Olley Tsino Maruma passed away on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare. He would have been 57 in May.

With his passing the nation has lost one of Zimbabwe’s most colourful intellectuals, social commentators and multi-media artists. Olley’s intellectual pursuits covered many disciplines. His thinking was characterised by an uncanny ability to offer startling insights to any of the many subjects he applied his mind to. He was a writer, print and electronic media journalist, lawyer, socio-political commentator, film and television producer and director. Olley’s life was multi-cultural, multi ethnic and cosmopolitan. He was an optimist, and socially had a wide ranging array of friends and associates covering all ages, races and ethnic groups.

As an artist Olley was generous to many young artists, some of whom, when destitute, he put up and supported. In 1972 he left the country for the UK where he went on to earn a Law degree at the University of Canterbury. On returning to Zimbabwe in 1979, Maruma briefly worked as a Public Prosecutor before joining the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation as a Television Producer/Director and Newsreader. In 1983, Maruma left for France to train in film production at Sertis Vacari Films and Societé Francaise de Production in Paris. Olley was always a presence at many meetings and workshops organized to formulate policy and to strategize within the Arts community. Maruma was a former secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), was at one time chairman of the Zimbabwe Film and Video Association and, lectured on Television Production at the Harare Polytechnic’s Institute of Mass Communications.

Olley was a board member of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings and, the Chairman of Kingstons Entertainment, a subsidiary of Kingstons Holdings. Olley was a prolific writer penning many articles’ in 2007, published his first novel, “Coming Home”, shortly before his death he discussed with me, the publication of his new novel “Time: The Good Sister’s Brillo Pad”. Unknown to many, Olley was also a poet. He was preparing a poetry anthology that he had been working on for more than a decade. In film he had the insight to make films about two of Southern Africa’s major thinkers, the political activist Steve Biko (Biko – Breaking The Silence, Best Documentary, Non Aligned Movement Film Festival – 1990) and one of Zimbabwe’s leading writers, Dambudzo Marechera (After The Hunger And Drought, Best Documentary, Prized Pieces Ohio, US).

Olley made one of the first post independence feature films, Consequences, Special Mention, Prized Pieces Ohio, USA – 1989, Silver Award Chicago Film Festival – 1990. At the time of his death he was raising money to finish the post production of his feature film Big Time. My professional association with Olley began in 1980 when I joined ZBC/TV as a television producer and director. Olley at the time was producing an arts program called Monday Magazine and occasionally directed the main news bulletin. Over the years our paths crossed at many arts and culture platforms.

Olley enjoyed spending time with other writers and was often seen at the Book Café’s poetry slams, and often took part. He was also an avid participant in literary discussions. In the circles he hung out in, Maruma will be remembered as a very vocal man. He was never afraid to voice his opinion even if it differed from those around him- and it often did. He was never afraid to let people know that he was a patriot and politically loyal to Zimbabwe's land reform.

By Albert Chimedza