Africa-Press – Botswana. In a world often quick to highlight flaws and celebrate only after loss, Kelebogile Ntshekang offers a refreshing and poignant counter-narrative with her book, An ode to my father.
This deeply personal work serves as a powerful reminder to give your loved ones their flowers while they are still alive. The inspiration for Ntshekang’s heartfelt tribute was a birthday gift she received in 2022. Her best friend, Ikanyeng Segonetso, gifted her An Ode to My Mother-in-Law by Gloria Tomatoe Serobe. After discussing the book, Segonetso suggested Ntshekang do the same for her own father, Fashion Ntshekang, a man she deeply loved and wished to honour while he could still appreciate it.
“I thought then that it was a great idea and to celebrate his legacy whilst he is still alive,” Ntshekang shared.
This desire to gift him something truly special set her on a year-long journey of compiling memories and unravelling their shared life. Ntshekang admitted battling with procrastination during the writing process, but viewed it as a beautiful endeavour that allowed her to delve deeper into her father’s background. She spent countless hours interviewing him, which only strengthened their bond.
While the back cover hints at the difficulty of sharing emotions, Ntshekang found the process less daunting than expected, largely due to her father’s unwavering support. The main challenge was navigating family privacy, which involved extensive consultations with family members per chapter. This collaborative effort also included input from relatives on the Ntshekang family background and even some of her father’s former pupils, who contributed their own pieces as a show of gratitude to their beloved teacher.
Ntshekang’s hopes that readers will grasp the profound importance of appreciating those they hold in high regard while talive. She also emphasised the positive impact of a great father-daughter relationship on a girl child, advocating for the appreciation of fathers in a world that consistently celebrates mothers.
The stories and experiences woven into the book were carefully selected to reflect her father’s character and showcase their unique bond, creating a heartfelt and meaningful tribute. For Ntshekang, writing An ode to my father was a transformative experience.
She discovered new facets of her father, including how he chose her name, Kelebogile, and his son’s name, Kehumile, and learned about relatives she had never met. This journey also expanded her network, as she connected with successful individuals who were once her father’s learners.
On writing a tribute to a loved one, Ntshekang stressed the importance of genuineness and authenticity. She encouraged writers to embrace emotion and vulnerability, focusing on positive memories that truly captured the essence of their loved ones’ characters.
An ode to my father is more than just a personal story; it is a universal message of gratitude and appreciation. Ntshekang believes that her father’s story can prompt readers to reflect on their own lives and relationships, potentially inspiring them to express their own heartfelt gratitude to their loved ones.
For those who knew him as their teacher, the book offers a glimpse into Ntshekang beyond the classroom, revealing the man he is outside of his teaching career. The author’s powerful narrative stands as a testament to the enduring impact of a father’s love and the profound beauty of honouring legacies while they are still being lived.
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