoke on my face until he finished it. I moved my right hand fast and pulled out the cigarette from his fingers and threw it out of the window very fast. He shouted angrily, informing his friend who was sitting next to him on the other side.

All this time, people were filing in and in no time the taxi was full and moving. We passed Jairos Jiri Centre of the Disabled whilst the two guys were trying to beating me and I was hitting the guy next to me with my left elbow. You know how crammed the full taxis of Africa are. There was not much space to fight anyone, but we were noisily pushing and pulling each other. A guy further from me was able to tower over his friend and beat me with sharp short claps on my forehead, swearing "You Shonas were killing us in the Gukurahundi war!" He was talking about a war which took place when I was six years old.

The taxi driver suddenly stopped the car and shouted: “Ngubani uba ngumsindo?” (Who is making noise?).

The guys were quick as I was very slow to respond because I had to translate the message and then translate the answer before I answered.

Those other guys quickly said: “Ngulo umkhoba lo o’lahlile ugwayi bethu!" (It’s this possessed guy who throw away our cigarette) The other one shouted: "A full packet of ten cigarettes!" Before I even responded the driver shouted: “He must get out now!”
The conductor quickly opened the sliding door, vacating his sitting possession to give room to my exit. Those two guys were also supposed to get out, opening passage for my exit.

My mind was pondering my situation because here we were in an open space near a railway flyover between Nguboyenja and mMpopoma suburbs. The magnificent Bouborfields stadium looming to our North. The previous day, when my cousin Madlamini took me for an orientation journey she had specifically pointed out this open space as one of the very dangerous robbery spots, with some victims being found stabbed to death in the morning.

I was very weak, powerless and gripped with self-blame. I stood up slowly. Some people pushed me from behind, shouting: “It’s very late, we want to go and rest; get out!” But a woman sitting on the far right shouted in deep Ndebele: "How can you leave this guy here? He was fighting for the health of all of us!" Unfortunately she was the only person on my side, and being a woman none could listen to her.

The driver who was very big in structure and dark in complexion stared at me with a steady gaze; then I detected a tremor on his eyes. I looked at myself and realized that I was wearing a police T-shirt inside my bomber jacket. The badge of Zimbabwe Republic – Police (ZRP) was clearly emblazoned on my chest. I had forgotten that in the afternoon I had visited my old school mate who was now a police officer residing at Rose Camp, in downtown Bulawayo. He liked my blue and white rugby jersey which I brought from South Africa. He liked it because the Blue Bulls colours were the same as Zimbabwe’s Dynamos Football club, so we had exchanged and he gave me this marathon T-shirt of the police which bore regional marks of Matebeland North.

I quickly realised that I was supposed to be a police officer right now or face the merciless knife-wielding robbers out there. I shouted in a deep terrifying Shona voice: “Hoo nhai! This is what you are doing here in Bulawayo, tribalism? Now you are going to face hell. Driver, turn the vehicle back to the Charge Office." I commanded. “No Shefu, isu tinoshanda zvakanaka namapolisa!” (We have a good working relationship with the police) said the driver. I was very much aware that the situation in Zimbabwe had deteriorated to the extent that it could even be dubbed a police state.

He shouted for the conductor to jump inside and in milliseconds the taxi was back on the road, but proceeding towards Luveve. “I was meaning those tsotsies that they must get out. In this taxi no police officer pays even if he is not in uniform”! The driver continued in accented Shona. He ordered his conductor to give me back my taxi fare.

Then someone from behind grabbed my shoulder and said: “Thank you guys, if it wasn’t for you Shona Police Officers we could all be dead here in Bulawayo. There is too much tribalism.” Then there were many voices agreeing also in Shona. "So where do you come from?" I asked him. "Masvingo sir, Chief Gutu area." he answered jovially. Then the other from the backseat shouted “I come from Rusape !” And there were others shouting Shona places: “MtDarwin, Mtoko, Guruve”

I was now angry. I asked loudly - for the whole combi to hear, saying: “Shonas, how many are you?” After a careful count, eleven were Shonas which means they were the majority even here. I said: "Now some of you back there, you were pushing me to get out. You are the majority here but you never tried to help me. Why can’t you stand up for what is right? You know that smoking in public, mostly in a public transport is not only a crime but a health hazard but you chose to be quiet and carry the story to other Shonas telling of how tribalism is still rife here in Bulawayo; but you have the power to help end it but you do not employ it. You are a disgrace to this country!"

I looked out of the window and realised that I had let my anger carry me again. The taxi was now passing a school in Lobengela West which was my geographical landmark. I told the driver to stop, he tried to insist that he would leave me at the door but I refused. Maybe if I was a real police officer I could have agreed. I thanked the Ndebele lady who tried to help me and went out of the combi planning to pack my bags and leave for Harare the following morning.

Epilogue

The following morning I sat with my aunt MaMoyo in her dining room. After listening to my story, she said: "Do you remember the old African proverb 'travelling is seeing'?" I nodded, "My nephew you will only know about other people when you go to their places. Ask yourself how many Ndebeles are treated like that in Shona speaking areas, or how many ugly names are given to people from Malawi in Harare? Think of the Vendas in Sotho areas, Kalangas in Tonga areas and so forth. The only people who are safe from tribal remarks are those who grow up in the same land where they were born and die there for they will be ignorant to other languages and cultures and they are usually the perpetrators of xenophobic crimes," I sat there in the old house pondering her powerful words. I decided against leaving Bulawayo; maybe I had to learn more about the local ways and customs. I watched my aunt's grandchildren who were preparing to go to school. They knew no other language other than Ndebele, no other city other than Bulawayo, I thought of the world waiting for them…

* Charles Matorera is a Free State based Zimbabwean writer

RITA CHIHAWA'S SWEET TROLLEY OF POETRY

By Dineo Mokgosi

(Above) Poet "Jah Rose" in full flow!

“A platform for poets to share their literary art with the rest of the public” This is how Rita Chihawa described the “Sound of poetry”, an event that took place on Thursday, December 15 at the Rose Hall in the Bram Fisher Building in Bloemfontein city.

Seasoned poets who performed at the event included Phillipa Yaa De Villiers, performer, teacher and writer for stage and television; who was supported by Free State greats such as Jah Rose, Hector Kunene and Dr Cool. Other aspiring poets who performed were Azanian Kid and Alme Swarts. There was also an open mike session where poets from the floor shared their poetry with the audience.

The event was the brainchild of Soweto-born poet, Rita Chihawa, 24, through a company called Arts Amuse founded in 2009 together with Khonzeka Tyindyi.
“This was the first time we would be hosting the ‘Sound of poetry’, and we are planning to make it an annual event that will be taken to major cities across the Free State” said Rita Chihawa, poet and organiser.

Chihawa is a rather seasoned poet herself despite her young age. She has been doing poetry since the age of 13. She has performed at the Grahamstown Arts Festival. “It has been a long and fulfilling journey in the arts industry,” she said.

Chihawa’s favourite poem is “They went home” by veteran author and poet, Maya Angelou; and another favourite written by her is a new poem called “Mother and sister”

“I look up to a lot of poets, depending on a variety of aspects such as writing and performing. On writing I like Ntate Don Mattera and Ntate Vonani Bila. On the performance side I look up to people like Masoja Msiza, Napo Masheane, Lebo Mashile and Mphutlane wa Bofelo,” said Chihawa.

Her love of poetry was stoked by reading other people’s material. “I love reading. I read a lot of poems by writers like Mattera, Professor Kgositsile, Jessica Mbangeni and Chris Mann,” she explained.

Chihawa said that the poetry industry in other parts of the country is well developed in comparison to the Free State, “as more needs to be done to promote literary arts to the public,”

“We need to educate our people about this type of events so that they can try them out and also create more platforms for poets and storytellers to showcase their crafts to the public,” Rita Chihawa vouchsafed.

'SOUND OF POETRY' reverberates in Bloem!

Excitement is mounting in Mangaung as the countdown to the "Sound of Poetry" festival orchestrated by Arts Amuse begins. Literary pundits have also been praising Mme Rita Chihawa the brain behind the great festival. Meanwhile the billed poets are ready to strut their stuff...


Poets' Profiles

1. Alme Swart: Has been involved in several productions that toured to Grahamstown National Arts Festival in 2009 and 2010. "I was involved with MedFM radio station in 2009 where I wrote ghost stories for their midnight show and also did a little bit of presenting. I have published in two different poetry books called 'Masks' and 'Boksemdais'"

2. Azanian Kid - Morena Berries, a well known young actor and bard epitomises the quintessence of an artist - he has also published his lyrical compositions in local papers. An international newspaper once referred to him as a "maverick"!

3. Seiso Mpete

4. Hector Kunene: Has a book called Through the Tunnel which became a success, the book received good reviews. Later in 2010 he published his second book, a literary study of Chief Bolaji. He is an award winner; the Free State writer of the year 2010 which opened doors and received great publicity. He has performed at Vuka Festival and Macufe respectively 2010 and 2011. He also features in Free State News as a columnist and has worked at Motheo FM as a motivational speaker

5. Jah Rose: "JahRose” Jafta, a revered poetess known for her poetry anthology called, Rooted from the heart and she is one of the Facilitators and Founders of the FREE STATE TLOUHADI ART PROJECT that has been touring around the Free State.

6. Phillippa Yaa De Villers: Phillippa Yaa de Villiers-Venter is an award-winning South African writer, performer, and poet living in Johannesburg. She studied journalism in South Africa and theater in Paris and then returned to academia in the late 1990s, consolidating her passions for writing and performance with a degree in dramatic arts. She writes for a television series in South Africa and has performed in numerous festivals around the world.

KEY FREE STATE WRITERS

(Above) Kgang Abel Motheane, Teboho Masakala, Jah Rose, Hector Kunene, Flaxman Qoopane...