Arts/Literary
Nigeria’s Oral And Written Literary Traditions
Wole Soyinka’s A Shuttle in the Crypt, contains poems such as “O Roots!” and “When Seasons Change” which obviously hark back to Nigerian ancestry and folklore. The poems’ geographical and generational African references prompt an investigation of the literary traditions of Soyinka’s nation. Nigerian literature has a long history in the oral tradition. Bade Ajuwon’s article, “Oral and Written Literature in Nigeria,” found in Nigerian History and Culture, explains:
Pre-literate Nigeria once enjoyed a verbal art civilization which, at its high point, was warmly patronized by traditional rulers and the general public. At a period when writing was unknown, the oral medium served the people as a bank for the preservation of their ancient experiences and beliefs. Much of the evidence that related to the past of Nigeria, therefore, could be found in oral traditions.
Although most Nigerians knew and could recount parts of their genealogy and local history, only a few oral artists had the skill and stamina required to chant the lengthy oral literature. The oral artists, freelancers or guild-associates, enjoyed reverence as “keepers of the people’s ancient wisdoms and beliefs.” These oral artists frequently entertained their audiences dramatically, providing relaxation and teaching moral lessons. In Yorubaland, “as a means of relaxation, farmers gather their children and sit under the moon for tale-telling. . . .The telling of stories is used by narrators to instruct the young and teach them to respect the dictates of their custom: as a result, a large body of moral instruction, of societal values and norms are preserved for posterity by the Yoruba.”
Western influences began affecting Nigerian literature as early as the eighth century AD when Arabic ideas and culture were introduced to Africa. During the fourteenth century, written and spoken Arabic flourished in northern Nigeria and by the seventeenth century, some Hausa literature had been translated into Arabic. Christian missionaries accelerated the importation of western education into Nigeria during the nineteenth century. Some native black Moslems met the threat of white Christians with protests in poetry. Aliyu dan Sidi, for example, utilized the oral literature tradition to write poetic protests against the missionaries. However, other Yoruba authors, such as D.O. Faguna and Isaac Delano, wrote novels promoting the missionaries and teaching the Christian religion. Although Faguna and Delano offered Christian religious instruction and preached acceptance of western ideas, both relied heavily upon their ancestral folktales in creative writing. Faguna’s pieces in particular “show and extensive use of proverbs, riddles, traditional jokes and other lore central to Yoruba belief.”
In various parts of the country, novels developed around 1930. Centered upon fantastic, magical characters of humans and fairies, Hausa novels, called “non-realistic novels,” were based on folktales. The “mysterious” characters transmuted into other beings; fairies, animals, and humans all conversed among one another. Of Muhammadu Bello’s fantasy novel Gandoki, Ajuwon comments, “One is led to say that the book is a reduction of Hausa oral tradition to written literature.” In the 1930’s, Igboland also saw a growth in the number of novelists who expressed the distaste of their people for the Christian missionaries. While poetry of that persuasion emphasized religious devotion to Allah (shunning the Christian god), Pita Mwana’s 1935 prize-winning book, Omenuko, shows the style of a anti-missionary “didactic intention” underlying a fantasy novel.
A major shift in literary style from fantasy to realism resulted from the founding of the University College of Ibadan in 1948. The calls for a new literary style came from scholars educated in the western tradition at the University. Conferences, journals, and newspapers urged the shift to realism; when the Ministry of Education sponsored a novel-writing competition in 1963, “the kind of story they wanted to see was the story that dealt with the kind of things we could see with our eyes in Nigeria today.” Yoruba writers of the time reacted appropriately, eliminating the fairies in favor of human characters, omitting the animal-to-human conversation found in the non-realistic literature. Leaving behind group-specific references and literature styles, the authors worked with broader themes. “Thus a new literary tradition was being adopted by many Yoruba novelists; they dealt with such universal themes as religion, labor, corruption, and justice; they employed human characters and concrete symbols.”
More Nigerian authors meant more authors writing in English, including Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. Achebe’s first novel, Things Fall Apart, published in 1958, details the tragic disintegration of Igbo clans upon the arrival of the Europeans. Igbo folklore saturates the novel, preserving the African elements despite the English prose. Kofi Awonoor comments, “These [Igbo] proverbs are intricately woven into the fabric of his style, completely absorbed to the extent that they constitute one of the most significant features of his totally African-derived English style.” With the publication of The Interpreters in 1965, Soyinka earned his international reputation as a novelist, although later, he became better known for his drama and poetry. The poetry in the collection A Shuttle in the Crypt, echoes with elements of older Nigerian literature. The repetition found in “O Roots!” recalls the ritualistic chanting of the oral literature. Both “O Roots!” and “When Seasons Change” dwell upon the images of ancestral generations and the souls of ancient Nigerians, reflective of the purpose of the oral literature of keeping family and local histories alive. Although Soyinka’s poetry in A Shuttle in the Crypt encompasses many themes and techniques of modernists, it, nevertheless, reverberates with the Nigerian oral and written literary traditions.
Ajuwon is the author of “Oral and Written Literature in Nigeria, Nigerian History and Culture”, published by Longman Group Limited, Hong Kong.
By: Bade Ajuwon
Girl-child education is a way by which a girl- child is being exposed through formal education for proper education.
It is a process whereby a girl-child is being exposed to some certain things according to “teachmit@wp”.
Girl-child education refers to the aspect of education that ends at developing the skills and knowledge of girls and women no matter their backgrounds.
Some parents think that educating a girl- child is wasting of their resources. No. When a female child is educated, it gives her that respect even the husband cannot treat her anyhow because he will know her worth.
The importance of educating the girl- child cannot be overemphasised. It helps to empower the country and makes them have a better life. Once they are educated, they realise the importance of exhibiting good hygiene habits.
It may interest you to know that when a girl-child is educated, she has a sense of belonging in the society. In Nigeria nowadays, they have the potential of becoming governors, chairmen of local government areas, among others.
The tendency of taking cognisance of the importance of reduction in child bearing is high. When a woman is educated, the level in which she will give birth will reduce considering the dangers inherent.
Firstly, she will calculate herself and know when to conceive, although with the consent of her husband and the numbers of children she wants.
A girl who is educated will know how to educate her children properly. She will be of good benefits to the family.
Truly, a girl who is not properly educated will suffer lack of knowledge, fall into early marriage which will lead into early pregnancy. Some of these can cause domestic violence.
Women need education because without proper knowledge, a woman cannot run her home properly. A woman that is educated leads her home aright.
Some men use and take advantage of uneducated women by rendering all kinds of abuses on them, some rape their wives in course of making love and others insults their wives in public all because there is no education. In life, males and females should be educated without discrimination.
Furthermore, educating a girl-child is like investing in a big business that one will not run into a loss.
According to Dr Shaifali, girls’ education is like sowing the seed which gives rise to a revitalised, cheerful and full-grown family plants.
She also said educated women have the capacity to bring socio- economic changes.
Growing up from the family of three, my father told me that he was not ready to train a female child and when I asked why, he said: ” because when you will grow and become great, then, a man will come from nowhere and marry you and all my money will be wasted. When you marry, your name will be changed that means all your riches and wealth will become your husband’s own because you people are one”.
Frankly, I was very bitter with myself and I started questioning God that why was I not created as man, but I took it upon myself that weather the devil likes it or not, I will prove my father wrong by going to school and I will show the difference.
As parents when training children we should not think less of any child because every child is important and have value.
Every child is a blessing from God. This is a clarion call to all men of our present society to accord their wives the respect they deserve. A man can develop his wife after marriage.
Education plays an important role in the life of a girl-child. Let every girl-child be educated. The government should provide the society with basic amenities such as good schools that are well-equipped.
Parents from time to time should be re-oriented in this regard taking cognisance of the importance of developing the girl-child. None should be misled by saying that the girl-child need not attend formal education.
Since some parents do not have the wherewithal to sponsor their children, governments at all levels should introduce free education to give room for equal opportunity. Bursary payment should be re-introduced in all higher educational institutions.
Education is the bedrock of any society therefore women education cannot end in the kitchen.
Princess Npapa
Princess Npapa is a student of Pan Africa Institute of Management and Technology.
A woman is a dynamic multifaceted individual who embodies resilience, courage and determination.
She is a game changer and a force to be reckon with, a confidant empowered, supportive, adaptable and inspirational.
Many had asked why women are being celebrated even as recorded in calendar so frequently unlike men and I said, a woman being multifaceted and embodies resilience and determination is worth being celebrated unlike in the 80s when women were meant to understand that their place was in the kitchen of their husbands’ houses.
What an amazing level of development where women can choose a career and work on themselves and know that there is more to life than being in the kitchen and ending up in a man’s house with nothing to show for it.
Women are the strongest versions of the gender of humans in the world even in their silence, women hold a depth of emotions, questions and unspoken thoughts. Their smiles often conceal their true feelings, masking their fears, doubts and desires.
Despite these challenges, women continue to rise above, shattering glass ceilings and pushing boundaries.
Today innovative, women are enterprenuers, leaders, and change agents. Inspiring women like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chimamanda Adichie and many others have paved the way for future generation, their achievements serve as testaments to women’s strength, resilience and capabilities.
The calendar tell us how unique the woman is and her significance in the home and society at large. As a woman, she holds power and I celebrate every woman out there in the world irrespective of how you may have fallen, you shall rise above the challenges, support one another and celebrate collective strength and resilience.
Woman as an icon of strength is not just about individual achievements but creating supportive networks, uplifting others and celebrating collective success, defying expectations and redefining what it means to be a strong woman.
The strength and bravery of women are worthy of celebration by the entire world as none is unique as the epitome of nation builders, character molders and pacesetters not just in their family but to the society at large.
A woman is a selfless mother, lover and care giver to her family, a daughter who supports her parents, as a sister’s unshakeable bond with her siblings and a friends unconditional empathy and understanding.
These acts of kindness and love are not most times talked about but hold families and communities together and bonding strong women are powerful beings who have impacted the society, shaping the foundation of the world from the 80s to date, I personally want to celebrate all the icons of strength who had fought and are still fighting , that our voices as women are heard even unto the ends of time.
I celebrate you all amazing women for standing strong and paving ways for the future generation for equality, justice and human rights. To the rising child, teenager and adults who happen to be a ‘woman’, I celebrate our collective efforts, our strength in helping one another to rise, irrespective of our differences in our backgrounds.
We are super humans, unique beings, no wonder the Bible acknowledges the importance of our strength. Therefore, let’s celebrate every woman out there.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha, is a student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.
Eunice Choko-Kayode