Akeem Lasisi
With the death of Pa Oladejo Okediji on Tuesday, the Yoruba, nay Africa, lost another giant in its forest of literature. His death indeed reminds phenomenal.com.ng of exploits of other successful Yoruba writers who have passed away. Among them are D. O. Fagunwa, Kola Akinlade, Adebayo Faleti and Akinwumi Isola.
While Okediji wrote the likes of ‘Agbalagba Akan’ and ‘Aja lo Leru’ (both novels), Fagunwa bequeathed to posterity works such as ‘Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irunmole’, ‘Aditu Olodumare’ and ‘Igbo Oldumare’. Using Okediji, who died at 89 – while Fagunwa died at 60 in 1963 – as the contact point to salute the duo, here are some elements of differences in their writing trades:
– While D. O. Fagunwa directly preaches morality in his novels, Okediji usually presents it indirectly and wants the reader to deduce the right.
– Fagunwa’s books are often set in dense forests, but Okediji’s novels are mostly set in villages and towns.
– Fagunwa uses a lot of animals and spirit characters but Okediji’s characters are often next-door-neighbour human folks.
– Some of Fagunwa’s books have been translated into English and French but it is not known yet if such has been done on Okediji.
– Because of trips that Fagunwa’s characters make to far places, his fiction happens over a relatively long period of time, but Okediji makes everything happens within about 48 hours, based on crime/thriller nature of his stories.
