Next Friday (8 March), award-winning authors from around Africa and beyond will descend on the second city for the first-ever Francistown International Book Festival.
Set for the Civic Centre and billed as a celebration of literature, creativity and the magic of storytelling, this exciting new chapter for literary lovers in Ghetto was made possible thanks to Dr Paula Otukile.
An internationally-acclaimed author, Dr Otukile is desperate to inject a culture of reading into the country; she is confident the Francistown fest will prove the catalyst for this…
To those unfamiliar with your work, who is Dr Paula?
Dr Paula O.M. Otukile is an author, motivational speaker and literary consultant from Mahalapye.
She is widely known as Mphi at home and PaulaAfrica in the literature corners of Africa.
Tell us about your upcoming book festival in Francistown?
It is a process of extension of what I have been doing since I came back home from teaching English as a second language in Angola.
I have been promoting literature under a company registered as ‘Mulher Forte African Literature’, and saw it fit to bring book writers under one roof to the north.
Why a book festival?
Because that’s where laughter and growth can be found amongst the best of the best and bench-marking be done easily.
Which international guests can we expect at the book fest?
Nomawele Njongo from RSA, Julio Mateus, Beni Dya Mbaxi, Raul Marsson from Angola, Kennedy Silase from Lesotho, F Bateman from USA, McDonald Pagiwa from Zimbabwe, Isiaq Olowale from Nigeria, Keamogetsi Molapong from Namibia.
How are the preparations coming?
So far so good.
We got a decline from CEDA, which wished us well and congratulated us on our step.
We are still awaiting more responses.
The city council of Francistown is the best, we got all the help we needed.
A few local entrepreneurs donated, GUC University also gave us scholarships, it all counts for something.
Where do you hope to see the fest in five years time?
I wish to see Choppies Botswana, CEDA, LEA, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture, National Arts Council, CIPA, COSBOTS, FANFABO, all local publishers be engaged in the planning and helping us to achieve our goals.
How are locals responding to the concept?
Francistown people are fabulous.
We did not do much outreach, but they are forthcoming.
Will it become an annual event?
If the sponsors are forthcoming, yes.
Arts are barely or rarely supported locally hence it kills the mojo and moral too.
When did you realise your talent for stringing words together?
I have always been talented; I was that girl who got best in English at Swaneng Hill Senior.
Who inspires you?
A lot of people.
When I was doing third year at University of Botswana there was an English Lecturer called Prof Otlogetswe.
He did not teach me, but I had home girls he taught, who said in the evenings ‘Our teacher is translating Google!’
How we laughed back then; fast forward it became a reality.
I learnt to dream big, and I had immense passion in making our country a cradle of literature, the revolution of books and authorship helped.
In motivational speaking, I was inspired by Dr Odirile.
She was a petite woman, very elegant coordinator of talks and career guidance during my days.
Prof Melamu surely planted a seed in me, Rre Barolong Seboni with his poetry classes, Rre Tiro Sebina with Mhudi made something out of my perception of literature too.
How can I forget Rre Janie, and Ndana Ndana, that’s why I say the list is so much.
How did living in Angola help shape you?
Staying outside the country made me meet souls hungry to prosper despite all odds. I began to see the world better.
The best thing about living abroad is opportunities; some countries cultivate talent at grassroots level.
Which are your most famous books?
‘Thato Wishes to be a Butterfly’ and ‘Overcoming Failure’.
You are an award-winning author with close to 30 title to your name, tell us about some of your recent accolades?
I received best literature consultant 2023 at Accra in Ghana, best GBV speaker 2023 in Sandton RSA and Best author 2023 (Shining Stars Africa) 2023.
What makes a good author?
Be inspired, let the ideas flow, market well and brand ‘you’.
Plus, invest in a good illustrator and an editor of note.
If you were made Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Development, what’s the first thing you would do?
I would change the criteria of Youth Fund and look for raw talent through road shows and fund already existing but viable businesses.
I would also build sports academies across the country specifically athletic house clubs.
Botswana’s got raw talent if not so many undiscovered athletes who can be productive if help can be given to them.
Tell us about a day you’ll never forget?
The day I will never forget was winning Best Author Africa 2022, I knew I could write but I did not anticipate I was worth a win.
What are some surprising facts about you?
I love cartoons and comics.
I sleep around four in the morning daily.
I was a soft baller at junior school.
The reason I look athletic I was an athletic girl at school.
PERSONAL PROFILE
FULL NAMES: Paula O.M Otukil
POB: Mahalapye
DOB: (Ngwaga wa tsie, Mosadi ga Botswe dingwaga)
MARITAL STATUS: Not married
ROLE MODEL: Lerumo Mogobe
FAV FOOD: Pap and morogo wa dinawa
FAV DRINK: Any juice
FAV BOOK: Books are my life, I don’t have a favourite
HOBBIES: Running and story telling
DREAM HOLIDAY: Masimo or Moraka
