Unveiling Three Powerful New Releases from Inkani Books: The Third Pan-Africa Newsletter (2024)

Buhlebezwe Siwani (South Africa), Mpuma koloni (‘Eastern Colony’), 2022.

Greetings from the desk of Tricontinental Pan-Africa,

I am writing this on the road, in small snatches of time during Haidar Eid’s South African book tour. He is speaking in packed lecture halls, bookshops, and mosques around the country to bring memories of Gaza and the future of Palestinian freedom to you. ‘I am standing over the ruins of a house in Gaza City, peering at the horizon’, is the haunting opening of Decolonising the Palestinian Mind. In the book, Eid, a professor of comparative literature, offers a poignant reflection on the realities of life in Gaza amidst the ongoing genocide. The cover of the book, adorned with a vibrant painting by Gazan artist Malak Mattar, serves as a testament to resilience and hope amidst adversity. Join us on the road. Follow the Inkani Books pages to stay updated about our future events.

We’re thrilled to introduce two other titles we hope you will add to your bookshelves upon their release.

Kael Abello (Venezuela), Izimpabanga Zomhlaba cover, 2024.

Izimpabanga Zomhlaba: A Zulu Translation of Frantz Fanon’s Masterpiece

Frantz Fanon, renowned for his incisive analysis of colonialism and racial oppression, continues to resonate with readers around the world. From dissecting the role of violence in historical change to critiquing post-independence disenfranchisement, Fanon’s insights serve as a guiding light for social reorganisation and resistance. His groundbreaking work, The Wretched of the Earth (1961), receives a powerful new translation into Zulu, becoming Izimpabanga Zomhlaba.

Award-winning poet and translator Makhosazana Xaba is responsible for bringing Fanon’s revolutionary ideas to a new audience of African readers. This translation not only honours Fanon’s legacy but also underscores the universality of his message, transcending linguistic and cultural boundaries. It’s a testament to the enduring relevance of his ideas in the ongoing fight against injustice.

Ingrid Neves (Brazil), The Revolutionary Thoughts of Kwame Nkrumah cover, 2024.

Reviving the ‘African Hercules’: The Revolutionary Thoughts of Kwame Nkrumah

In his philosophical tome, Consciencism (1964), Kwame Nkrumah, describes himself wryly as ‘the African Hercules’ with ‘his club poised ready to smite any new head which the colonialist hydra may care to put out.’ This epithet encapsulates his leadership before a CIA-sponsored coup in 1966 put an end to his era-defining presidency in Ghana, and forced him into exile in Guinea and later Romania.

This collection, edited by Vijay Prashad and me, offers a compelling glimpse into the visionary leadership of Nkrumah, a pivotal figure in African history. Through a curated selection of formerly out of print, speeches and essays, Nkrumah’s unwavering commitment to Pan-Africanism shines brightly. Despite facing formidable challenges from counter-revolutionary forces, Nkrumah’s diplomatic finesse and ideological clarity continue to make him a beacon of hope for oppressed peoples worldwide. The edition features two excellent forewords by his son, Dr Francis Nkrumah, and Kwesi Pratt, secretary-general of the Socialist Movement of Ghana.

Zohra Opoku (Ghana), I Am the One Who Shines, the One Who Is Above the District of the Sky… (2023).

As we celebrate these new releases, launching in April and May respectively, we invite you to explore their pages, engage with their ideas, and buy them on our website. At Inkani Books, we remain committed to reviving histories of national liberation, one page at a time.

Warmly,

Efemia Chela

Efemia Chela is publishing director at Inkani Books and communications officer at Tricontinental Pan-Africa. Her research focuses on feminisms and LGBTQ+ activism in Africa. She manages publishing at Inkani Books.