GRIPPING ‘OLOOLU’ IN BOLAJI’s FAR UP FAR OUT FAR MORE!

There is much to enjoy and relish in this book, as the author provides his usual glimpses into life and society even in non fiction like this. Generally the background here is west Africa, with some interesting/intriguing real-life situations; which many times gives the impression if fiction, mainly short stories.

The unexpected twists in some of the stories are compelling, but for me the "chapter" titled OLOOLU is by far the most gripping. It can be like a case study of how Bolaji manages to pull off interesting writing, a sort of microcosm. Let us look at this very short piece in some detail.

Firstly, what is Oloolu? Why are women in particular terrified of the very word? "Oloolu is on its way!!!" as we are told, as "people scattered, running helter skelter! Even animals like goats and hens scurried for cover...". Why, "some people were already closing their shops".

So what is Oloolu? The author/narrator initially states blandly: "...ancestral masquerades...Egungun. Stated to be the masked spirits of the ancestors...". And Oloolu, a masquerade , "must not see females, else unspeakably bad things would happen to them!". And assorted women were already running for dear life now...

A cultured woman who obviously does not know what is going on alights from a taxi and asks the narrator (author) what Oloolu is, and he obliges her. The reaction of the "cultured" woman is as dramatic, as it is unnerving: "The lady flinched. She seemed to shrivel, suddenly lapsing into pidgin...'I know di kin' bad masquerade, dey no fit see woman!...I no go anywhere again-o; driver, make we go back-o! I no wan die now!".

We might note here, does the narrator share the belief, even now in very modern times, that Oloolu can still be a threat to society? Does he really believe in the ambience of menace? Does he believe in "masked spirits of the ancestors"? Remarkably he remains almost neutral, essentially just describing what is happening. He does not indicate any fear, but then again, Oloolu is not supposed to be a real threat to men.

The conclusion of the piece is brilliant: "...suddenly, a seemingly malevolent, swirling wind was blowing. A coincidence? People were still making a din, and running...now the evocative, stirring drums could be heard from the horizon...Oloolu was coming..." What dread!!

-         - Buruji Mark

SEX IS A NIGGER'S GAME. By Dillibe Onyeama

Generations come and go, but it was not so long ago that many readers especially in Africa tended to confuse this work (Sex is a Nigger's game, by Onyeama), with Naiwu Osahon's Sex is a Nigger).

Intriguing titles, both; and certain to pique the interest of countless readers who might not even have actually read both works, but are just enamoured with what they assume would be rather prurient. Yet both books are quite different, almost to the point of the proverbial chalk and cheese. 

Dillibe Onyeama, always something of a literary iconoclast, had hit the limelight with his first published works, especially Nigger at Eton, which he brought out at a very young age. Like Ben Okri, you might say. Onyeama whilst still in his youth, would go on to publish a string of powerful imaginative works.

One of them is Sex is Sex is a Nigger's game. Here we get glimpses of England, UK at a pivotal time - through the lens of a percipient black man: it is neither here nor there that this is an alter, as it were. We must stress that the voice is a confident one, not cowed or subservient.

The author looks at race relations, 'activism', class, history and even makes forays into the world of publishing in general. Eg he ponders on "lucky writers' who from the outset personally knew, got on well with their publishers, and had their work published easily and regularly.

Probably this was the case with Onyeama himself, who brought out so many books as a young man? But this is not to undermine his great literary talent in any way. So - the penny has dropped? This work is not really about sex, as many might have assumed.

Many might argue that Naiwu Osahon's Sex is a Nigger is somewhat suffused with sex, but this particular book is not about sex per se, despite the title. It is an intelligent, tantalising work with a simple, yet nigh-clinical approach to society with concomitant ripples and undercurrents. 

Like many fine writers, here the author is rather detached, objective, quite rational with a fecundity of engrossing ideas.

- E Malome 

OVONRAMWEN NOGBAISI. By Ola Rotimi

For sheer grandeur, pageantry and the like, this play is really engrossing. Here we relive the erstwhile glory of a powerful monarch/monarchy - another historical drama by the awe-inspiring Ola Rotimi. The whole ambience here reeks with grandeur and dignity. A superb work. We tend to forget that in the "good old old days" - a time when the wonders of modern science were almost non existent- the world still ambled on, even in Africa here, with strict hierarchy, social classes, mores, pomp et al in most societies no matter how rudimentary. Imagine the rustic world of Thomas Hardy's novels in the Europe of yore - was it not very interesting in its own way? In this particular play, the stirring music and drums, the theatrical truculence and menace, the rich, profound conversations - all recreate a glorious, dusky kingdom.

-         - Paul Lothane