DILLIBE ONYEAMA (Nigeria)

In African literature, Dillibe Onyeama is an illustrious, revered name, even if a large number of younger readers might not be familiar with this brilliant writer. Onyeama, a Nigerian, was born to write! 

 He started to write and publish books at a very young age (like Ben Okri) and has published well over 20 books till date. There is some nonsense on his "most popular" works which might interest some...but serious pundits would not worry too much about this. Is "popularity" of book(s) related to a particular country or region (let's say Africa); or in eurocentric climes? Or is "popularity" gauged from modern artifice like "goodreads" which the older generation is largely unfamiliar with? And anyway an author's most popular works are often unrelated to pristine literary quality. 

 Onyeama himself as a top-notch writer has said that he considers Obi Egbuna one of the greatest ever Ibo and African writers. This is subjective of course, but one has to respect Onyeama's opinion here. Egbuna who wrote superb works too, is or should be a revered figure. Some claim that his novel, The madness of Didi, is one of the classics of African literature; others would prefer his well-written short stories' collections. Such polemics do not really matter. The brilliance of such wordsmiths is the main thing.

And the brilliance of Dillibe Onyeama was never in doubt since he was a youngster producing thrilling works. Yes, he was (is) an outstanding writer and his name and reputation should always be written in gold. Works of his like Revenge of the Medicine Man, and Juju can always be relished across the generations.

He has displayed very impressive range, depth and breadth over the decades. Apart from the exciting, scintillating fiction, Onyeama has published biographies and autobiography. He has written on general subjects, including humour and introspective work.

Now in his 60s Onyeama can be very satisfied and proud of himself for his contributions to African literature - and he started many decades ago! He has also been a publisher, and despite daunting odds these days in respect of books and reading, this suave cerebral gentleman can afford a wry smile, considering his status and pedigree in the world of letters

Select bibliography

Nigger at Eton

Sex is a Nigger’s game

John Bull’s Nigger

The Return,

Juju (novel)

 Secret Society,

The return

Boomerang (short stories),

Godfathers of Voodoo,

Female Target

The New Man

Revenge of the Medicine Man

Book of Black Man’s Humour;

RICHARD RIVE (South Africa)

By I M Soqaga

South African literature has a lush and remarkable numbers of writers who are actually fascinating and they continue to grow by leaps and bounds.  It is absolutely noteworthy to see literature in South Africa in particular in the post apartheid, being celebrated with utmost glee.  Richard Rive is one of the illustrious names from the 60s and 70s in particular.

Imperatively, apartheid presented a serious morass that deserved to be abrogated.  In fact its application was abysmal and thoroughly lacked sanity for human dignity and progress.  In the past because of apartheid South African writers, ineluctable had to expect unpleasant treatment because of their zealous literary forte which they used to showed with profound agility.  However, today the situation is congenially different because writers can write without being countered.  Today, South African writers are relishing their works with absolute glee.  And moreover there are colourful literary festivals throughout the country which are stupendously held with the intention to showcases disparate literary genre and the ambience is lucidly resplendent.

To highlight there are past events that remain and will of course remembered as unpalatable grotesque as a result of apartheid.  Many pre-eminent writers suffered a lot under apartheid; writers like Nat Nakasa and Lewis Nkosi were awarded Nieman Fellowship to study abroad.  They were refused passport and were forced to leave South Africa on an exit permit.  As a result they lost their South African citizenship.  Nat Nakasa died in exile after a fall from the seventh floor of a building in New York and the Afrikaner poet Ingrid Jonker, commits suicide by drowning in Cape Town.

What about Dennis Brutus, Es’kia Mphahlele, Bessie Head, Doris Lessing, Nadine Gordimer and Richard Rive? Dolefully, these writers in their lifetimes were faced with a serious predicament during apartheid times and their sole nefarious transgression was to partake in writing.  Literature that they produced was completely banned by apartheid government and their literary flair was flagrantly commended and appraise outside South Africa.  Dennis Brutus’ work, his first collection, Sirens, Knuckles and Boots won an Mbari Prize (University of Ibadan, Nigeria) and notable the collection was also published in Nigeria while he was in prison (Robben Island).

On his own part, Richard Rive’s first novel “Emergence” which takes the events leading to the Sharpeville massacre is actually a tour de force.  A protest against apartheid, Emergency was written about the Sharpeville crisis and was quickly banned by the South African government.

The role that Richard Rive played in literature was categorically mind-blowing. Inasmuch, from his early life Richard Rive cultivated multitudinous number of exhilarating works of literature.  His enormous efforts in producing such dazzling ilk of literature stamped him out as one of the few courageous wordsmiths in the face of fierce racial discrimination under apartheid.   

Indeed, Rive was a very well gifted, versed and prodigious writer whose erudition which was coupled with excellent prowess to produce such hunky-dory work of literature will be invariable recollected in the world of letters.   Rive enchanting literary works will be reminisce with South African magazines such as Drum and Fighting Talk including  European and American magazines.  Alas, his untimely death robbed South Africa and the world an exceptional, brilliant and versatile writer.

Nevertheless, it is utterly essential for modern African writers to regard Richard Rive death as a signal of inspiration.  He died as an unremitting literary activist whose interest was to see literature being palatable and lawful.  Specifically the responsibility is on writer’s shoulders to ensure that Rive works lives on indefinitely.  An open secret is that the West is not ignorant about the contribution and the impact which their writers have made over the years in advancing literature.  For centuries, the West have been showing alacrity and patriotic verve by making sure that their writers are greatly celebrated with incredible delectation by writing essays, reviews, critical works etc on them as the cue for appreciation. Bronte Sisters, Charles Dickens and so on are such prominent examples of writers that are still recognized as outstanding in the West. 

Tragically, Richard Rive was viciously killed by being stabbed to death at his home in Cape Town in 1989; of course his life of writing depicted him as an earnest writer who was extraordinary committed in propagating literature.  Inevitably, Rive vivacious contribution in literature cannot be ignore but it must somewhat be celebrated, appreciated and relished with stupendous enthusiasm.