NIGERIAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CONVENTION 2009 VISIT TO AFRICAN HERITAGE RESEARCH LIBRARY AND CULTURAL CENTRE,ADEYIPO VILLAGE OUTSIDE IBADAN

BAYO ADEBOWALE-A GREAT AFRICAN WRITER-AN INTERVIEW IN NEXT ON SUNDAY,JUNE,2010

FROM 234NEWS.com

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One of the author’s works was adapted into a Tunde Kelani Film, ‘The Narrow Path ’ Photo: AKINTAYO
The writings of a village man

By Akintayo Abodunrin

June 20, 2010 01:16AM
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Novelist Bayo Adebowale dabbled into poetry some years ago with ‘Village Harvest’, a collection of poems. He has since published ‘A Night of Incantations and Other Poems’ and ‘African Melody’.
“There is no strict demarcation between prose and poetry,” he states while explaining why he took up poetry. “If you are writing prose and poetry, you are virtually writing on the same plane; using almost the same diction. So, poetry can be prosaic and prose can be poetic. If I want to express my ideas in a compact form, I dabble into poetry but if I want to expand what I’m writing, I dabble into prose.”
An interesting feature of ‘A Nights of Incantations’ is its exposition on incantations, an aspect of Yoruba tradition. The poet highlights malevolent, benevolent and propitiatory incantations in the work and explains his action.
“All the three are aspects of our culture and tradition. When you are angry and you think you have an enemy, you can recite incantation that will bring down God’s anger on him.
“In the same token, if you find yourself in a difficult situation and you want to escape, you can recite incantations that will save you. When you burn roots and leaves of trees to cure yourself, you propitiate with them and you recite special incantations for that.”
He adds that the collection has sections on curses, desperation, voting and protest because, “It’s part of the culture of the people to curse. If you feel wronged by your detractor or your foe, you can curse him. When you curse, it’s a general phenomenon, not just in Africa but in other parts of the world. When you say may the devil take you, may you go into perdition or things like that in anger, it’s part of the culture. It is common to find people cursing their enemies. Those who have caused harm or brought unhappiness into their life.”
But is it Christ-like to curse?
“Don’t you think that even in the holy Bible we have things like that? Why is Jerusalem cursed? ‘If I forget Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its cunning.’ Have you forgotten ‘woe unto you that betray the son of man? All these woe are curses in the Bible, they are reflected in Christian liturgy so you cannot say these things are not evident in the Holy Bible. Even in churches you curse the enemy. You bring fire down upon your enemy. May the enemy be consumed by the fire of the Holy Ghost. I have gone to services in churches where they devoted a large part of their prayer to cursing the enemy. ”
The Virgin
‘The Virgin’ published in 1985 is Adebowale’s first novel and arguably his most popular. Two villages go to war over Awero, the major character who loses her virginity contrary to tradition. Though virginity appears somewhat trifle for villages to war over, the former Deputy Rector, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, insists that “The cause of the matrimonial problems of nowadays can be traced to virginity. The lack of trust in your wife, the suspicion the wife has of the husband can be traced to virginity. If your wife did not come to your house as a virgin, it will continue to haunt you throughout your matrimonial life. But if you met your wife a virgin, you will have implicit trust and confidence in her that if she can keep herself like that, I should trust her to a large extent. Mistrust and suspicion can be traced to virginity so it is relevant even nowadays.”
He also discloses how the novel was first adapted into the short film, ‘The White Handkerchief’, and later the feature film, ‘The Narrow Path’, by Tunde Kelani’s Mainframe Productions.
“It was Tunde Kelani who came to tell me that they are interested in the story. He told me what will change and what will remain. He told me the title will change and that the ending would also change because in the novel, Awero did not commit suicide but she did in the film. He said the impact will not be felt by viewers if she walks away. If she commits suicide, they will know that there is a good reason for war.”
The self-confessed writing addict who took up the art in 1963 also reveals what made him adopt the tack he did in ‘Out of His Mind’, his second novel. “It’s not everything that you tell your wife in real life. It’s not that you want to harm her but out of consideration for her flexible mind. You say instead of disturbing my wife, let me get over it. I can always tell her later. It’s the same with Alamu. They were newly married and he didn’t want anything that will upset the lady, hoping that sooner or later he would sort the problem. In any case, if he divulged the secret to the wife, there would be no story to tell again. The suspense will not be there again.”
Starting out
“I started with short stories and I have over 100 published short stories. It might interest you to note that my novels are adapted from my short stories. ‘The Virgin’ is from a short story ‘The Wedding Day’. I expanded another short story, ‘Burden of a Secret’ into ‘Out Of His Mind’. It’s the same with the short story ‘Lonely Days’ and the novel also so titled. I have been expanding on my short stories.
“Right now, I’m on another one, ‘Beyond Control’ and it is also adapted from one of my short stories titled ‘Tanko’s Exit’. There is not much difference in the technique of writing short stories and novels because they are all prose so I find it convenient. It is only that you have to be more compact, straight to the point in short stories whereas in the novel you have the liberty to expand and to explain certain process.”
Inspiration and influences
Adebowale was inspired to write by reading literary works. “I started telling myself this is something I could do too. I began by criticising the works of writers I read, and then I started writing.” Though the works of authors including Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, Alex Dumas, Charles Dickens, Chinua Achebe and Cyprian Ekwensi among others influenced him, his primary influence, “is my background as a village man.”
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Posted by Olajide on Jun 25 2010
Having been taught by Dr Adebowale while I was at The Polytechnic, Ibadan I believe he has the prowess as exemplified in his novel. He is a man to celebrated always.

The virgin (Egret romance & thrillers)

Out of His Mind
Posted by YEYE AKILIMALI FUNUA OLADE at 6:09 AM
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NIGERIAN LITERATURE IS RAISING AGAIN ACCORDING TO BROTHER LINDSEY BARRETT-FROM THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER,OCT.17,2009

From ngrguardiannews.com

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Nigeria’s Literature At Odds With Her Poor Politics, Says Lindsay Barrett

LINDSAY Barrett is one Diaspora Pan-Africanist, who boldly stuck out his head in the heady days of the 1960s to relocate from Jamaica to parts of West Africa before settling down finally in Nigeria. He was consumed in the vibrant Literature and cultural life of the land he chose to make his home and significantly made his contributions as journalist and writer. Although in his late 60s, Barrett is still active in his journalistic and creative engagements that have earned him fame. More than these, his relevance as a writer also came to the fore recently when he was shortlisted, along other eight nominees, for the NLNG Prize for Literature with his new work, A Memory of Rivers. However, at the Grand Awards Night ceremony last weekend in Abuja, the judges said no winner emerged, and thus, the prize money of $50, 000 was decreed to be given to the Nigerian Academy of Letters to develop Literature. In this encounter with ANOTE AJELUOROU, Barrett reminisces on the journey back to his African roots and the milestones so far. Excerpts:

IT would look like you have been there forever, even while still having your works relevant to issues of today. When you look back at this long stretch of involvement in Nigerian Literature, what really occurs to you?

I’m always saddened by the fact that Nigeria has produced the greatest body of Literature of relevance and strength of any African nation yet little matching national development. Its work is as important if not more so to the rest of Africa than any national Literature, like South African Literature of resistance, Ghanaian Literature of political awareness. Nigerian Literature has cut across all formulas and yet we have produced a national Literature that seems to be at odds with our seeming inability to get the administrative strength of our nation right.

I came to Nigeria directly because I was influenced by her Literature. I came to Africa because I wanted to renew the spirit of ancestral hope. I felt that there was hope in knowing where you came from and that we could renew our links, that we could strengthen our systems.

But for anybody coming from the Diaspora, you don’t have to choose any one country. Quite frankly, if you come from Jamaica, you may be inclined more to Ghana. There is a strong sense of the Akan story in the Afro-centric areas of Jamaica. If you are from Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba or Brazil, you get inclined to Yoruba. If you come from Haiti, you will look back to Angola or Central Africa. Once you begin to know about cultures, you see similarities, you see polarities that attract you. So, if one is academically inclined, you may have a sense of this root movement. I have not been so inclined. I tried to be a Pan-Africanist. For me I look at the contemporary, political issues and see all Africa’s relevance in trans-nationality terms.

But through Nigeria’s Literature I found that there seemed to be a chart. I saw Nigeria producing such rich Literature. There was no constant interaction between the creative and the service sector. When I came that was a disappointment, but Nigerians continue to be the most creative people, expressing creative elements in African life.

By failing to do something, you inspire criticism. You have Soyinka; you have Chinua Achebe and the rest. So Nigeria is a paradox by failing to meet the expectation of those who have the highest expectation. It throws up incredible responses. And, that keeps happening; that is what creative people do. That is what is happening in Literature today. But unfortunately, look at your media (the Radio, the Television), which should be the public media throwing this expression out so that people become infused with the spirit.

Our modern media is behind in Literature. When I came into this country, I lived on writing at least two serious radio drama every month and I re-branded for four years. I lived on programme production, producing a programme called ‘The story-teller’. I wrote two stories every forth-night. I was paid 7 pounds, 7 shillings but because I had the facility to do that and the medium was there to do it, I could make a living but you can’t do that now. Our media has fallen behind even the musical aspect of the media is less than what it was.

When I came into the country, there was a newspaper called, Daily Express. I remembered that the literary days in the Sunday Express was as good as any newspaper. There were incredible critiques from people like J.P. Clark and others. And so we are living a life where the spirit is willing but the material reflex is weak.

There was a time you had small group talking literary stuffs like the Mbari Club. But such things do not seem to happen any more?

Basically, the tradition did not catch up and take hold of its own creative tone. And we had the period of materialism that came up in the oil boom years, and people became enamoured; these things became less important. What is also probably responsible is the fact that nobody really got around to finding a way to make a living out of the arts as pop music and others.

There’s no one place that Soyinka’s plays are regularly staged and viewed; nowhere, and yet we have so many brilliant playwrights among the old groups that came out of Soyinka – the late Wale Ogunyemi and Bode Sowande and so on. It’s sad because we all lionise Wole. But I always tell my son that the tragedy is, all of you that lionise Wole, how many of you have read his books? But how many of those that shout loudest about Wole actually know something about his works that appeal to them.

I wish that all the taxi drivers had seen the ‘road’ in his plays. I wish everybody that shouts about him really know what Jero is, really could see the role Jero played in his book Trials of Brother Jero. This man is an artist of a popular sensitivity, but he has been put in his compartment and seen as an obscurantist, which he is not to me. We throw up great artists but we do not actually live and believe in their work. We’re all part of the fault, really.

Amongst those personalities you have mentioned: Soyinka, Clark, Okigbo and the rest. Which of them did you have more bonding with at the time?

I don’t see differences; I see similarities. The person who got me this hotel accommodation is Wole’s son, who is like my son like other Wole’s children. They know how I interact with their father. Christopher Okigbo was the first person I really bonded with in this country when I got here and he died shortly after that.

He was the one who put me in Mbari as secretary. J.P. Clark was the person who insisted that I should come to Nigeria when we met in London in 1961 or so. I was producing a programme with some Nigerian writers, and J.P. was one of them. So he said, what the hell are you doing in Europe, a man like you? You belong in Africa; you belong among us. You come to Nigeria; any time you get to Nigeria, you’ll see that we are your people. You know how J.P. talks. I took it as a joke but five years later, I remembered it when I was living in Sierra Leone; and I told myself, why not go to Nigeria?

The truth is that in my life, I just make friends and they all had some meaning to me in their works. J.P. Clark’s The Raft was actually one of the things that drove me to writing plays, and I wrote several plays. I did not act in it but I did effect in a radio production of The Raft in London. And, it was an excellent, extraordinary work.

It reminded very much of my home in Jamaica, my actual home, which is near the sea. When I got to Paris, I wrote a series of plays that were produced. Well, I don’t know where most of my works are, unfortunately. It was during the Commonwealth Festival in 1965. It was a play largely influenced by The Raft. That was a play called John Pukumaka. Pukumaka is a Jamaican term for big stick. They have influenced me in various ways.

Wole strongly influenced me not so much by his works but his activism, social activism. We have not always seen eye to eye, politically; but I strongly respect his commitment to whatever he believes in. After all, when Wole was in detention I was serving the Nigerian government on the federal side seeking to prevent secession. At that time, my biggest fear was the balkanisation of Nigeria.

Some people asked me after nearly 50 years in Nigeria, if that thing happens again, would you be on the same side? Now, I’m not so sure what side I will be. I will just pack my bags and leave. At that time we had this block against Africa’s division, and I empathise and sympathise with Wole’s plight because Wole did not promote secession. Wole believed that we need a different mood in the federal side to encourage the Igbo not to go rather than to fight them physically to prevent them going. That was his theme.

The people I was working with were no less patriotic than him. But they felt that the other side was less altruistic than Wole thought. Of course, in a military era, things were not always as planned. When I was working on the federal side, it was made publicly known that I was praying for and advocating for the release of Wole Soyinka.

I have always gotten away with that in Nigeria. I suppose it’s because I’m a very poor man and nobody thinks I have any interest. So when I make these comments, Wole will say, don’t mind Barrett. But we remain friends even when we fall on different sides on any argument but I will support him to hold his side.

With the kind of disappointment that greeted you on Africa’s failures, why didn’t you pack your bags and head back home to Jamaica or Europe?

Where do I go again? I have made my life here; I’m 68 years. This year I will be 43 years in Africa. I have been back to Europe several times and I have lived elsewhere. I was in Liberia before the civil war came. But it’s not something you can just give up. Remember that the objective I have in coming to Africa will always be there no matter how disappointing I get.

I have several children here and in Liberia, and I live for their sake, whether they know it or not. If I lived in Jamaica or Europe, I could live off writing. But the fulfillment of struggling to put in place the renewal will not be there. I have said I may be disappointed by things that have happened in Nigeria but I’m not totally disappointed by Nigerians because the struggle continues.

Like the event that happened recently (the CORA Party for nine shortlisted poets for the Nigeria Prize for Literature); it means there is progress at certain levels. The other thing is that one doesn’t just give up because your life is not your own. So, I don’t have the right to give up.

I was telling somebody that Nigeria is celebrating her 50th birthday next year. Nearly everyone I told said, what are we celebrating? They said we are celebrating nothing. I said, no; celebrate the fact that you have survived so far because of the civil war of such brutality when you were not 10 years old. And you call yourselves Nigerians 40 years after that civil war.

We who are inside Nigeria tend not to know the extent to which we are actually better off than many others. The challenge that we have to overcome is to assume our full potential, but not to say we have achieved nothing. We have achieved a lot. History has it that Nigeria picked the bills of anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. Abacha, who we all abuse, is the same who brought peace to Sierra Leone.

Somehow, the President is looking to 2020 to set a target that can be owned. Why don’t we own our mistakes and our triumphs in the last 50 years? We don’t. Nigeria’s failures have been so spectacular that why not just celebrate the fact that we could fail so spectacularly and still be alive?

We seem to over-look not only our potentials but sometimes, willingly fail to recognise the opportunities offered us. We should work harder to own our opportunities more in the next 50 years; that should be our concern.

How familiar are you with writings coming out of Nigeria at the moment? And, are you satisfied?

There are lots of incredible writings going on. One of those I can say without fear of being challenged for nepotism is when I say my son, Igonibare (Igoni Barrett), is one of the finest writers I have seen over the years.

I’m particularly happy to say I have nothing to do with developing his talent. What I did was when I saw his talent I told him I admire it and asked him to keep it up. I have distanced myself from promoting him until he could see any of his achievement, which resulted to his book of poems that is recognised globally as a brilliant work. This made me happy.

But he is not the only one. There’s an interesting thing going on among the women. You have Chimamanda; she is a brilliant writer although I still have my reservations about her style. But, no problem. The real original is Sefi Attah. I haven’t really read much of her works except excerpts on the web but she writes beautifully. There are two others, who have not gotten equal recognitions. One of them is Kaine Agary, who won the LNG prize with Yellow Yellow last year; brilliant book.

Then there is a girl, Bimbola Adelakun with her Under the Brown Rusted Roofs. The book is not well put together. If I had the money I really would have loved to publish that book. It’s an extraordinary book. I find her potentially much more satisfying than Chimamanda, who is, herself, quite a talent. Then there is a book called Burma Boy (by Bandele Thomas, a Nigeria resident in Great Britain); extremely brilliant. Nigeria is producing a national Literature totally at odds with her inability to get her politics and management of her affairs correct.

There is so much other stuffs coming out that is not properly produced, not properly edited and so on. It means there is a lot bubbling in the pot, and how to get it out. What we need today is the coming together of the media to make this industry big.

As it was before, Nigeria Literature is beginning to have world audience again. It had it before, and it’s coming like a second time around. I think government should take note of this and encourage essay competitions, literary clubs in schools. It’s clear that the world wants to hear Nigeria; and, they want to hear something better.

In most parts of the word, Literature has a way of permeating into politics and governance. But here those who govern don’t even read the available books on major issues. Why is this so?

Actually, I can’t agree with you more. Literature elsewhere is an integral part of the spirit of governance because it has influence on those who govern.

I think that in Nigeria, an important cause of this dichotomy goes back to education. The average Nigerian is not educated enough to treat Literature as a vital element of service. And, what is regarded as higher is making money to sustain the family. But the truth is that Literature is the basis on which everything else is based.

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DR. BAYO ADEBOWALE,AFRICAN WRITER, TALKS ABOUT HOW HE SET UP AFRICAN HERITAGE RESEARCH LIBRARY!

FROM UGANDANRURAL COMMUNITYSUPPORT.ORG

Rural Community Support USA
——————————————————————————–
«»‘Study Africa In Africa’ – Tempo Newspaper (Lagos)

– 17 November 1999
An African village, it is gradually expanding to become the most
profound centre of information on Africa and its people. OLUMIDE IYANDA presents
the brain behind Africa’s ‘authentic research centre’

“Very soon the whole world will know about Adeyipo Village.”

Those were the words of Dr. Bayo Adebowale, director and founder of Africa
Heritage Research Library, the first rural community-based African studies
research library. Adeyipo, the rural community that hosts the library, is a few
kilometres away from Ibadan, capital of Oyo State. The road that connects the
village to the city demands much resilience from visitors in its rough surface.
Every dawn, a horde of local farmers at Iyana-Irefin in Ibadan boards buses to
Adeyipo through Kufi, Idi-Igba, Idi-Ogun and Akobo. The environment presents a
commune of rural centres where farming dominates daily activities. The only
diversion is the one created by Dr. Adebowale in his library of African history.
The library is currently under intense construction towards expansion. Yet, it
boasts of three existing large halls lined with over 100,000 books and other
research materials. It is observedly a centre dedicated to research works on the
African continent and the blacks in the diaspora.

It stocks materials on subjects as diverse as politics, government, history,
arts and law.

The centre is a product of an event of eleven years ago. Adebowale was then a
lecturer at the former Oyo State College of Education, Ila- Orangun, Osun State.
One fateful day in 1988, he sat before his desk, going through an academic
journal. A particular article fascinated him. In the write-up, a foreign writer
“made a lot of disparaging remarks on Africa and Africans.” He portrayed Africa
as a continent on an endless rat race. The conclusion was most alarming. The
writer insisted that most African countries were not yet ripe for independence.
Adebowale saw many contradictions in the article. He, on his own, concluded that
the writer must have been a victim of sincere ignorance. But Adebowale was not
going to cast aspersion on the article and its author. He realised that the most
appropriate solution to the problem of the writer and many others in similar
shoes is enlightenment. There and then, a project was conceived towards proper
education on Africa, its history and ways of life of the inhabitants of the
continent.

Adebowale also recalled a case of a friend on a Ph.D. project in Yoruba. The
subject of the thesis was the Yoruba publication, Aworerin. Adebowale was
particularly disappointed that the friend could not find the publication in
Nigeria. He had to travel to Norwich, England, where it was discovered that a
library in the city had all the editions of the publication. These disappointing
experiences and the realisation that researches on Africa are best done in the
African natural environment, prompted Adebowale to kick off the library with his
own personal collection of 500 books. The idea was to bring students and
researchers on Africa to the continent, not only to read books but also to
experience the reality of the subject of their researches.

Adebowale got a good helper in Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade, an African-
American who was also working as chief librarian at the College of Education in
Ila-Orangun. She is currently the chief librarian at the African Heritage
Research Library. She takes care of the technical aspects of the library work.
As it was at the inception, the current goal remains aggressive book acquisition
programme. This includes an exchange agreement with libraries all over Africa
and other parts of the world. Many individuals have also donated books across
disciplines.

Although the centre’s special interest is in African studies, it does not
discriminate in its book acquisition policy. It stocks books by writers from all
over the world and exposes its researchers to all views, leaving them to draw an
informal conclusion.

One subject that receives a lot of attention at the centre is music. The
library is a well-stocked store of materials on living and dead music legends.

A section of the library stocks pictures of jazz music greats of African
origin. There are also audio tapes of African artistes at home and in the
diaspora. An auditorium for music of Africa is under construction. Adebowale
says the auditorium is conceived to enhance appreciation of music as a means of
entertainment and education.

Musical audio tapes are being assembled to teach the history of Africa. “When
people listen to Haruna Ishola singing about Ojukwu’s war, they will remember
the Civil War of 1967 to 1970 and will reflect on its impact on their lives
now,” Adebowale insists.

The centre has a demonstration farm to inculcate in local farmers alternative
techniques in crop cultivation and control of pests. The idea of the centre had
sounded unrealistic, even crazy, at the conception. But Adebowale is today proud
of the level of awareness created even among the local farming population. The
centre has a board of Advisers constituted by eminent scholars from Nigeria and
abroad. These include Professors Niyi Osundare, Akinwunmi Ishola, Femi Osofisan,
Sam Asein, Elechi Amadi and Goke Adeniji from Nigeria. Foreigners on the board
include Ngugi Wa Thiong’o of Kenya, Oliver B Johnson and a host of other African
American intellectuals. Adebowale himself is a veteran in the field of research.
He attended the University of Ibadan between 1971 and 1974 for a Bachelor of
Arts in English. In 1976, he got a post-graduate diploma in Applied English
Linguistics. In 1978, a master’s degree in English, majoring in Stylistics was
added at the same university. He got his a doctorate from the University of
Ilorin. After many years of sojourn through various academic environments, he
was appointed the deputy rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan last month.
Adebowale’s most impacting experience is rooted in those years at the rural area
where he had his elementary education. He has written many poems and books. Some
of these have won awards at home and abroad. His most recent novel is Out of His
Mind, published by Spectrum Books.

Presently, he spends 70 per cent of his earnings on the library and is intent
on bringing the attention of everybody to Adeyipo to sip from the ‘fountain of
authentic African research centre situated in the heart of the continent.’
P.O.Box 36330,Agodi,Ibadan,Oyo State Nigeria
africanheritagelibrary@yahoo.com
Publication Date: November 25, 1999

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 17th, 1999 at 1:17 am and is filed under Uncategorized.

THE WRITINGS OF BAYO ADEBOWALE: A BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. THE WRITINGS OF BAYO ADEBOWALE: A BIBLIOGRAPHY:
(i) Books Published & Book Articles:1. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 1985: The Virgin – A Full-length Novel, published by Paperback Publishers, Ibadan & Bounty Press Limited, Ibadan, (1985 & 1995)

2. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 1987: Out Of His Mind – A Full-length Novel, published by Spectrum books Limited, Ibadan.

3. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 1992: Frontiers: Nigerian Short Stories (ed. Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin) – An Anthology of Nigerian Short Stories selected from the works of nineteen Nigerian Writers. Vide “Lonely Days” (as a short literary piece), published by Krafts Books Limited, Ibadan. 1992, pp. 49 – 55.

4. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 1996: “I Wonder,” in Poetry For Africa 2, A Poetry Anthology selected from the works of European and Nigerian Writers, (ed. Ann Berry), University of London Press Ltd., London, & Bounty Press Ltd. Ibadan 1996, p. 15.

5. BAYO ADEBOWALE:1996: “The Elephant,” in Poetry For Africa 2, A Poetry Anthology selected from the works of European and Nigerian Writers, (ed Ann Berry), University of London Press Ltd; London, & Bounty Ltd. Ibadan, 1996, p. 16

6. BAYO ADEBOWALE:1996: “The Flute,” in Poetry For Africa 2, A Poetry Anthology selected from the works of European and Nigerian Writers, (ed Ann Berry), University of London Press Ltd; London, & Bounty Ltd. Ibadan, 1996, p. 59.

7. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 1997: “Song Of the Maiden,” in Crab Orchard Review. A Journal of Creative works (A Special Issue of African, Afro-Caribbean and African-American Writing); ed. Allison Joseph, The Department of English, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, USA, Vol. 2, No. 2, Spring/Summer, 1997, p.46.

8. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 1997: “Perdition,” in Crab Orchard Review. A Journal of Creative Works (A Special Issue of African, Afro-Caribbean and African-American Writing); ed. Allison Joseph, The Department of English, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, USA, Vol. 2, No. 2, Spring/Summer, 1997, p.47.

9. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 1997: “No More,” in Crab Orchard Review. A Journal of Creative works (A Special Issue of African, Afro-Caribbean and African-American Writing); ed. Allison Joseph, The Department of English, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, USA, Vol. 2, No. 2, Spring/Summer, 1997, p.48.

10. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 2002: “Critical Introduction to Works of fifteen Nigerian Short Story Writers,” in Talent – A Collection of New Nigerian Short Stories (ed. Bayo Adebowale), Positive Press, Ibadan, pp. vi-x. Plus the fifteen Authors’ Resume, Ibid, pp.216-272.

11. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 2002: “Tanko’s Exit,” in Talent – A Collection of New Nigerian Short Stories (ed. Bayo Adebowale), Positive Press, Ibadan, 2002, pp. 1-15.

12. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 2002: “Voice of the Elder,” in Talent – A Collection of New Nigerian Short Stories (ed. Bayo Adebowale), Positive Press, Ibadan, 2002.

13. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 2002: “The New Comer,” in Talent - A Collection of New Nigerian Short Stories (ed. Bayo Adebowale), Positive Press, Ibadan, 2002, pp. 228 – 235.

14. BAYO ADEBOWALE: 2003: “Tanko’s Exit,” in A Passage to Modern Cicero, (ed. Prof. Ayo Banjo, Dr. Wale Okediran, et.al), Bookcraft Publishers, Ibadan, 2003, pp158 – 167.

(ii) Articles (Language and Literature) Published in Journals et al:
15. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The New Comer”, Horizon Journal, English Department, Univeristy of Ibadan, (ed. Matthew Umukoro et.al), March 1973, pp.40-47. and also in Life Journal (ed. Bola Aloba), November, 1973, pp.42-43.

16. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Perdition,” Index On Censorship Journal, Vol. 21 No. 9, 1992, p6. And also in African Literature Association (ALA) Journal, Vol. 19, Spring 1993, No. 2 p. 59. (Canada).

17. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “William Shakespeare and the Black Race”, in Ibadan Literary Review Journal, No. 4, April, 1974, pp. 1-9.

18. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Towards an Improvement of Audience Response and Expansion of the Nigerian Prose Fiction in English”, College Review Journal, Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, 1995.

19. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Forty-Eighty Hours At Home With Niyi Osundare”, An Article on the artistic ingenuity of an African Poet Laureate – Winner of the Commonwealth Prize and the Noma Award, Published in Gists Journal, Ibadan, pp. 20-36.

20. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “In the Pockets of My Memory”, A Full-Length interview with Poet Niyi Osundare, Commissioned by and conducted for, Matatu Journal, Federal Republic of Germany, 1994.

21. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Caroline’s Choice”, Monthly Life Journal, (ed. J.K. Bolarin), Apirl, 1974, pp. 34-35.

22. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Babu’s Favourite Song”, Today’s Challenge Journal, (ed. J.K. Bolarin), April, 1974, pp. 6-11

23. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Runaway”, Monthly Life Journal (ed. Wole Olaoye), Vol. 4 No.3, March 1987, pp. 34-35.

24. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Game of Chance”, Woman’s World, (ed. Adaora Lily Ulasi), April, 1973, pp. 32-33.

25. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Her Only Son”, Woman’s World, (ed. Adaora Lily Ulasi), April, 1973, pp. 32-33.

26. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Big Quarrel”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, February, 1975, pp. 19-20.

27. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Village Hero”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, November 1974, pp. 12 & 24.

28. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Goodbye Granny”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, January, 1974, pp. 11 & 26.

29. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Looking After Daddy”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, February, 1974, pp. 11&26.

30. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Road to the Market”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, March, 1974, pp. 20 & 26.

31. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Long Wait”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, April, 1974, pp. 23 & 24.

32. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Evil Men”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, December, 1974, pp. 19.

33. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Moment of Truth”, Apollo Journal, (ed Toun Onabanjo), Lagos, January, 1975, pp. 19 & 25.

34. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “A Call to Duty”, Spear Magazine, (ed Enyina Iroha), Lagos, May/June, 1986, pp. 32 & 34.

35. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Iron Hand”, Woman’s World, (ed. Toyin Johnson), Lagos, July, 1985 pp. 26, 26 & 34.

36. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Hour of Decision”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo), Lagos, April 1972, pp. 9 & 28.

37. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Broken Melody”, Modern Woma</strong>n, (ed. Adunni Oladipo), Lagos, April 1972, pp. 9 & 28.

38. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Hour of Shame”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo), Lagos, July, 1972, p. 9: and also Modern Woman, August 1972, p.3.

39. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Misplaced Trust”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, June 1974, pp. 27-30.

40. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Conspiracy At Home”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, January 1975, pp. 30-35.

41. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Shadow Between”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, July 1975, pp. 28-29.

42. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Burden of a Secret”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, July 1974, pp. 27-30.

43. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Bleeding Heart”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, September 197, pp. 27-30.

44. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “The Guilty Mind”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, November 1975, pp. 29-30.

45. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Partners In Sorrow”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, February 1976, pp. 31 & 38.

46. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Divided Household”, Modern Woman, (ed. Adunni Oladipo, Lagos, February 1977, pp. 31 & 38.

47. BAYO ADEBOWALE: “Valley of Judgment”, Happy Home, (ed. Sam. Amuka-Pemu) Lagos, February 1975, pp. 35 – 36.

B. UNIVERSITY DISSERTATIONS ON THE WRITINGS OF BAYO ADEBOWALE:

1. “The Use of Symbolism in Bayo Adebowale’s The Virgin” – A 657 English Stylistics Research Project for the Master of Arts Degree (1991), University of Ilorin. Department of Modern European Languages, by Lawal M. Babatunde.

2. “Marital Sensibility in Bayo Adebowale’s Novels: The Virgin and Out of His Mind” – A Final Year Bachelor of Arts Degree Project (1992), University of Ilorin, Department of Modern European Languages, by Ayoola Samuel Olayiwola.

3. “A Comparative Study of the Theme of Innocence in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of The D’urberville and Bayo Adebowale’s The Virgin” – A Final Year Bachelor of Arts Degree Project (1995), University of Ilorin, Department of Modern European Languages, by Abaya A. Elukpo.

4. “A Compartive Study of the Theme of Social Realities in Bayo Adebowale’s Out of His Mind and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o’s Weep Not Child” – A Final Year Bachelor of Arts degree Project (1995), University of Ilorin, Department of Modern European Languages, by Dairo Bunmi.

5. “A Comparative Theme of Cultural Conflict in Bayo Adebowale’s The Virgin and Adeze Madu’s Broken Promise – A Final year Bachelor of Arts Degree Project (1995), University of Ilorin, Department of Modern European Languages, by Joseph Foluke.

6. “A Comparative Study of the Concept of Traditionalism and Modernism in Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure and Bayo Adebowalke’s The Virgin” – A Final Year Bachelor of Arts Degree Project (1995), University of Ilorin, Department of Modern European Languages, by Odunola E. Folorunso.

7. “The Nigerian Novel – A Megaphone of It s Society: Bayo Adebowale’s Out of His Mind As A Case Study” – A Final Year Bachelor of Degree Project (1996), University of Ilorin of Modern European Languages, by Ogunyileka, G.S.

8. “Youth Response to Nigerian Prose Fiction in English: A Critical Study” – A Ph.D. Thesis (1997), University of Ilorin, Department of Modern European Languages, by Samuel Olubayo Adebowale. Bayo Adebowale’s Out of His Mind analysed and cited on several pages of the thesis.

9. “The Artistic World of Bayo Adebowale.” – A Final Year Bachelor of Arts Degree Project (1999), University of Ibadan, Department of English, by Edosa Aghedo.

10. “Socio-culrutal Ethos in Camara Laye’s The African Child and Bayo Adebowale’s The Virgin” – A Master of Arts (Literature in English) Dissertation (2006) University of Ilorin, Department of English by Kayode, Esther Bola.

C. REVIEWS OF BAYO ADEBOWALE’S CREATIVE WORKS INBOOKS AND LEARNED JOURNALS:

1. “Lexical Clues to Thematic Development in Bayo Adebowale’s The Virgin”, by Dr. Ayo Ogunsiji (of the English Department, University of Ibadan), published in Oye. Ogun State University, Department of English Journal, Vol. 12, 1991, pp. 13-20.

2. “The Creative Arts of Bayo Adebowale” – A Critical Study of Bayo Adebowale’s Writings, including fifteen of his published Short Stories and his two novels, The Virgin and Out of His Mind (120 pages), by a frontline Nigerian Journalist, Yinka Tella of the African Guardian Journal (1990)

3. “Bayo Adebowale’s The Virgin and Out of His Mind: A study of the Aesthetics of the Conflicts Between Traditionalism and Modernism,” by Professor Sam A. Adewoye (of the University of Ilorin, Modern European Languages Department) published in The African Novel – Another Evaluative View, Majab Publishers, Lagos, 1996, pp. 54 – 75.

D. PUBLISHED CRITICAL APPRAISALS OF BAYO ADEBOWALE’S NOVELS AND HIS EDITED ANTHOLOGY OF SHORT STORIES:

(i) Nigerian Novelists – Out of His Mind listed in an Annotated Bibliography of Nigerian Authors, by Professor Wendy Grisworld, University of Chicago, United States of America, published in Commonwealth Literature Journal, 1990.

(ii) “A Lasting Impression: Out of His Mind Staged to the Admiration of Literary Buffs, “Dele Ologunde, African Concord, September 1988, Vol. 2, No 33, p. 40.

(iii) Out of His Mind: Another Novel Goes on Stage” – A Review of stage adaptation of the novel, Dele Ologunde, The Guardian, August 30, 1988, p.16

(iv) “The Theatrical Beauty of a Living Prose” – A review of Out of His mind, Dele Ologunde, Daily Sketch, Thursday August 18, 1988, p.5.

(v) “Newspaper Reviews: Purpose and Intention” – An Examination of the previous review of Out of His Mind, Larry Ahmed, Nigerian Tribune, Tuesday, December 1, 1987, p.11.

(vi) “Out of His Depth” – A review of Out of His Mind, Nosa Osaigbovo, Daily Sketch, Thursday, October 8, 1987, p.5

(vii) “The Writer and His Crtics” – A Review of previous review of Out of His Mind, Tony Owogbade, Daily Sketch, Thursday, October 29, 1987, p.6.

(viii) “Osaigbovo’s Review is Biased” – A Review of previous review of Out of His Mind, Ayo Ogunsiji, Sunday Glory, October 18, 1987, p.6.

(ix) “These Qualms Apart, a Story is Fairly Told” – A Review of Out of His Mind, Bridget Annuwa Owhotu, The Guardian, Monday, October 19, 1987, p.17.

(x) “Out of His Mind” – A Review of Out of His Mind by Reviews Editor, Quality Magazine, November, 1987, Vol. 1. No. 6

(xi) “The Review of A Review” – A Review of previous reviews of Out of His Mind. Larry Ahmed. Daily Sketch. Friday, October, 23 1987 p.7

(xii) Out of His Mind” – A Review of Out Of His Mind. Joseph Dominic, Lagos Life, Thursday, October 13 – Wednesday, October 21, 1987, pp.7 & 10.

(xiii) “Loyalty Disaster” – A Reply to a Review of Out of His Mind, Nosa Osaigbovo, Daily Sketch, Tuesday, November 5, 1987, p.5

(xiv) “What A Review Is” – An Assessment of the Various Reviews of Out of His Mind S. Ayo Winjobi. Daily Sketch, Thursday, Nov,12, 1987.

(xv) “Graduate Worker Runs Out Of His Mind” – A Review of Out of His Mind, George Abana. Sunday Glory, October 11, 1987, p6

(xvi) “Out of His Mind” – A Review of Out of His Mind, Ayo Ogunsiji, Lady Love, Vol. 1 no. 10, May 6, 1988, p.27.

(xvii) “Out of His Mind – Listed in Africana Selected Recent Acquisition No. 124, December 1988, Michigan State University Africana Library, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America, p. 49.

(xviii) “Out of His M</strong>ind” – A Review of Out of His Mind, Review Editor, Monthly Life, December, 1987, p. 29.

(xix) “Out of His Mind” – A Review of Out of His Mind, George Abana, New Nigerian, Tuesday October, 27, 1987, p. 12.

(xx) Out of A Lecturer’s Mind” – A Review of Out of His Mind, Kolaso Kargbo, Prime People, Vol. 2, No. 24, November 13-19, p. 12

(xxi) “The Wages of Sin” – A Review of The Virgin, Larry Ahmed, The Punch, December 11, 1985, pp.8-9.

(xxii) “Mourning the Destruction of An Essence” – A Review of The Virgin, Ayo Ogunsiji, Messages – A Creative Journal of the Department of the English, OYSCE, Ila-Orangun, No. 111, Vol. 001, 1986, pp. 16-18

(xxiii) “Destruction of An Essence” – A Review of The Virgin, Ayo Ogunsiji, Sunday Glory, March 15, 1987, p.8

(xxiv) “Morality Among Youths Examined” – A Review of The Virgin, Larry Ahmed, The Guardian, Jan. 6, 1986 p.10.

(xxv) “The Virgin” – A Review of The Virgin, Jare Ajayi, Lady Love, Vol. 1, No. 9, April 29, 1988, p.32.

(xxvi) “The Story of A Broken Pot” – A Review of The Virgin, Same Adesua, Daily Sketch, November 28, 1985, p.5

(xxvii) “Are you A Virgin? – A Review of The Virgin, Larry Ahmed, Daily Sketch,
February 20, 1986, p 5.

(xxviii) “The Broken Pot” – A Review of The Virgin, Andrew Ehimwenma, Sunday Punch, May 17, 1987, p.1.

(xxix) “Yoruba’s Belief in Virginity” – A Review of The Virgin, Bayo Akinpelu, Sunday Glory, Noveomber 13, 1988, p.6.

(xxx) “Defiling A Virgin Culture” – A Review of The Virgin, Andrew Ehimwenma, Daily Sketch, June 18, 1987, p.5

(xxxi) “Prisms Of the Mind” – A Review of The Virgin, Biyi Odunlade, Nigerian Tribune, October 20, 1987, p.8.

(xxxii) “I am In Love with Books” – Personality Interview of the Author of The Virgin, Ebika Anthony, Daily Sketch, April 15, 1999, p. 12

(xxxiii) “The Traditional Values of Virginity” – A Review of The Virgin, Tope Abiola, Nigerian Tribune, January 9, 2001, p. 26

(xxxiv) “I Sometime Write Stark Naked” – Personality Interview of the Author of The Virgin, Sina Oladehinde, Nigerian Tribune, October 26, 2001, p.16

(xxxv) “Of Dauda, Awero and The Virgin” – A Review of The Virgin, Ebika Anthony, The Monitor, November 4, 2001, p. A8

(xxxvi) “The White Handkerchief: New Wine In Old Bottle.” – A Review of Film Adaptation of The Virgin, Demola Awoyokun, The Guardian, October 4, 2002, p. 32

(xxxvii) “Symphony of Bata Drums and Poetry” – A Write up on the Author of
The Virgin, Adebanji Adeyanju and Lekan Alao, Nigerian Tribune,
December 17, 200.

(xxxviii) “A short Harvest of intrigues’’- A Review of Talent (ed. Bayo Adebowale), Steve Ayorinde, The Comet , February 3, 2003,p 16.

(xxxix) “Exposing the Talents of A Virgin Continent”- a Review of Talent (ed. Bayo Adebowale), Akintayo Abodunrin, Nigeria Tribune, April 28, 2003, p 37.

(xl) “ A New Deal in Short Story Writing” – A Review of Talent (ed. Bayo Adebowale), Chux Ohai, Daily Independent, April 28, 2003, p E5.

(xli) “ The Handkerchief: A Quest for Self-Cultural Interrogation”- A Review of Film Adaptation of The Virgin. Demola Awoyokun, The Guardian, April 25, 2003 , p 30.

(xlii) “ Tutuola Back From Land of the Ghosts”- A Review of Talent (ed. Bayo Adebowale). Agatha Eke, The Sun , June25, 2003, p 37.

(xliii) “ I Don’t See Acting As A Career”- Personality Interview of Kabirat Kafidipe Araparegangan (On White Handkerchief – The Film Adaptation of The Virgin ) . Saturday Tribune, August 16, 2003, p .27.

(xliv) “Hunger Hardship Can Serve As Impetus to Creative Writing” – Personality Interview of Bayo Adebowale, Chux Ohai, Daily Independent, November 24, 2003 , p,E4.

(xlv) “ About Virgins and a Recurring Moral Dilemma”- A Review of The Virgin, Chux Ohai, Daily Independent, December 22, 2003, p . E3.

PUBLISHED ARTICLES ON THE PROJECTS OF BAYO ADEBOWALE:

i. “African Heritage Research Library Seeks Exchanges” – Write-up on AHRL, Stephen Arnold, African Literature Association Bulletin, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, ‘ Volume 14, Spring 1988, No. 2, p.48.

ii. “African Studies Library” – Write-up : on AHRL, Editor, American Writer (Journal of the National Writer Union), New York , USA, Vol. VIII, Issue 3,Winter 1989-90, p . 14.

iii. “The African Heritage Research Library (AHRL) – A Pioneer Center” – Write-up on AHRL, in The Black Collegian, New Orleans LA, USA, November/December 1990, p , p.5.

iv. “General News Of Interest to the Region” – Write- up AHRL , Editor, International Federation of library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Newsletter; Sao Paulo, Brazil, No 8, June 1991, p . 5.

v. “African Heritage Research Library” – Write-up on AHRL, Editor Isivivane: Journal of Letter and Arts in Africa and Diaspora, Berlin, West Germany, January, 19A91,p. 49.

vi. “African Heritage Research Library Needs Donations”- Write-up on AHRL, Editor, The Black Collegian, New Orleans, LA USA, September/October, 1991, p. 19.

vii. “I Proved Critics Wrong” – Write-up on AHRL, yinka Peter, Classique, January 27 1992, p . 9.

viii. “Roots”- Write-up on AHRL, Yinka Tella, The African Guardian Vol. 7, No. 32, August 31, 1992, p. 9.

ix. “Nigeria: The African Heritage Research Library” – Write-up On AHRL, Editors, Conexiones Journal, Michigan USA Vol. 4, No.2, November 1992,p.17.

x. “African Heritage Research Library”- Write-up on AHRL, Editors, IRED-Forum, Geneva, Switzerland, No 46, January-March, 1993, pp. 12 & 46.

xi. “Research Library Serves Rural Community” – Write-up on AHRL, Editor, African Farmer, New York, USA, October 1993, p. 55

xii. “A Dream Unfolding” – A write-up on African Heritage Research Library, AHRL, Professor Niyi Osundare, Newswatch, December 20, 1993 pp 36-37.

xiii. Heritage – A Turn In History” – Write-up on AHRL, Ngozi Abanobi-Uka, African Vision, Lagos Vol. 1 No. 13, July 24, 1995, p. 30.

xiv. “The Making of A Dream” – Write-up on AHRL, Ngozi Abanobi-Uka, African Vision, Lagos. Vol. 1 No. 13, July 24, 1995, p. 30.

xv. Forgotten In the Countryside” – Write-up on AHRL, Yomi Kassim, The Monitor, pp. xii – xiii, December 3, 1995.

xvi. Clearing House for African Culture” – Write-up on AHRL, Olayiwole Adeniji, The Guardian, November 30, 1996, p. 36.

xvii. “African Heritage Research Library: An Embattled Dream” – Write-up on AHRL, Yemi Ogunsola, Sunday Tribune, October 5, 1997, pp 9 & 11.

xviii. “Giving Africa Its Pride” – Write-up on AHRL, Tunde Aremu, The Punch, November 13, 1997, p. 28.

xix. “A Boom To Intellectual Growth” – Write-up on AHRL, Ade Ajayi, Daily Monitor, May 20, 1999, p. 14.

xx. “Slaving For the Society to be Literate” – Write-up on AHRl, Ade Ajayi, Daily Monitor, May 20, 1999, p. 14

xxi. “African Research Centre Takes Shape at Ibadan” – Write-up AHRL, Kayode Ogunbunmi, The Guardian, July 4, 1999, p.45.

xxii. “African Heritage Research Library Lives On” – Write-up on AHRL, Akinyinka Omoniyi, Itanna Searchlight, July 11, 1999, p.9.

xxiii. “Hello There, Intellectuals! This is Our Own Bethlehem” – Write-up on AHRL, Joel Ayanlola, Daily Sketch, July on AHRL, Olumide Iyanda, Tempo, November 25, 1999, p.15.

xxiv. “Study Africa in Africa” – Write-up on AHRL, Olumide Iyanda, Tempo November 25, 1999, p. 15.

xxv. “Making Africa Answer For Itself’ – Write-up on AHRL, Tunde Aremu, The Punch, December 16, 1999, p.28.

xxvi. “A Feather to His Cap” – Write-up on AHRL, Adebola Adewole & Uche Maduemesi et al, Tell Magazine, Febraruy 21, 2000, p. 50.

xxvii. “New Centre for Research Works Emerges” – Write-up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, January 28, 2000, p. 19.

xxviii. “Welcome to the Village of Books” – Write-up on AHRL, Ebika Anthony, Nigerian Tribune, February 15, 2000. p. 27.

xxix. “AHRL Extends Library Services to Schools” – Write-up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, April 21, 2000, p 19.

xxx. “On the Track of an African Heritage” – Write-up on AHRL, Akeem Lasisi, The Comet, July 28, 2000 pp 35- 36.

xxxi. “Studying Africa In Nigeria” – Write-up on AHRL, Idowu Adelusi, Sunday Tribune, August 13, 2000 p. 17.

xxxii. “Rooting For African Renaissance” – Write-up on AHRL, Joseph Musa, This Day, January 5, 2001, Vol, 7, No. 2084, p. 24.

xxxiii. “Resuscitating the African Heritage” – Write-up on AHRL, Joseph Musa, This Day, January 5, 2001, Vol. 7 No. 2084, p. 34.

xxxiv. “African Music Educators and Library Facilities” – Write-up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, February 2, 2001, pp. 18-19.

xxxv. “Oyo Governor Set to Support African Heritage Research Library” – Write-up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, April 6, 2001, p. 14.

xxxvi. “A Hidden Fountain of Knowledge” – Write-up on AHRL, Senayon S. Olaoluwa, Post Express, October 7, 2001, p. A8.

xxxvii. “Treasure House in the African Heartland” – Write-up on AHRL, Sina Oladehinde, Nigerian Tribune, January 18, 2002, p.16.

xxxviii. “AHRL Education Day Holds March 30” – Write up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, January 26, 2002, p.23.

xxxix. Culture of Reading is Going Down in Nigeria” – Write-up on AHRL, Titilayo Ogunsan, The Monitor, February 26, 2002, p. 23.

xl. “Adeyipo: A Library Grows in a Forest” – Write-up on AHRL, Akeem Lasisi, The Comet, March 6, 2002, p. 35

xli. “An Heritage for Africans’ – Write-up AHRL, Muyiwa Ojo, The Monitor, March 16, 2002, p. 5.

xlii. “I Use Pictures to Educate Illiterate People” – Write-up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, March 29, 2002 p. 18.

xliii. “AHRL Commissions African Music Auditorium” – Write-up on AHRL, Enam Obiosio, Sunday Vanguard, April 7, 2002, p. 41.

xliv. “Grassroots Education Needs Government Backing” – Write-up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, April 26, 2002, pg. 23.

xlv. “A Dose of African Heritage” – Write-up on AHRL, Yinka Fabowale, Tell Magazine, May 6, 2002, p. 15.

xlvi. “A Treasure In the Forest” – Write-up on AHRL, Augustine Avwode, Sunday Punch, July 21, 20002, pp. 23 & 25.

xlvii. “Bi Asa Ati Ise Eeyan Dudu Ko Se Ni Para Nise Ile Ikawe Wa” – Write-up on AHRL, Seye Arowolo, Alaroye Magazine, October 29, 2002, p. 23.

xlviii. “AHRL Organises Picture Education Seminar for Villagers” – Write-up on AHRL, Kehinde Adio, Nigerian Tribune, December 27, 2002, pp. 26 -27.

xlix. “Giant Stride of An African Monument” – Write-up on AHRL, Sina Oladehinde, Nigerian Tribune, January 21, 2003, p. 34.

l. “Monitoring Elections in the Village of Books” – Write-up on AHRL, Funso Iroko, Nigerian Tribune, October 28, 2003, p.35.

li. “Dance, Poetry and Carnival of Books” – Write-up on AHRL, Funso Iroko, Nigerian Tribune, October, 28, 2003, 17.

lii. “African Heritage Research Library Plans to Expand the Frontiers of Reading and Literacy” – Write-up on AHRL, Chux Ohai, Daily Independent, December 1, 2003, p. E4.

liii. “African Wealth of Knowledge Yet Undiscovered” – Write-up on AHRL, Bode Adefolu, Showbix Expo, February/March, 2004, Vol. 1, No. 3, p. 20.

liv. “Preaching the Gospel of Total Education” – Write-up on AHRL, Akeem Lasisi. The Punch, July 5, 2004, p. 13.

lv. “Three Days of Talking Poetry in Adeyipo Village” – Write-up on AHRL’s hosting of CFP members Benjamin Njoku, Sunday Vanguard, June 20, 2004.

lvi. “African Heritage Research Library (AHRL) Nigeria” in Year Book of International Organizations 2004/2005 & 2005/2006, Rue Washington 40, B-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium.

BAYO ADEBOWALE:BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Bayo Adebowale, poet,novelist,short story writer,critic, teacher and librarian,was born in Adeyipo Village, Lagelu Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, on 6th June, 1944,to a peasant farmer and traditional drummer, Alagba Ayanlade Oladipupo Akangbe Adebowale. His mother, Madam Abigael Ayannihun Atunwa Adebowale is a traditional rara chanter and dancer,who hails from the neighbouring Apon Onilu Village,Ibadan, Oyo State.

Bayo Adebowale attended St. Andrew’s Kindergarten School at Kufi I Village, and St. Andrew’s Senior Primary School, Bamgbola, Igbo-Elerin District of Ibadan, where he obtained his Grade A Primary School Leaving Certificate in December, 1955. Thereafter, he was admitted to the Local Authjority Secondary Modern School, Aperin, Ibadan, between 1956 and 1958. In 1959,he became a pupil teacher at St. Mathias Primary School, Busogboro,Oluyole Local Government Area, Ibadan. The need to be trained as a teacher took him to Ilesa where he was admitted to St Peter’s Grade III Teacher College between 1960 and 1961. He was headmaster of St. Michael’s Primary School,Eko-Ajala,near Ikirun, Osun State, from January 1962 to December 1964. He was transferred to head another school in 1965-St. Andrew’s Primary School, Ilawe,three miles from Ifon, Osun State.

In 1966, the year of Nigeria’s military coup,Bayo Adebowale gained admission to Baptist College, Ede for his Higher Elementary Grade II Teacher Training Programme, which he finished in 1967 with Merit in ten subjects, including English Language, English Literature and Music. At Baptist College, Ede, Adebowale’s creativity boomed. He was a College House Prefect, the Secretary Literary and Debating Society,and the Editor of the College magazine,The Echo . He was a voracious reader of English and African novels;an ardent reader of the works of great writers like Gerald Durrel,Rider H.Haggard,Jane Austen, Daniel Defoe,John Buchan,R.L. Stevenson,Alexandre Dumas, Charles Dickens,Cyprian Ekwensi, Chinua Achebe, Elechi Amadi, Alan Paton, Peter Abrahams and Amos Tutuola. Bayo Adebowale’s creative ebullience was kept alive as a Higher Elementary (H.E.) teacher at Baptist School, Afolabi Apasan (near Araomi Akanran)Ibadan,between d1968 and 1970 and also at Ibadan City Council Primary School, Agugu, between 1970 and 1971.

In October,1971,he was admitted to read English at the Universtiy of Ibadan, having passed his General Certificate of Education(GCE) at both the Ordinary and the Advanced levels, between 1968 and 1971. He graduated Bachelor of Arts (Hon.) English in 1974 and had his National Youth Service Corps at St. Augustine’s Teachers’ College, Lafia, Benue-Plateau State, Northern Nigeria, from July 1974 to July 1975.

Bayo Adebowale was employed as an Education Officer (English) by the Western State Public Service Commission Between August, 1975 and August 1979 when he was posted to the Government Trade Centre at Oyo as an English Instructor. But in-between, Adebowale was given admission to the University of Ibadan for his Post Graduate Diploma in Applied English Linguistics (1976) and his Master of Arts Degree in English, which he successfully completed idn December 1978. His higher educational status qualified him for employment at the Oyo State College of Education,Ilesa,where he was appointed a Lecturer I in English in September 1979. He was posted back to St. Anderew’s College(then a Campus of OYSCE Ilesa) to head the School of Arts as the Deputy Dean,in 1981. He became athe Acting Dean of the School of Arts in Oyo State College of Education,Ila-Orangun in 1987. After the creation of Osun State(out of Oyo State) in 1991,Bayo Adebowale returned to his State of origin, with other officers of Oyo State indigenes working at OYSCE Ila-Orangun and was redeployed to The Polytechnic,Ibadan where he,at various times, as a Senior Principal Lecturer,was a Head of Department, and Acting Dean, and the Deputy Rector of the Institution between 1999 and 2003. Bayo Adebowale completed his Doctor of Philosophy Programmed in Literature in English at the University of Ilorin in May,1997.

To date, Bayo Adebowale has published over one hundred short stories in magazines, journals and papers in Nigeria and abroad.He admires a lot the works of distinguished writers, in the short story genre, like Edgar Allan Poe, Guy de Maupassant, Ernest Hemingway, Somerset Maugham, Toni Morrison, Doris Lessing, O. Henry,Jack London, Stephen Crane, Judith Wright, Agnus Wilson, Chinua Achebe,Eyprian Ekwensi, Ama Ata Aidoo, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o,Ben Okri, A.G.S. Momodu, Rasheed Gbadamosi,Lekan Oyejide, Nadine Gordimer, Lekan Oyegoke and Danbudzo Marechera.

In 1972,Adebowale’s short story,”The River Goddess” won the Western State Festival of Arts Literary Competition, in Ibadan, Nigeria and in 2002,he edited a collection of new Nigerian short stories-Talent-involving the words of fifteen Nigerian writers,including those of Femi Osofisan, Wale Okediran, Akeem Lasisi,Lekan Oyegode, Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade,and Amos Tutuola. Adebowale’s short stories had appeared in important Anthologies like Frontiers:Nigerian Short Stories (1992)d;A Passage to Modern Cicero (2003) and Horizon Journal,University of Ibadan (1975). Adebowale’s short stories are collected in book form in Iron Hand,Girl About Town; and Book Me Down. His collection A New Life was published in 2006 by Bounty Press,Ibadan.

Over ninety per cent of Bayo Adebowale’s short stories have rural setting, and deal with local community people in Nigerian villages and hamlets. A common trend of culture runs through them, stretching into his poetry and his three full-length novels.

For Adebowale the so-called modern society has nothing to offer to communal African village life “except chaos, corruption and other manifestations of of western narcissim”. Africa,for Adebowale,is a passion. “The contemorarisation of the mystic of the African essence is an addiction”.

Bayo Adebowale exhaustively examines the theme of culture in his poetry. Village Harvest,his first book of poetry,bears testimony to this. All the fifty-eight poems in the collection discuss sceneries,seasons,people,places, experiences,events and beliefs of the rural community people. This same trend is discernible in his second book of poetry,A Night of Incantations; where Yoruba traditional incantations are broken into three broad categories, viz: Malevolent Incantations;Benevolent Incantations and Propitiatory Incantations. In 1992,Bayo Adebowale’s poem, “Perdition” won the Africa Prize in the Index on Censorship International Poetry Competition in London. Quite a good number of his poems have been anthologized in Poetry for Africa 2(United Kingdom),Index on Censorship Journal (United Kingdom),African Literature Association Bulletin(Canada);Poetry Drum (Nigeria) and Crab Orchard Review(United States of America).Adebowale’s latest collection of poems, African Melody (2008) gives a realistic literary repositioning of the African Continent and has been acknowledged as”deeply reseached and a compotently crafted work of art”.

Today, Bayo Adebowale is most well-known as a novelist. His first novel,The Virgin, has been adapted into two home videos under the titles of “The White Hankerchief” and later as a thirteen week National Television Serial under yet another tile- “The Narrow Path” -all by the Main Frame Film Organization of Lagos under the directorate of the ace Nigerian cinematographer-Tunde Kelani. Adebowale’s second novel,Out of His Mind has several tiimes also been adapted for the stage. Both novels have been used by researchers as final-year Long Essay Projects in Colleges of Education, and for the Bachelor of Artrs degree final-year research and for Master of Arts dissertations in Nigerian Universities. His third novel, Lonely Days is probably his most ambitious literary endeavour to date. The novel predictably deals with an important aspect of the African culture-widowhood- and has its setting, predictably also, in African rural environment. Adebowale has two other yet to be published novels:Sweetheart and Lone Voice Bayo Adebowale has been described variously as “an advocate of the grassroots people”,”a village novelist” and “a protagonist of the African culture and tradition”and “Africa’s Charles Dickens”.

His pet project, The African Heritage Research Library (at Adeyipo Village, Lagelu Local Government Area,Ibadan,Oyo State,Nigeria) is the first rural community-based African studies research library on the Continent. The objectives of the Centre are (i) to serve the educational needs of students, researchers, scholars, documentalists, and archivists in Africa and all over the world;and (ii) to serve the socio-cultural needs of the local community people:peasant farmers,local artisans, craftsmen and women in African villages and hamlets. Adebowale’s Centre at Adeyipo Village, now incorporates the cultural aspect of the life of the people with the introduction of a Music of Africa Auditorium,a Medicinal Herbs Garden and a Talking Drum Museum.
The establishment of the African Heritage Research Library and Cultural Centre (AHRLC) has helped a lot to enhance the quantity and quality of Bayo Adebowale’s literary output.The African Heritage Research Library has a formidable Board of Advisors which include eminent scholars and writers all over the world like Ngugi Wa Thiong’o,Elechi Amadi, Niyi Osundare,Bernth Lindfors,Akinwumi Isola;Femi Osofisan;Sam. A. Adewoye,Lekan Oyegoke, Tony Marinho and Niara Sudarkasa.

NLGN LITERATURE PRIZE 2008 SHORTLIST OUT-NIGERIAN TRIBUNE,SEPT.2008

Sun. 7th Sept. 2008

Two entries make literature prize shortlist

By Akintayo Aboderin

AgaryKAINE Agary’s Yellow-Yellow and Jude Dibia’s Unbridled have been short listed for this year’s Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) sponsored Literature Prize.
The literature committee comprising of emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, Chief Joop Berkhout, Professor Charles Nnolim, Mr. Ben Tomoloju, Professor Dan Izevbaye, Mrs. Pheabean Ogundipe, Professor Theo Vincent, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, Mr. Dan Obidiegwu, Professor Munzali Jubril and Alhaji Abubakar Gimba made the announcement on Thursday in Lagos.
The Professor Theo Vincent led committee, in a departure from announcing a shortlist of three works announced only the two works as being of sufficient quality to vie for this year’s award. The two books emerged from a long list of 11 novels released a few weeks earlier. The 11 initial books are: Ozioma Izuora’s Dreams Deferred, Mark Nwagwu’s Forever Chimes, Obi Akwani’s March of Ages, Outrage by Promise Ogochukwu, The Conquest by Chinedu Eze, Treasure in the Winds by Odili Ojubuonu, Jude Dibia’s Unbridled, Abimbola Adunni Adelakun’s Under the Brown Rusted Roof, When the wind blows by Camillus Chima Ukah, Yellow-Yellow by Kaine Agary and Wuraola Forever by Femi Osofisan writing as Okinba Launko.
The committee noted that the two works were of outstanding quality. The winner, if any eventually emerges, will be honoured at the Grand Award Night which will hold on October 11 at the MUSON Centre.

DibiaBoth works vying for the award centre on the lives of women trying to make sense of their existence. In Yellow-Yellow, Agary looks at the life of a young girl of Greek and Nigerian parentage struggling to find an identity for herself in Port Harcourt, while Dibia in Unbridled, focuses on a woman who is determined to be independent from the men who have dominated her life.

While Yellow-Yellow is Agary’s first book, Unbridled is Dibia’s second novel. His first book, Walking with Shadows, won the ANA/NDDC Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize in 2007.
If one of the authors emerges winner of this year’s award, s/he will walk away with a $50,000 prize money, an increase from last year’s $30,000. The prize drew a lot of controversy in 2004 when none of the works, due to their supposed poor quality, was deemed worthy of the prize. In 2005 and 2007, the prize had joint winners: Gabriel Okara/Ezenwa Ohaeto and Mabel Segun/Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo respectively.

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“CHAMS SEEKS REVIVAL OF LIVE THEATRE WITH FAGUNWA’S WORKS”-FROM TRIBUNE NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA,SEPT. 2008

FROM tribune

THE NIGERIAN TRIBUNE NEWSPAPER
Since November, 1949

Sun. 7th Sept. 2008

Chams seeks revival of live theatre with Fagunwa’s works

By Akintayo Abodunrin

FagunwaLIVE theatre which has been in the doldrums in recent years is about to undergo a revival through the intervention of Computer Hardware and Maintenance Services (Chams) Plc. The company, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company that supports transactional card-based services, e-commerce and mobile payment solution is aiming to do this with its Chams Theatre Series.
Well aware of the entertainment and didactic roles of theatre in the human society, the company incorporated in 1985 as a computer maintenance and engineering company but which has grown to become a leading IT solutions company with pioneer status in smart card technology, according to Seye Femi Gureje, General Manager, Chams Access, conceived the theatre series as a strategic intervention and contribution to reawaken the stage culture in Nigeria. “It is also a means of promoting our culture and re-orientating Nigerians on the value we cherish”, he said.
At a briefing to introduce the series and its first presentation, an English and Yoruba adaptation of D.O. Fagunwa’s Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole by Professors Femi Osofisan and Akinwumi Isola last week at Protea Hotel, Lagos, Gureje explained why the company is seeking to resurrect live theatre through Fagunwa. In the company of Professor Osofisan, Dr. Kola Oyewo, director of the Yoruba adaptation entitled Ogboju Ode… and Dr. Tunde Awosanmi, director of the English adaptation entitled Adventures in the Forest of a Thousand Daemons; Gureje disclosed that the company chose the theatre series as a platform to interact with the larger society because of the benefits of theatre.
He disclosed that the company had gotten exclusive rights to sponsor stage adaptations of Ogboju Ode…, Igbo Olodumare, Ireke Onibudo, Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje and Adiitu Olodumare, all works of Fagunwa over the next five years and that the company was almost through with securing the rights to the works of other Nigerian authors.
Gureje disclosed that the series will open on September 13 with the adaptations of Ogboju Ode … and explained why the works of the late teacher were chosen this way: “D.O. Fagunwa’s works were essentially chosen because they portray the values we cherish in Chams. His books teaches lessons in perseverance, hard work, determination, teamwork, patriotism, etc and we also believe that this values are essential for nation building.”

From left, Dr. Kola Oyewo, Mr. Seye Femi Gureje,
Professor Femi Osofisan and Dr. Tunde Awosanmi
briefing the press on the Chams Theatre Series.He added that, “Fagunwa’s books were chosen because his works portray the richness of the African mind with most of his illustrations, and use of strong and unusual characters … The underlying theme of his works promote such virtues as perseverance, gratitude, selflessness, bravery, time management, leadership focus, service to humanity etc.”
Gureje assured that the company did not initiate the series for publicity and that it would not abandon the series midway. He said the project was very dear to Chams and that it is the values in Ogboju Ode… that made the company commence the series with it.
“Ogboju Ode… is a story of leadership, bravery, courage, discipline, industry, endurance and focus. It is a story of man striving valiantly against odds and succeeding. It is one that we commend to society”, Gureje said of the play which will be staged in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Ile-Ife.
Speaking on the play which the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode has endorsed and which command performance the ministry and Chams are collaborating to stage in Abuja, the project consultant, Professor Femi Osofisan, said he was privileged to work on the script of a master story-teller.
“Fagunwa is one of the great pioneers of the fiction genre in our indigenous language, a trail blazer in the modernisation and preservation of a traditional culture. Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole is a world classic, a story that will be forever young because it speaks to our fundamental yearning for adventure, thrill and wisdom.”
Osofisan added that he was excited because Chams realised the need to promote Nigeria’s indigenous culture by investing in the play unlike some companies that promote foreign derived shows. “By selecting this work, Chams is rendering an immeasurable service to the preservation of our culture. At a time when our country like others in the so-called Third World are faced with the menace of globalisation, certainly it is such projects as this that will help the process of our cultural rebirth,” the playwright who disclosed that he had to help some female members of the cast tie their wrappers and head tie said.
Osofisan also confessed that the project excites him because, “we all know how nowadays the stage is dying, and how live performances have almost completely vanished from the weekly diary of social experience. We have to thank Chams very specially therefore for this concrete contribution to the life of theatre. Actors are getting employment once again, both on the English speaking and Yoruba theatres, and in such large numbers too; designers and dancers and choreographers are receiving a long-needed push to creative resurgence; and the audience, long starved of direct contact with actors in a live auditorium, will have the opportunity once again of participating in the pleasure and the ecstasy that only a drama production is capable of.”

YORUBA GREAT FIRST PUBLISHED WRITER D.O. FAGUNWA’S NOVEL BROUGHT BACK ON STAGE!-FROM PUNCH NEWSPAPER,NIGERIA,SEPT. 2008

FROM punchontheweb.com

From Langbodo with blood and gold
By Akeem Lasisi
Published: Wednesday, 17 Sep 2008
At the maiden show of The Adventure in the Forest of a Thousand Daemons, an adaptation of D.O. Fagunwa‘s novel, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole, the audience have a taste of magical realism.

A scene from the play.
With the magnificent structures dotting its vast edifying ambience, you can hardly mistake the MUSON Centre, Lagos for any other entertainment arena. So it was for members of the public that trooped into the complex on Saturday to watch The Adventures of a Thousand Demons, Femi Osofisan‘s theatrical adaptation of D. O. Fagunwa‘s Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole.

But on hitting the entrance of the Shell Hall, which was the venue of the performance, the story changed. A colony of trees on your right, an empire of stones on the left, you were spontaneously transported into a wild forest. It was this forest that ushered you into the expansive hall that also wore the garment of an unfathomable wilderness – dripping with bitter laughter and sweet tears of supernatural spirits.

On the sprawling stage lying ahead of you was a sacred foot path winding meandering through a network of sacred woods. On the roof, and entirely covering the walls of the hall, were ewele mats, which reminded learned members of the audience of the type that Egbere, one of Fagunwa‘s spirit characters wield in the novel. More important, however, was the fact that the eerie stage would soon become the battle ground for the die-hard principalities and brave men on excursion to Oke Langbodo, the ultimate destination of the Fagunwa‘s seven hunters in the mother script. As if you were no more at the MUSON, lions roared, elephants boomed just as wild, wild birds shrieked intermittently to warn the uninitiated of the dangers ahead.

But because the transformation was a make-believe, drums also roared. Tongues wagged in penetrating songs just as practised legs rolled in dance, invoking applause from the audience who were once again jolted back into the beauty of stage plays.

Such were the spectacles that the much publicised play invoked. It was the English version of the script commissioned by Chams Plc, which announced its arrival in the world of theatre promotion and development recently. Simultaneously, revered scholar and writer, Professor Akinwumi Ishola, was asked to write a Yoruba adaptation of the novel, with Tunde Awosanmi and Kola Oyewo directing respectively.

Coming in two parts, Osofisan‘s Adventures into the Forest of a Thousand Daemons captures the trials and triumphs of Akaraogun (Toyin Osinaike) and his hunting colleagues who go in search of a metaphoric Langbodo, for the sake of their fatherland for which they are out to attract resources that will invoke progress.

Since no good thing comes easy – and that is one basic lesson that both Fagunwa and Osofisan teach in the work – they encounter stiff adversity on their way. They have to wrestle with many daemons in the forest. But they too are very much prepared. Apart from physical strength, each of the adventurers has a special natural trait that proves very useful each time the chips are down. For instance, while Kako‘s invincible club can knock even an elephant, Olohun Iyo‘s sweet-singing voice can lure the most dreadful cobra to sleep. Imodoye, a name derived from knowledge and wisdom, is in the team to think and reason intelligently each time his people are in trouble. Very cleverly, Osofisan not only retains such values that Fagunwa wants the reader to pay attention to in human and societal development, he also develops the character of Akaraogun in such a way that he is a symbol of quality leadership – demonstrating determination, perseverance, and sowing no seed of hatred among the hunters he leads.

Among others, the battle with Agbako is hell hot. But for the helping spirit played by Ify Agwu, none of the adventurers would have survived his punch.

Apart from Osinaike, a thoroughbred actor, in the cast were tested hands such as Gogo Ombo Ombo (Elegbede Ode), Taiwo Ibikunle (Olohun Iyo), Martins Iwuagwu (Kako), Simileoluwa Hassan (Efoye) and Afolabi Dipeolu (Imodoye).

Also in action were Tunde Adeyemo (Oba), and actress and poet, Ify Agwu, (Iranlowo), who inspiringly carried the helper spirit that saw the hunters through the promise land.

Although Osofisan is that loyal to the spirit of the novel, he asserts freedom in certain significant areas. For instance, he introduces a lot of songs and dances. Besides, he brings in folklores that he employs to ventilate the structure of the play, while also using such to teach morality. But where he seems to have been extremely creative – or is it the director that should claim the kudos – is the point he introduces the ritual poetry, Iremoje, which hunters use to celebrate a dead colleague.

As fate would have it, the hunters lost three of their members, among who is Kako, whose hot temper remains his insatiable albatross. Now, on returning to their town after about 20 months of search for Langbodo, the hunters burst into Iremoje, and the attempt is very close to the way Yoruba hunters perform the ritual poetry in real life.

Osofisan‘s radical approach can also be seen in his interpretation of Oke Langbodo itself. Speaking through Akaraogun and Iranlowo, the playwright‘s message to the audience is that Langbodo is not a place. It is a moment of revelation, wisdom, knowledge and understanding of what brings peace and progress for the individual and society.

Altogether, The Adventures in the Forest of a Thousand Daemons is a successful exercise in attempting to revitalise live theatre in Nigeria.

Perhaps, the play can be tightened a bit, and this can be achieved by reducing the number of dramatised folklores. Besides, a fat person should have been made to play the role of the elephant.

On the part of Chams, theatre lovers can only hope that it will be able to sustain the project.

According to the company‘s Managing Director, Chief Demola Aladekomo, who led the company‘s workers dressed in dazzling green uniform traditional dresses to the show, it decided to rally the practitioners to the stage because of the roles that drama plays in the society.