The following article from the Lagos paper, This Day, was seen on AllAfrica.com at http://allafrica.com/stories/200801030216.html . It concerns an even honoring a 20th century Nigerian author who wrote in Yoruba.
Nigeria: Day Fagunwa 'Resurrected' in Ibadan This Day (Lagos) http://www.thisdayonline.com/ 1 January 2008 Posted to the web 3 January 2008 Tunde Sanni Ibadan Forty-four years after he exited with the tide like one of the characters in his literary works, Daniel Olorunfunmi Fagunwa, alias D. O. Fagunwa resurrected in Ibadan, at the first D. O. Fagunwa Memorial Lecture. Put together by the D. O. Fagunwa Foundation, the lecture was a roll call of his fanatical followers, literary and academic soul mates and politicians, who all said they came to give back to the literary giant what he gave them through his works and for his contributions to learning. His books, which symbolised his presence, were eminently displayed in colours compared to the black and white format in which they were published while he was alive. Mr. Gbenro Adegbola, represented the books' publishers, Heinemann Publications. Fagunwa's academic and literary soul mates had recalled, with nostalgia, their days at the various schools where they had met either as teachers or pupils and the Author's passion for imparting knowledge to young people. Chairman of the occasion, former Vice- Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Ade Ajayi gave a soul-stirring speech in which he called for an academic system that included compulsory studying of the works of authors like Fagunwa. He argued that through such efforts, the labour of founding Yoruba leaders would not be in vain. In her welcome address, Chairperson of the 10-man Board of Trustees of the Foundation and one of Fagunwa's children, Mrs. Ibukun Sijuwola said the foundation would, among others, focus on the teaching of Yoruba language and literature and Yoruba culture in schools through the use of D. O. Fagunwa books. To do this, she said, the foundation would seek the support of the various ministries of education in the Yoruba-speaking states to re-introduce the books into the school curriculum. "The effect is that the reading and writing of Yoruba language will so improve that the Yoruba race and indeed all of the races in Nigeria will be able to teach each other subjects in the local language, if Professor Babs Aliu Fafunwa's theory of the use of local languages is to be achieved." The Foundation will also translate the Fagunwa books into other languages for a wider readership and to encourage other writers to aspire to do same. The guest speaker, Emeritus Professor of Linguistics Ayo Bangbose said, "my own fascination with Fagunwa dates back to when I first listened to passages from Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irummale being read on the radio. This was followed by my having to translate a passage from the same novel in the London General Certificate of Education Examination in Yoruba. Much later as a university teacher having to teach a course on Fagunwa's novels, I had to interact with members of the family to find out as much as I could by way of a background to the author and his writings. This led to my book, The Novels of D. O. Fagunwa, which is so far the only full-length book on him and his novels, and which was published in 1974. A second edition of the book has just been published and should be on display at this Lecture." He identified two factors that appeared to have counted against Fagunwa - writing in Yoruba and on fantasy. "The first factor meant that Amos Tutuola, who wrote The Palm-wine Drinkard, in imitation of Fagunwa's mode of writing, is often mentioned in the same breath as him, while Wole Soyinka's translation of Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale as The Forest of a Thousand Demons has had more commentaries written on it than the original Yoruba text. Notwithstanding this, Fagunwa remains pre-eminent among Yoruba novelists. His first novel was the only Yoruba book listed among the Best 100 African Books in the 20th Century", he said. Bamgbose commended the author for his use of Yoruba in his works. "The most notable aspect of Fagunwa's art is his use of the Yoruba language. Using proverbs, similes, ideophones, and graphic imagery, Fagunwa made the language a living and powerful tool for expressing his ideas and describing incidents and characters in an unforgettable manner. His acute observation made it possible for him to make comparisons with everyday occurrences and simple objects. He congratulated the Board of Trustees for launching the Foundation and instituting the Fagunwa Memorial Lectures. He said, "The Yoruba believe that what we do on earth is seen by our departed ones in heaven. This being the case, Oloye Fagunwa must be proud of what the Foundation is doing today in his honour. May his soul continue to rest in peace." Fagunwa, a teacher, founded St. Andrew's Nursery and Primary School, Oyo and was the Headmaster from 1930-1939. Between 1940 and 1942, he was at St. Patrick's School, Owo in present day Ondo State. Thereafter, he had a one-year stint with CMS Grammar School, Lagos and another year and four months at CMS Grammar School, Benin City, before moving to Igbobi College, Lagos, where he spent about 15 months. He served at the Government Teachers' Training College from April 1948 to October 1950 when he was appointed Senior Education Officer with the Western Region Ministry of Education and later worked at the Publication Section in Ibadan. In 1961 he crossed over to the private sector by joining Heinemann Educational Books Limited as the Nigerian Manager. Fagunwa wrote the Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irunmale in 1938. After entering for a literary contest of the Nigerian education ministry, the novel was widely considered the first novel written in the Yorùbá language and one of the first to be written in any African language. Wole Soyinka translated the book into English in 1968. Fagunwa's later works include Igbo Olodumare and Ireke Onibudo, both published in 1949; Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje, 1954 (translated by Dapo Adeniyi in the 1990s as Expedition to the Mount of Thought) and Adiitu Olodumare, 1961. Speaking with newsmen after the event, a literary icon, Prof. Femi Osofisan, faulted the planned concession of the National Arts Theatre, saying the sale of the monument would amount to a national tragedy and a disservice to the country. Theatre arts practitioners and other stakeholders had few months ago, embarked on a street protest against the recent decision of the Federal Government to concede the National Theatre to private individuals. The Professor of Theatre Arts, a former manager of the Theatre, said the centre remained a melting pot for every strata of the society and a vital part of urban planning that could not be replicated. He said, "We are not impressed by the semantics that they are only leasing it out for 35 years. That is the only place we have to promote our culture." Copyright © 2008 This Day. All rights reserved. **************************** Disclaimer ****************************** Copyright: In accordance with Title 17, United States Code Section 107, this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material posted to this list for purposes that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Content: The sender does not vouch for the veracity nor the accuracy of the contents of this message, which are the sole responsibility of the copyright owner. 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