14 Mar 2016

Otsetswe Bogosibokae has been described as a great mentor who made an immense contribution towards artwork in the country.

Speaking during Bogosibokae’s funeral in Molepolole on Saturday, the deceased’s colleague, head of visual arts in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Monicah Selelo said for the years that she has worked with Bogosibokae as his supervisor, she has known him as someone who was passionate and committed to his work .

She said he had hope that even in difficult situations, he would hold on until doors open. “He made visual art to become visible and made artists realise their role in boosting the economy of the country through art,” Selelo said.

Another speaker, art lecturer at Molepolole College of Education,  Den Sibanda said he met Bogosibokae as his art teacher in 1994 at Kgari Sechele Senior Secondary School. He hailed him as a humble person who was always willing to learn during his student days. He said Bogosibokae was an active student in their art club, adding that he would even attend remedial classes despite that he was a well performing student, which showed his commitment.

Meanwhile, one of the deceased’s friends, who said they met when Bogosibokae arrived in Palapye in 2002 to work at Lotsane Senior School, Dithapelo Kgosietsile, described him as a person who was loving, saying he has lost a great friend who would never get angry nor hold grudges.

Kgosietsile said together with the deceased they formed an association named Malalabokwe House of Rastafari which mentored youth on art, tradition and religion which was still operational.

Bogosibokae was the principal curator at the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture from year 2008 to date. He has also worked as an art and design teacher from 1997 to 2008 and was also a member of Thapong Visual Arts.

Furthermore, some of the speakers said the deceased has fulfilled his purpose of living, and that he made an immense contribution to the country having illustrated the Standard Four-2004 Social Studies textbook as well as being an instructor in the My African Dream competition.

He has participated and received several awards in a number of exhibitions locally and internationally among them being a meritorious award recipient in teaching in 2009, Thapong artist of the year-2006. He was as well voted for the UNICEF Convention on the Rights of a Child Exhibition-Denmark in 1992.

The deceased, who died after a long illness, is survived by his five siblings, three sisters and two brothers and his son. Ends