19 Nov 2024

Motlhaolosa Poetry Ensemble in collaboration with Macmillan Education Botswana and Prof. Daniel Matjila has launched a book titled: Poetry and Patronage in celebration of the late Leetile Disang ‘LD’ Raditladi, a renowned Botswana writer and poet since the early 1940s. 

Raditladi has written several books with the most notable of them all being a poetry anthology known as Sefalana sa Menate which features the popular poem titled: Africa. 

The book, Poetry and Patronage  authored by South Africa’s Prof. Matjila was first launched at the author’s hometown, Hartebeestport, on May 2024.  It is a series of abstracts and quotes from Raditladi’s works that portray his lifestyle, culture and methodology of storytelling. 

During the recent launch of the book in Gaborone, Kgosi Tholo Bagwasi of Goo-Ntloedibe Ward in Molepolole, applauded artistes for their determined efforts in ensuring that African cultures were sustained through their works. 

He acknowledged Prof. Matjila and Motlhaolosa Poetry Ensemble on encouraging cultural diplomacy. 

Kgosi Bagwasi said Prof. Matjila’s masterpiece could be used to spearhead the formation of a federal society that fosters cultural diplomacy between Batswana- speaking communities across Southern Africa. 

Moroka Moreri, who is a musician and also the writer of a poetry book Motlhaolosa said Prof. Matjila’s book served as an answer to the quest at Motlhaolosa Poetry Ensemble to recognise and celebrate local heroes or heroines within the literature fraternity. 

He said upon benchmarking from the South African counterparts who celebrate their own such as the late Sol Plaatjie, Motlhaolosa, thus settled for  Raditladi and found it befitting to recognise him.

“Prof. Matjila has read and taught more about Raditladi’s books, whilst he was a teacher at Kgari Sechele Senior Secondary School some years ago and had even lectured on them overseas,” he noted. 

Furthermore, Moreri said they were on a mission to mobilise funds toward Raditladi’s statue and he pleaded with those who could afford to assist. 

Macmillan Botswana general manager Kopano Sechele acknowledged that Prof. Matjila’s gesture signified a closer relation between local writers and their counterparts, adding that the relations should be nurtured. 

Sechele, who referred to books as similar to a statue, also pleaded that the cross border literature sharing between the two countries should not be restricted at any means.

When narrating the motive behind his artwork, Prof. Matjila said throughout his studies he had noted a particular charisma extracted from Raditladi’s literature.

He said Raditladi’s poetry embraced several factors such as romance, wars, reunions, conflicts, nature, African animals, and politics, among others. 

He said Raditladi’s quotes from other books were also a gemstone for SA’s former President, Mr Thabo Mbeki. 

“In most of Mbeki’s quotes I have realised that he used to add within his speeches the quotes from Raditladi’s books,” said Matjila. Also amongst the delegates was Leetile Raditladi, the grandson to Raditladi.

He gave a brief explanation on Raditladi’s lineage revealing that Raditladi was the first son of the late Disang Raditladi from Serowe. 

He said the event was more than just a book launch but also a celebration of Raditladi’s legacy and his passion for storytelling. 

He agreed with Moreri, that more had to be done to honour the iconic writer. ENDS