JJR Jolobe: Imbongi yakwaXhosa, Umbhali, Utata, Utatomkhulu neNdoda

Oku ndizama ukubhala akuyi kumchaza gabalala uJJR Jolobe.

Elizweni yindumasi yembongi yakwaXhosa – nemsebenzi wayo ufikelela kwiminyaka engaphezu kwamashumi amane – kodwa wayesisithandwa kwiqabane lakhe, uNksk. Jeanne Buthelwa Jolobe, kwaye naye wayeyinyibiba kuye.

Kum wayenguTata.

UTata wayengeyombongi okanye umbhali nje kuphela, kodwa wayekwangumfundisi webandla. Ukuzola kwakhe, ukungazibonakalisi, nesimo sakhe – kwakwenza kube nzima ukumchana. Ezo mpawu, ngokucinga kwam, zazimenza angafikeleleki lula kubafundi besiXhosa ababemazi.

Izimvo zakhe ezinzulu ngobomi zazivela xa ethetha okanye eshumayela kumaqonga oluntu. Kwalapho, yayiziziqwentshana ezaziye zinqakulwe kwezo mpawo zakhe zintle – izinto awayenomdla kuzo, ukuthemba kwakhe umntu ngokugqithisileyo, ukuqonda kwakhe iimpazamo zomntu ozama ukufikelela enkcochoyini, okokugqibela, indlela awayefikeleleka ngayo.

Umlinganiselo ogqibeleleyo kaTata ungafumaneka kwizibhalo zakhe – okokuqala njengembongi nombhali wezincoko, umbhali woncwadi, imbongi yomthonyama nombhali wamabali.

UTata wazalwa ngabazali abangamaKrestu kwidolophana encinane yase-Indwe kufutshane naseCala eMpuma Koloni ngomhla we25 kweyeKhala ngonyaka ka1902.

Utata wakhe, naye owayenguJames, wayengumfundisi wePresbyterian Church of Scotland. Umama wakhe, uEmily Nobethu, ozalwa kwaMakhohliso, naye wayengowaseCala. Wayeyinkosikazi enkolo engagungqiyo – nto leyo wayishiya koonyana bakhe ababini uJames noLennox, kodwa ngelishwa uLennox warhaxwa kumlambo ogcweleyo – wayezama ukuwela kuloo mlambo kuba eyokushumayela kwicala elingaphesheya kwawo. Usapho emva koko lafudukela eMatatiele.

Andifuni kunaba kakhulu ngeminyaka yokukhula kukaTata. Kodwa endingakutsho yabanegalelo kumsebenzi wakhe wokubhala ekuhambeni kweminyaka.

UTata watolikela kulwimi lwesiXhosa imisebenzi emininzi eyayibhalwe ngesiNgesi. Waye waqamba namaculo amaninzi, nathi angena kwiNcwadi yamaCulo aseRhabe.

Kwakungethuba wayefundisa eMabhobho, waze waya kufundisa eLower Mvenyane – apho yabakukuqala kwetalente yakhe yokubhala. Yayilixesha lesithukuthezi ebomini bakhe.

Ukuze azigcine exakekile ngaloo maxesha esithukuthezi, waye wabhenela ekubhaleni. Ngenxa yokuqhela ulwimi lwesiHlubi nesiSotho lwaseMatatiele nelo lesiBhaca nesiXhosa lwaseMt Frere – isiXhosa sakhe ngelo xesha sasingesihle! Oku wakuxela kwizibhalo zakhe zokuqala.

Isibhalo sakhe sokuqala kwanyanzeleka silungiswe nguSEK Mqhayi – umbhali wemibongo noncwadi lwesiXhosa, owabhala incwadi eyindumasi, Ityala lamawele.

Incwadi yakhe yokuqala yemibongo yayibizwa Umyezo ( Ndaziva ndisikelelekile kwaye ndiwongekile ukuthiywa ngokuba ndinguLitha, Myezo emva kwemisebenzi yakhe emihle), leyo yapapashwa ngonyaka ka1936. Eminye imisebenzi yakhe iquka Amavo – incwadi yesincoko ebhalwe ngendlela enoburharha nenobugcisa.

Uncwadi lwakhe lokuqala, Uzagula, yapapashwa ngoka1923. Yalandelwa yi “Elundini loThukela”, nebonwa njengoncwadi oluhamba phambili kwimbali yoncwadi lwesiXhosa.

Ndingaba ndiyamkhanyela uTata, kwaye ndingabe ndiphembelela ukungabi nabulungisa xa kuthethwa ngolwimi lwesiXhosa, xa ndingenakubalula ukuduka okuqatseleyo kweelwimi zesintu.

Besicinga ukuba ukugaleleka kwedemokhrasi, iilwimi zesintu zakuphuculwa njengenxalenye yokulungisa izono zengcinezelo esisuka kuyo – kodwa umqela wembali usathe gqolo ukubonakala.

Urhulumente uye wasilela ukuwonga abantu abafana noTata – uJJR Jolobe ngethuba lokunikezelwa kweNational Orders zemisebenzi egqwesileyo kuphuhliso nokuphuculwa kweelwimi zesintu.

Lixesha ngoku lokuba abafundi beelwimi zaseAfrika baphakame baphucule iilwimi zenkobe.

*Le yintetho yooVulindlela kaJolobe ayenze eUWC ngoLwesithathu