MAKING AFRICA
Yes, tomorrow I will give a gallery talk in the MAKING AFRICA exhibition at the Blanton Museum, University of Texas, Austin.
I will title the talk, “I am Africa.”
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Multiverse: Agbedeméjì and Agbédèmejì
Multiverse: Agbedeméjì and Agbédèmejì
A friend just asked me to comment on Agbedeméjì.
But didn’t ask me about Agbédèmejì.
Igbohoism
What is Igbohoism?
1. You need drinking water. You pay taxes to the government. The government refuses to provide you with drinking water, because the politicians would rather steal your money for their own personal purposes.
You dig water wells to provide you with water to drink and use for your household needs.
That is Igbohoism.
Ibeji: Soul Mates
Ibeji: Soul Mates
“Iya Oyo,” I asked, “why call her Ọmọ Méji? Ọmọ Méji means two children but she is just one person.”
This was after a woman who looked like she was in her thirties, who was on her way to an errand, stopped by Iya Oyo’s house to greet her.
Iya Oyo looked at me with surprise, as if to say my mother should have given me such basic cultural education.
IS YORUBA CULTURE POLYGAMOUS?
The secondary school rusticated me for being part of a riot that the students organized and carried out with meticulous sagacity.
Flabbergasted, I traveled to Ile Ife where we lived, from Oyo, where I schooled.
My father was amused that they rusticated me.
“Did you really participate in the riot?” my father asked.
“I did not,” I answered.
THE SWEETNESS OF FREEDOM
The Yoruba people comprise of several tribal units, each speaking a different dialect of the Yoruba language.
There is Yoruba literature, which has developed a large body of writings including novels, poetry, critical writing and essays.
Yoruba is studied in universities all over the world, and you may get a Ph.D. in Yoruba studies, one of the very few indigenous languages in Africa in which you get a doctorate.
Yoruba music is rich, with various genres both traditional and modern.
ENGLISHMAN IN BENIN CITY, 1982 (Part 38)
“Wole Soyinka wants to have a word with Rufus. Tell him to come as soon as possible. Kongi travels out of the country next week,” was the simple message that I got back from Kole Omotosho.
Omotosho was the head of the Dramatic Art Department, University of Ife. He sent a driver to me to collect a manuscript, “Marx and Mask,” written by the brilliant Ghanaian writer, Ayi Kwei Armah.
Soyinka regularly received manuscripts from several writers, and after making copies, he would distribute the manuscripts among his circle of intellectuals who met at least once a week to read and discuss the manuscripts.