“Literature is healthy in the FS” - Soqaga

Writing at grassroots level in the Free State is very much thriving, with new literary gems discovered on a regular basis. This is according to Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga, author, essayist and pan-africanist. “To be honest the high standard of literature in the province is extra-ordinary,” Soqaga told Free State News this week. “We have works of fiction, superb literary critics, drama, and of course so many poets have been produced over the years,” Mr Soqaga himself is a new author having published his book, O Bolaji: a voyage around his literary work, this year. The literary world has been taken by storm by the general approval and acclamation of the work. The author (Soqaga) says that the success of the book has surprised him. “It was good to have such a fine (literary) debut,” he said. “But the thing is not to rest on my laurels. I am already working on my second book which would be even more Afro-Centric. One of the things that pleased me most about my first book is that the Northwestern University (USA) – which boasts the largest collection of Africana works in the world – praised my book, and it is now in their collection” And how does Soqaga feel having his work shortlisted for the glamorous Mbali Literary Awards? He says: “It’s a nice bonus but I am not thinking of actually winning,” he said. He added: “Writers should not get carried away after publishing a book or two. There are outstanding African writers who have published 20, 30 books or even more, and still have their feet on the ground. I will be highlighting this in one of the chapters of my new book,” the modest polemicist rounded off. - Raselebeli Khotseng * First published in Free State News October 26 2012 edition