The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) Welkom Campus Director, Prof. Solomon Makola has launched his third book, titled 70 Women and One Man. Described as relevant, inspirational and healing, Prof. Makola has returned with a provocative work on seeking for the ultimate meaning of life, following the success of his two academic books Find meaning, stop wondering and Pimp the pain.

This year, Women’s Month is celebrated under the theme: The Year of Charlotte Maxeke: Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future, making the launch of the book fitting as it details the professors’ experiences with women, and how they have contributed and affected his life. In this book, Prof. Makola shares divine narratives about seventy significant women he met on his journey to discover the ultimate meaning of life, integrating humanity (human spirit) with divinity (holy spirit). The book was launched by CUT's Library and Information Services.

The inspiration for the book came after Prof. Makola received an invitation to address a women’s seminar in Welkom in 2012. “I was pondering what to say to them when God deposited a vision in my heart to talk to them about significant women in my life. At the end of the presentation, there was a euphoric state in the room, and I knew that I had struck the right cord. I had only mentioned 12 women, but God revealed more in subsequent years,” described Prof. Makola.

Makola added that he is privileged to have had the wonderful opportunity to be mentored by a great man, Archbishop Daniel Legoabe. “He was a man of God, but he also loved reading books each and every day, and these are some of the things that inspired me and I knew that someday I also wanted him to read books written by me. He was sending two of his children to come and study here at this campus, Vista University, and it so happened that I had passed my matric so well that he said, by the way I’m sending my children to Welkom on Monday, and therefore you can also go. That is how I got to Welkom, and I have been here ever since. And at the end of the day, the same campus he sent me to is where I ended up becoming the campus director. All of this happened because there was one man who believed in me, nurtured me physically, emotionally and spiritually,” he said.

CUT Chancellor, Madam Justice Mahube Molemela, who is one of the seventy women featured in the book, stated that this was a moment to be celebrated. “That a man will publicly acknowledge the influence of women in his life is indeed admirable. This attests to the fact that you Prof., recognise the important role played by women in society, and that you respect them. The book is the perfect illustration of the far-reaching power of therapy. I realise now just how apt the Chinese proverb is, which states: ‘a single conversation across the table with a wise man, or woman is better than 10 years of study’,” said Madam Justice Molemela.

70 Women and One Man describes Prof Makola’s journey on his search for the ultimate meaning of life, and book reviewers have described it as book that offers inspiration and healing through its pages.

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CUT Chancellor, Madam Justice Mahube Molemela, who is one of the 70 women featured in the book and has impacted the life of the author, Prof. Solomon Makola.