SEMBENE OUSMANE

The late Sembene Ousmane was one of the greatest writers and quality film producers Africa has ever produced.     

His brilliant novels and short stories almost belied the fact that this colourful
personality (Ousmane) was essentially self-taught to be literate - in French - never mind a writer. His novel, God's bits of wood is regarded by many critics as an imaginative, realistic and artistic masterpiece.     

Ousmane was born in 1923 in Senegal. As a boy he was a fisherman, then he moved onto other "practical" jobs; and ultimately found himself in the fabled Metropolis, Paris and France!

This was after a stint in the army, the French Army, mainly during the Second World War. Onward to France where he worked as a docker for some years.     

Ousmane began to write his stories, his novels. First in  line was Le Docker Noir (Black Docker). By the time he published L'Harmattan, and Tribal Scars and other stories he was already a well established African writer, despite the fact that he originally wrote his books in French.   

God's bits of Wood cemented his reputation further as easily one of Africa's top-notch
writers. And by now Ousmane was producing his own films.

Ousmane was an early African practitioner as regards pertinent films; here he was again accomplished, and award-winning. He even decided to produce films in the indigenous Wolof language, and they were still successful.       

His novel, Xala, focusing on an intriguing case of impotence, was also made into a successful film. Ousmane would also publish "two novellas" Niiwam, and Taaw later in his career. The great man died in 2007

Studies:

Ousmane Sembène écrivain populaire by Hilaire Sikounmo 

Ousmane Sembène the making of a militant artist by Samba Gadjigo 

A new kind of man the representation and significance of women in the
works of Ousmane Sembene by Dwayne Marshall Baker