Skip to main content

ANOTHER GONG FOR OMOSEYE BOLAJI

  ... honoured with 'Exquisite Calabash'


The Gbobaniyi Club of Ikire (Nigeria) has conferred its ‘Exquisite Calabash’ award on Writer, Omoseye Bolaji for his ‘Contributions to the Genre of Mystery/Detective Writing in Africa'.

 ‘It is quite apposite and seemly that the recipient Mr Omoseye Bolaji would be receiving this award exactly 20 years after he published the very first adventure of the Tebogo Mystery series, titled Tebogo Investigates. That was in 2000. The series has grown in leaps and bounds since then and is now known worldwide.



 ‘We refer to Omoseye Bolaji as ‘Mr' here, not because we are unaware that he is an eminent Chief (of Ibadan)himself, or out of disrespect; but Mr. Bolaji has always stressed in his simple way that he prefers to be addressed simply as ‘Mr’. We are also very happy that despite reported poor health over the recent years Mr Bolaji is here in person to receive the award. We also appreciate the presence of literary men, reviewers, critics here like Mr Henry Ozogula, Ms Lupna Avery, and Mr O. Bakare. You have all published a lot on Mr Bolaji’s Writings, including the Tebogo Mystery series which he is being honoured for today.

‘Indeed the Tebogo Mystery series is famous not only in Africa, but in the literary world generally. Scores of essays have been published on the copious books that constitute the series. Many scholars, black and white, have written full-length books on the works including the likes of Charmaine Kolwane, Petro Schonfeld, and Julia Mooi. Mr. Bolaji has done not only Yorubaland, but also Nigeria and Africa very proud with his intriguing books.



‘The experts will continue to point out the ingenuity of the plotting, characterization, dialogue etc of the books in the series. There is always a consensus about the twists and turns, the unexpected endings of virtually all the books. That Mr. Bolaji has sustained it for at least 20 years is an outstanding achievement and a thing of joy. Countless copies of books in the Tebogo Mystery series are stocked in dozens of illustrious and world class Libraries all over the world. ‘We are very happy to present Mr. Bolaji with the Exquisite Calabash Award… '

-         CITATION


Comments

  1. C. MADOLYN29 December 2020 at 00:17

    Well done Chief Bolaji. It's great to see our African writers delighting in various genre

    ReplyDelete
  2. A. OSONDU29 December 2020 at 00:36

    When I was a kid I liked Eurocentric works of mystery written by The 3 Investigators, The Hardy Boys, and some Enid Blyton books. Later on I would enjoy James Hadley Chase a lot, Nick Carter and the like. Bolaji has done well to create an African sleuth with his own idiosyncracies and credo.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Eric29 December 2020 at 22:24

    Gong, eh....

    ReplyDelete
  4. A. OSONDU30 December 2020 at 00:17

    (addition)
    Tebogo Mokoena. I fell in love with the character right from the beginning. One always had the impression that though a detective, Tebogo is a good person, sly occasionally, but very much humane (though there was an attempt to present a tougher Tebogo in the book, Tebogo and the bacchae.) Right from the start Tebogo hates violence and is rarely confronted with the same during his many investigations. But it is the author that actually comes across as a person always on the side of peace, as he glosses over descriptions that should involve violence and instead concentrates on interesting ladies, and often witty conversations. Chief Bolaji has done well over the decades and deserves the encomiums

    ReplyDelete
  5. Leke Giwa30 December 2020 at 00:29

    Warm Congratulations

    ReplyDelete
  6. RAPHAEL4 January 2021 at 06:38

    My mind goes to Tebogo's spot of bother (the second Tebogo book) where our hero really finds himself in 'a spot of bother' at the end when he is attacked by a strong young woman! It is no ordinary attack - she wanted Tebogo to die, and he could easily have done so. Perhaps this is the most exciting finale in a Tebogo book, though the almost pedestrian Tebogo adventure Tebogo and the pantophagist, also ends rather strongly. All in all, kudos to the author for his literary feats over the years.

    ReplyDelete
  7. MAJA4 January 2021 at 07:00

    Congratulations, Mr Bolaji !

    ReplyDelete
  8. Eric5 January 2021 at 00:26

    MANY THANKS

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ODIA OFEIMUN CLOCKS 70

Special tribute by Owei Lakemfa GLOBAL writer, poet and humanist, Odia Ofeimun is from a lineage with close affinity with leopards. There was an unwritten rule between the humans of Iruekpen-Ekum, Edo State and that feline family that neither will attack the other. If today, there are no leopards left in that part, it is not because they betrayed the humans. So Odia is an original “Amotekun” the symbol of those in the Western Nigeria taking the battle to terrorists, kidnappers, bandits and rogue soldiers from neigbouring countries. Odia, like a leopard, has his own time zone; he moves at any time of the day or night harbouring no fears of our quite dangerous highways. Then, bullets from armed robbers near Okada, missed him by the whiskers, hitting the passenger sitting in front of him. It was past midnight! With that nightmare, he pledged to stop travelling at night. But I know he still does surreptitiously. A few months ago, he admitted arriving at the gates of the Obafemi...
2 comments
Read more

D.O FAGUNWA: An early Literary Genius

By   BAYO ADEBOWALE D.O. Fagunwa’s creative art, from inception, has been received with warmth and enthusiasm. His early-time audience consumed the themes and contents of his works eagerly and with gusto… Whoever among them can ever forget Fagunwa’s powerful character portrait of his major characters like Esu Kekereode, Anjonnu Iberu, Olowoaye, Ojola Ibinu, Kako, Akaraoogun, Imodoye, Olohun Iyo, Aramanda Okunrin, Egbin, Ibembe Olokunrun, Ifepade, Arogidigba, Baba Onirugbon Yeuke, Ajediran, Iragbeje, Ajantala, Ogongo Baba Eye, Edidare people and Omugodimeji their Royal Father, Ireke Onibudo, itanforiti, Ologbo Ijakadi, Iyunade and Ahondiwura! Fagunwa’s early-time critics, in the same token, evaluated the style and technique of his novels with utmost regard and respect. All of Fagunwa’s novels got incisive analysis and critical acclaim from eminent scholars, of the calibre of Ayo Bamgbose, Abiola Irele, Uli Beier, Bernth Lindfors, Omolara Ogundipe-Leslie, Akinwumi I...
2 comments
Read more

GONE NOT !!

  Tribute to Pa Kgang Abel Motheane By M. I Soqaga   Of course the world is reeling with great grief, unremitting tears eventual proverbial pains of the past spawn from what can not be usual invariably startling and dumbfounded heartbroken because of sadness   He is declared deceased in awe the world remains shocked not ready to accept the news inevitable and unpalatable news At his ripe old age constantly revered able to illustrate his awesome skill nothing will stop him to produce such enormous work of literature... Today he is known as dead tearful sad news of the past since millenniums remain with humanity capable to trigger sorrow, melancholic grief compel perpetual emotional mourning He is today declared deceased at his old ripe age the earth can be proud to swallow him at a known last resting place like in the beginning when the womb concoct miracles the beginning of blissful life embryonic ecstatic blessi...
5 comments
Read more