Goodnight, Professor Akinwumi Isola!

The jury is still out but for Onigegewura,  Ó Le Kú is my favourite of Prof Akinwumi Isola’s seminal literary works. Since the first time I read it in Form One, I must have read it more than 100 times. It’s that engrossing.

Immediately I heard of the tragic passage of the celebrated author earlier this morning, I began to look for my most recent copy. Finally, I located it hidden between Femi Jeboda’s Olowolayemo and Adegoke Durojaiye’s Gbe ‘Ku De ati Ise Abe.

I also found Prof’s Efunsetan Aniwura and Kòseégbé. They are all Yoruba Classics. Is there anything penned by Akinwumi Isola that is not a classic?

On flipping through my copy of  O Le Ku, I remember why it made such an impression on me in my teenage years. It is the story of Ajani, a young undergraduate of University of Ibadan. Ajani wanted to get married to his fiancée, Asake, but Asake’s father was the stumbling block. Baba Kekere wanted Asake to become a graduate before settling down.

Ajani was however impatient. He moved on to Lola Ajasa, an undergraduate like him. Lola was however already engaged to Dotun, a broadcaster. Tenacious like the snail, Ajani succeeded in extricating Lola from Dotun. The relationship was however to hit the rock when Lola discovered, through her estranged Dotun, that Asake was pregnant for Ajani.

With pressure from her father, Asake also decided to give Ajani a breather. Ajani became the proverbial hunter that chased two rats and caught none. It was at this point that Sade came into Ajani’s life. Before you could say Onigegewura, the lovebirds had fixed a date for their wedding.

When Asake heard the news of the wedding, she attempted to take her life. Ajani and Lola had a successful wedding. The new groom was on a ‘thank you’ visit to his friends when he learnt of Asake’s attempted suicide, he ran back to his car and sped off and that was when the unthinkable happened…

One thing that struck me about the book is Prof Ishola’s use of language. Rich in idioms and proverbs, the book is a collector item any day. Ajani composed a poem for each of his three lovers. Back in our College days when letter writing was the only way to convince a girl of your love, I adapted the poems for many of my friends. Don’t worry, I am not going to mention any name. What happened in College stayed in College.

By the way, the legendary filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, had made a movie adaptation of the book.

To mark the passage of the literary giant, I have attempted to translate one of the poems in the book for Onigegewura’s readers.

'Sadé

If you see one who fetches burning ember with his naked palm

Blame him not, he must have his reason

Perhaps he wants to smoke

Or he wants to fry an insect

Or may be he wants to burn his rival’s house

I have seen someone who walked into a moving train

He was neither blind nor lame

He was engrossed in watching a robbery scene

Ajani and Lola

The young man who takes to his heel in the King’s market

Don’t blame him

He has to run to escape arrest from tax police

I was strolling in the market when I bumped into a textile stall

The merchant struck me, I cried not

I endured the pain and moved on

It pained me not, I knew what I was doing

The mother of twins dancing in the market place is far from being mad

It is the Oracle that prescribes dancing for her children to survive

Whether you strike me with cane or cudgel

It is the sight of beautiful ebony that carried me away

That I stumbled into a textile stall

I can’t help myself

I can’t look away from a radiant beauty

You can’t behold her beauty without running into stalls

When eyes see beauty, the eyes must blink without control

When you see elegance in a lady, you are bound to become dizzy

Ajani and Asake

Two eyes are not enough; Even four are not enough to behold wonder

To behold the wonder that I am looking at

The wonder I am looking at in my soul mate

My soul mate who is as beautiful as daybreak

Who is as gentle as a dove

Who is perfect without blemish

It appears the Almighty did not slumber

On the day Sade was created

Sade is perfect, perfect like perfection

Tall and beautiful

She intoxicates me to no end

She is as luxuriant as fresh vegetable

Vegetable that blossoms by the riverside

Sade’s beauty is matched with noble character

Her beauty and character I found alluring

Happiness meets with joy

Our union will certainly be blessed with children.

May Professor Akinwumi Isola’s soul rest in peace. 

-Onigegewura