SOCIAL RELEVANCE OF NIYI OSUNDARE’S
THE EYE OF THE EARTH
BY
ABDULWAHAB BOLAKALE WAHEED
MATRIC NO: 07/15CD004
AN ESSAY SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE
DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS [ B.A.] IN
ENGLISH
TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF
ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, NIGERIA
JUNE, 2011.
CERTIFICATION
This essay has been read and approved as meeting part
of the requirements for the award of the Bachelor of Arts
(Hons.) in the Department of English of the Faculty of Arts,
University of ilorin, Nigeria.
_______________________
Supervisor
______________________
Date
_______________________
Head of Department
______________________
Date
_______________________
External Examiner
______________________
Date
ii
DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to the Almighty Allah who has
given me life to be able to achieve this, and it is also
dedicated
to
my
parents
ABDULWAHAB.
iii
ALHAJI
and
ALHAJA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to acknowledge the efforts of my parents, Alhaji
and Alhaja AbdulWahab for their care and encouragement.
Words cannot express my gratitude for my Supervisor
for not only scrutinizing this study effectively but also for your
loving concern and also for her patience and motherly
interaction thank you a million times, Dr. Mrs. Ibrahim.
My happiness will not be full if I do not mention my family
members
for
their
all
round
support.
My
brothers,
AbdulWahab Shuaib, AbdulWahab Abdulllahi, AbdulWahab
Baba, you guys are too much and have been there for me.
Also, the effort of my friends and colleagues: Afolabi
Eyitope, Salman Mohammed, Toba Samuel, Bello Basit,
Obute Anthony, Yusuf Kuburah, Ebute Evans, Ebute Jnr,
Atoyebi Akeem, AbdulKareem Yusuf, Amoo IleriOluwa,
Usman Azeez, and every one I can’t mention who kept asking
“How far and how well? I shall miss you all.
I will not forget my Lecturer in the department who have
taught me one course or the other. You have imparted
knowledge into me: Dr S.T. Babtunde, Dr (Mrs.) V.A. Alabi,
Dr. Jide Balogun, Dr. T.A. Alabi, Dr. M.S. Idiagbon, and Dr.
A.S. Abubakar. I am proud of you all.
iv
ABSTRACT
This study proposes to bring out the social relevance of
Niyi Osundare’s The Eye of the Earth. African Oral aesthetics
or the Social relevance are the verbal parts of African Oral
Literature, Osundare uses this extensively in most of his work
and this study aims at looking at that. Systematic sampling
will be used for the selection of the poems for analysis, and
the concept of this formalism will be the basis at which it will
be analyzed. It will give credence to Osundare’s volatile
poetic version which is one thing that has attribute him
various stand amongst critics and scholars and it has
enhance meaning and imagery and helped the statuesque of
his poetic vision.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Abstract
v
Table of Contents
vi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction
1
1.1
Purpose of the Study
4
1.2
Approach to the Study
4
1.3
Justification of Study
5
1.4
Scope of the Study
5
1.5
Organization of Chapters
6
1.6
Autobiography of Niyi Osundare
7
End Notes
9
CHAPTER TWO
Literature Review
2.1
Critical views on Niyi Osundare’s poetry
10
2.2
The form and dictions of Osundare’s poetry
20
2.3
An overview of formalist approach
23
End Notes
26
vi
CHAPTER THREE
The Social relevance in Niyi Osundare’s
The Eye of the Earth
3.0
Preamble
29
3.1
Cultural Economic Setting of Niyi Osundare’s
The Eye of the Earth
29
End Notes
53
CHAPTER FOUR
Summary of Conclusion
54
End Notes
55
Bibliography
56
vii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0. INTRODUCTION
In African oral traditions, poetry carries the existential
experience of Africans. In Yoruba cosmology for instance,
there is a recitations called ‘Ewi’, for some professionally
trained Orators known as ‘Akewi’, which narrates and
express communal, moral and at times, romantic subject. At
times, it becomes a fundamental commentary on some
injustices in the traditional community. Without poetry among
the Yoruba’s and Africans as a whole nothing can never be
achieve in their world of traditional. In other words, there is a
huge dependence on the traditional African community, as it
outlines the society they live in.
Poetry
in
modern
African
literature
appears
to
demonstrate a mild break with the literacy convictions of the
first and second generation of poetry. In fact it is in this issue
of form that Hugh Holman holds as a cardinal yardstick for
demarcation when, he asserts that:
In a broad sense, modern is applied to writings markers
by a strong and conscious break with traditional
forms and technique forms and technique of expression
viii
African poets appear to have demonstrated a wellmarked departure from traditional poetic conventions. Their
work portrays and demonstrates a radical rupturing or
dislodging of traditional conventions.
Among the modern poets which belongs to the third
generation, there abound quite a number often in “a
deliberate artistic effort imaginatively transfer materials from
oral, literature” and use them to handle modern themes in an
amazingly creative fashion. The modern poets further
reflects identity and national usefulness as a unifying subject
matted; it speaks the mind of the pioneer poets such as
Nnamdi Azikwe, Dennis Osadebey, David Diop, Sedar
Senghor and their contemporaries against colonialism and
imperialism. Their poems are response to the happenings of
the society. While the responses to the happening are
decrying rule of the Europeans over their environment and
demanding
self-government,
the
Franco-phone
poets
especially in West Africa, grow more protestant assertive of
African culture and values. The degree of the latter’s
reaction gives birth to an ideology called Negritude - “the
cultural heritage, the values and above all the spirit of NegroAfrican civilization”.
Following closely behind the pioneer poets are the
voices of Wole Soyinka, J.p Bekederemo Clark, Christopher
ix
Okigbo, Kofi Anyioko, Dennis Brutus, Niyi Osundare, Tanure
Ojaide, among others. The poetry of this generation of poets
attracted other local and foreign criticism. Their major works
are wrapping traditional toga, cultural props and nuances
creatively decorated with poetic expressions that are quick
to register impression in the consciousness of the people.
They present a fashionable fusion of arts and sociocognizance
of
traditional
aesthetics
in
a
splendid
conjunction.
African oral aesthetics or social relevance is the verbal
components of African oral literature. They are equipments
of traditional vernacular rhetoric’s and “traditional modes of
linguistic expression”3. They are indicators of the oratorical
skills of a setting, where the art of narration flourish for long
before the arrival of writing. Traditional oral aesthetics
include poetry of all kinds: Praise poetry, Zorges, Maiden
chants, hunters chants, panegyrics, and a lot more as
distinctively associated with different traditional settings,
proverbs, chants, incantations and succinct witting sayings
are parts of the traditional aesthetics. The aesthetics of these
compositions are traceable to the artistic verbal associations
of cleverly woven words and expressions that often involve a
rhythmic and harmonious interplay. Their philosophical and
ethical imports often indicate the height of their aesthetics.
x
This study essentially as used by Niyi Osundare in The
Eye of the Earth.
1.1
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The decision to conduct a research in social relevance,
is primarily borne out of the researcher’s interest in the field
of oral literature, the poetic genre in particular. The research
is also geared towards examining the use of sociocognizance of Osundare in his selected poems. It equally
interested the researchers to observe that the poet is not
merely reproducing the social artifacts. Rather he sees the
traditional life as a resource center where traditional oral
repertoire and creatively imbued and embellished with
language rich enough to register effective messages in their
reader’s mind. The need to embark on a scholarly voyage
aimed at analyzing this poet creative effort is also one of the
aims of this study.
1.2
APPROACH TO THE STUDY
All the poems in The Eye of the Earth will form the
population of this research. The selection of poems will be
done through systematic sampling method, the relevance of
each sample shall be determined by its consonance to the
crux of this treatise, which is centered on the use of socio-
xi
cognizance. The theory of formalism will be the base, which
the sample will be analyzed.
According to Wumi Raji, (1999:212) ed.E. Adegbija:
formalism refers to the emphasizing of formal element in a
work of art thus emphasis of the school of formalism is the
language which is ‘for grounded’ and this is especially true of
the ports language as will be revealed.
The recorder will consult the library for available data,
while enhance the relevance of the study to scholarship.
1.3
JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY
This study is paramount for the purpose of scholarship.
It is also significant since it will illustrate the path of studies in
oral literature in a way to stimulate other scholars’ interest in
the field. And it will also ignite interest of contemporary and
functional artistic imprints. It will also help to sound a call for
the need to further functionality domesticate African poetry.
1.4
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Within the generation of poet associated with a
crystallization of cultural value into poetic forms a kind of
poetic revolution that Funsho Aiyejina labeled “alternative
tradition, Niyi Osundare is believed to occupy an increasingly
looming place within tradition”. His poetry is believed to
xii
constitute a distinct revolution within the new poetic
revolution. This creative distinction of Osundare poetic
expressions has heavily influenced the choice of his works
for this study.
Niyi Osundare has quite a number of works on poetry.
For the purpose of this study of his work will be studied.
This is the Eye of the Earth. The collection is of poems
therein the Eye of the Earth is chosen for this study because
a thorough study of these indicates that they relate to the
thematic concern of the study.
In addition it is relevant to stress that the poems in this work.
The Eye of the Earth are not bond by a central theme. For this
not all the poems in collection are going to be used for the
study of only those that sufficiently reflect the thematic
concern.
1.5
ORGANIZATION OF CHAPTERS
This study to be structured under [4] for chapters.
Chapter one is generally introductory. This is intended to
spell out in detail the aims, justification, scope and limitations
of the study it will reflect an amplification of what that
proposal presents.
xiii
Chapter two is dedicated to harvest views, and opinion
on the existing literature relevant to the theme of this study
and there views would be critically synthesized.
Chapter three shall be dedicated to a diagnosis are
critically examined and interpreted. And it will also show the
use of socio-cognizance and the effectiveness of the use of
cultural props.
And Chapter four is set to do more than a few things.
Primarily it will harvest the findings of the work and relate
them to the theme of the study. The chapter will also review
the aims, and objective of the study to establish the extent of
their accomplishment. This will summarize the research
project conclusively.
1.6
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF NIYI OSUNDARE
Niyi Osundare was born in Ikere-Ekiti, Ondo State in
1947. he studies language and literature at Ibadan, Leeds
and Toronto Universities. He is a Professor and heads the
English faculty of Ibadan University. In his county, he is well
known for his literacy reviews, comments and columns in the
Nigeria Sunday Tribune in Series of article titled Says of the
Season air at making poetry accessible.
Songs of the market place (1983) mark his debut for his
collection, The Eye of the Earth (1986) he was awarded both
xiv
the poetry prize of the Association of the Nigeria Authors
and the commonwealth prize for poetry but he received other
awards as well, such as the 1990 NOMA Award Africa’s most
prestigious literacy prize.
Niyi Osundare’s poetry holds many images and its
language is fluid. He is very concerned with the fate of his
continent and in quite a few poems refers back to the days
proceeding colonization. His performances of the 1991
poetry festival was memorable for his interpretation. It
demonstrated his desire to return to the oral traditions of
yester year which are at the roots of African poetry. He set an
example for many young Nigerian authors and poets. His
work reflects a great sense of humor and satone. He doesn’t
write in a vacuum but holds mirrors in which his readers may
see themselves in close up and with pleasure.
xv
END NOTES
C. Hugh Holman, A handbook to literature. (1) (Enugu:
Fourth Dimension in publishing Co. ltd. 1980) p.2
Charles Bodunde, “studies in comparative literature” in
New Introduction to literature, Olu Obafemi ed., (Ibadan Y.
Book, 1994), p.55
Charles Bodunde, “Poetry as a popular medium” in The
English Language and literature: an introductory book ed.
Adegbiza (Ilorin: Modem European language, Unilorin 1999).
p.271
Solomon Iyasere, “Oral Tradition in the criticism of
African literature”, Journal of Modern African Studies 13 (1),
1975.
Wumi Raji “Modern Literacy theories and criticism” in
The English Language and Literature: An introductory
Handbook, ed. En Adegbija (Ilorin: Modern European
Languages, Unilorin, 1999), p.219.
xvi
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
CRITICAL VIEWS ON NIYI OSUNDARE’S POETRY
Niyi Osundare is the most destructive voice among the
new or modern poets of the alternative tradition starting with
his Song of the Market Place (1983), Osundare has published
some ten volumes of poetry and has won numerous prizes
and awards including the common wealth poetry for 1980,
NORMAL prize for 1996. Osundare prolifically has been
display by his incessant few of creative worker, poetry,
drama and essays, over two decades. He has been
distinctive by the study development of his idiom. Osundare
has established himself as one the most significant poets of
his age. He was born on 12th march 1947 at Ikene-Ekiti. He
attended Amoye Grammar school, Ikene and Christ school,
Ado – Ekiti. He obtained to Nigeria in 1974 and began
teaching at his Alma Mata. In 1976, Osundare proceeded to
the University of york, Toronto for all his PH.D he became a
Professor of English in 1989 at the University of Ibadan where
he now teaches.
This chapter reviews and assesses previous works of
scholars and critics on Osundare response to the society, as
well as political realities around him. The purpose of this
literature reviews is to present on overview of Osundare and
xvii
his poetry, and highlight cities perception of his works,
especially in relation to the crux of this study. Their
assessments of the case study of this research work give it
an impetus to demand case the length at which précised
essays extend in discussion Osundare and his poetry, he
pivot from which the objectives of the essay stands.
Niyi Osundare emerged in the world of poetry with a
resolve to cause charge in African world of poetry. He
appeared with some poetic apparatus is from of the idiom
and musical accomplishments derived from the Yoruba Oral
tradition, this taking poetry from the wall of classroom to that
of the teacher. He translates most of these oral traditional
materials in his poetry. Osundare is pre-occupied with
responding to realities around him. His themes, therefore,
center immediate communal issues. Abiola Irele describing
Osundare says:
“… What distinguishes Osundare’s work?
Or the tension between the two impulses
That command his inspiration, on the
one hand, the response to immediate
issues of communal life in he …”
Tanure Ojaide also adds:“It is here that Osundare stand arts as
xviii
bringing this unnecessary gap between
saying something’ and working as a
mode of invention’ he says a lot in his
work in a very artistic way…”
From Irele and Ojaide’s view point, Osundare is
apparently pre-occupied with striking a balance between
theme and style in his volumes until the publication of waiting
laughter’s, where he seems to achieve the balance between
the two impulses . The fall however, remains that his
aesthetics impulses enhance the simplicity, acceptability,
and revolutionary of his message as Bodunde assorts;"The appeal in his poetry in the capacity of
the borrowed forms to reveal new social
vision conceived in the ambiance of a
literary intention that tend the global space…”
Bodunde’s assertion is that the high point of glamour in
Osundare’s poetry is the shifting together of aesthetics
(from) and message (content). Ezenwa Ohaeto In his review
of the Eye of the Earth ‘also agrees that Osundare has
“gradually become of Nigerian’s most assure (SIC) poetic
voice consistent in inter wearing his social concern with
effect poetic devices” Osundare attempt to address the
subject matter arising from its predominant social concern in
an idiom that can be reached by a large audience while
xix
satisfying the conditions of genuine poetic expression chizz
Udenwa equally contend that Osundare is “ public poet”,
whose work had “clear – cut “ messages a predetermine
college of poetic forms and a very interesting relationship
with words’ one goes with Udenwa’s contentions judging by
Osundare interplay between poetic forms and language,
which he successfully marries in many of his volumes.
Most critics see Osundare as a committed poet who
socio-political worlds. He makes his poetic functional by
striving for social equilibrium in the society. His brand of
poetry is people orientated.
G.D. Killam observes that Osundare uses his literary
background and skill as a writer to enhance his correction
with a commitment to the down – trodden and the oppressed.
This means that Osundare goes into the past and explore it “
to get his bearing and shift correct social problems
confronting his community and advocate a radical redress”
thus he does by drawing on the oral traditional of his agrarian
roots thus using social relevance to drive home his points,
Killam states:
“Osundare Wrestles with the problem of making
literature accessible and available to the masses
and dissociating it from the socio-economic
process that makes it …”
xx
Killam’s assessment of Osundare’s poetic aligns itself
with Biodun Jeyifo’s idea of poetic of evolution and resolution
for poetry that is a form of poetic that acts as a scribe for
serious changes on one hand, and a poetic trends on another
hand.
In Subsequent comment which focuses on the style of
Odugbama (1988) set the place for later cities in observing
and commenting the poets accessibility which he writes “his
achieve through the use of traditional forms of Yoruba oral
culture practices” Odugbama concludes that the significance
of such a language of composition is that poetic language is
demystifying.
Aileku (1987) notes the musicality of Osundare’s line by
virtue of his use of the semiotic of drum and dance to
enhance the effective utility of “simple words in day to day
usuage”. In this way Aileku points out to the words are made
to “put an aerial costumes and acquire arrow of poignant”
In
his
manuscript
Tayo
Olafioye
acknowledged
Osundare’s poignant use of drums as part of a poetic delivery
derive and offer to explain the effectiveness of the poem in
term of use of “drums as courier of joy and ill” in the life of
Africans.
Femi Osofisan [1988: 5] also set the place for hard
critical comment on the poet works by maintains that:
xxi
“The poet’s use of drums and other musical
instrument is a consumes process of
Domesticating and authenticating the poet’s art”.
His future explains the use and the potentials of other
instrument such as “agba, bata, ogbedu, ibembe, sekere, and
the flute and going…. Some of which Osundare uses capacity
of their poems”
Conclusively Femi Osofisan acknowledge that such
instruments makes the poet’s “an excising adventure in
creativity”, an as a result the poem are affected with what he
refers to as “a final measure of authenticity”
In a more comprehensive study of the poets works,
Biokolo (1990) documents the simple and mine politically
committed quality which Osundare’s poem share with some
compositions in the recent trends in Nigeria poetry. In
addition to sharing an international vision of the new poetry
trends, he adds that “osundare’s poem make a singular
contribution in his preference for expressing the poetic
experience in a beautifully phrased “way” thus again, he
draws attention top the poetic eye-catching use of language.
Funsho Aiyejina who besides christening Osundare’s
poetry and other new Nigeria poets works as the alternative
Tradition: also he asserts that Osundare being the most
xxii
abundant of the lot. His poets epitomize the destructiveness
of the groups new style”. In particular Aiyejina brings out the
lyricism and he use of heightened dramatic tone, which form
one of the poems link to the art of Yoruba oral traditions.
These future enhances the poets contribution in demystifying
the densely allusive pre-war poetry in the country. In a
laudatory but hardly exaggerated approbation, Aiyejina, who
himself is a fellow of after Native Tradition Poet, speaks of
Osundare’s achievement in African literature thus:
“In all modern African poetry: all, I
Repeat only in the poetry of Ougostina
Neto and Aqua Diop will …”
In another essay on Osundare’s work, Osofisan writes
about the poets conscious and development of traditional art
forms as a consistent style. An account in particular of this
feature he asserts that readers come to the poets work with a
“thrilling
surge
of
pleasure”
in
what
is
clearly
a
corresponding surge of critical approval, this critic talk about
Osundare’s poetry that “here at last in what good poetry
should be “on the genesis and shaping socio-economic
forces behind the poetry Osofisan observe the poets ability to
make:
xxiii
“Poetry and sing out of the usual audience
of reality as most bourgeoisies poetry, but
rather out of the very dust and clamor
of daily experiences…”
In the more specific area of language use, Osundare’s
choice of simple, everyday words and evocation of simple
rural life make his public style similar to that W.W and a poet
Laurete Ibiwami consequently conclude that Osundare is an
agricultural poet” whole exhortation of and identification with
Yoruba oral culture makes him another Okot P’Bitek in the
continent. This discussion , if not these succeeds in
highlighting the important aspects of Osundare’s use of
words side by side with his recognition of a down to – earth
simplicity in the poet. He concerns with Biodun Jeyifo in this
record to the effect that Osundare is a:
“Deliberately alternative poet, words
issue from his pen to his printed
pages with amazing facility. Of course,
the ultimate aim is aid and reveal meaning”
In another study of the impact of ideology on the art in
Osundare’s poetry, Maiwada (1992) reveals the poets
(Osundare) leftist ideological learning and its manifestation in
the poems which he says, takes the form “dialectics between
xxiv
the two classes” by citing Osundare expressed opinion in
some of his writing and making reference to his poem,
Maiwada
shows
how
the
poets
style
constitutes
a
development long awaited in a field dominated by the Soyinka
et al group which he argues, only goes to proof to the
members of culture society. He explains that this class of
poets lived an “uprooted life” for which they resorted to
creating to their life.
But like critic of the poem Maiwada does not fail to note
and commend Osundare systematic exportation of bail
aesthetics behind his works he also in this attribute
acknowledgement Osundare achievement in deriving from it
a poetic which contrasts with the pervious misdirection and
disorientation of earlier Nigeria poetry.
Exploitation and prudent deployment of elements of
traditional Yoruba creative art generally” are exploited by
Osundare in his goal in the classless socio-political systems
in Africa. In his own view Osundare has find out his goal in
the egalitarian world – view inherent in Yoruba culture, which
he adopts as the backbone of his poetics. Bamikunle accurse
the generation of poets preceding Osundare of producing
works that fail to attain the level of their African predecessor”
they failed to exploits traditional materials for idioms,
imaginary prosodic system are general form of language use.
xxv
It is a fairs their failure in doing so that he Chris Osundare
has having succeeded to have “ mould relatively closer to
Africans traditional models in (his) use of image and prosody
In the area of language use and the general poetic
medium, Bamikunle observes that Osundare use of simply
accessible words is amply complemented by his prescription
of a musical accompaniment. Which makes the poem the
tenure, rhymes and popularity of performance art? By
making Yoruba the cone or kernel of his poem, with the
remaining part of the poem exploring the cone, Osundare,
critic says achieve a special quality of poetry.
Also Jeyifo’s (1988) essay on Osundare is valued as
very important and has been referred to by many critics in
the field. His examination hails Osundare for “his distinctive
voice “which, he says makes the pay evolve, a defining
aesthetics and unite a revolution.
The bulk of critical response to end serious examination
of Osundare poetry to date emphasize the poets ideological
learning the expression in his poems
Undoubtedly Niyi Osundare has been one of the most
profound literary allures that have attracted numerous critics
even researches at the undergraduate level, at home in
recent times. He remains prolific and non-daunting in his
xxvi
used of aesthetic or explains the sing of the African part to
enhance his messaged.
2.2
THE FORM AND DICTION OF OSUNDARE’S POETRY
Formalism brings out elements that are formal in any
given work of art formalism was well established as a specific
school of thought before the Russian revolution in 1917.
Formalism was roundly denounced for neglecting contest in
the consideration of literature. Taking a start from the idea of
linguistics formalists are concerned with the establishment of
art as an autonomous form and application of linguistic and
structure criteria to the analyzing of any green work on
literature, the main objective of formalism was to “establish
the study of literature on a scientific findings”.
Generally, formalism view literature as a special use of
language. It takes a fundamental opposition between literacy
language and ordinary discourse. Formalism has two given
school of thought i.e. The American New criticism and the
Russian formalism. The Russian formalism is the framework
that is used in this research.
Russian formalism refers to the work of the society for
the study of poetic Language (OPOYAZ) founded in 1916 by
members of the group which include Viktor Shklovsky and
xxvii
Yury Tynyanou, and secondarily to the Moscow linguistic
circle funded in 1914 by Roman Jacobson.
An Essay was written in 1926 by Eichembum “The
theory of the formal method” provides an economical
overview of the approach the formalist advocated, which
included the following basic ideas:
The aim is to produce “a science of literature that could
be both independent and factual,” which is sometimes
decimated by the term poetics. Since literature is made of
language, linguistic will be a fundamental element of the
science of literature. Literature is autonomous from external
conditions in the sense that literacy language is distinct from
ordinary uses of languages not at least because it is not
(entirely) communicative.
Literature has its own history, a history of innovation in
formal structures, and it is not determined external, material
history. What a work of literature says cannot be separated
from how the literary work says it, and therefore the form and
structure of a work, far from being merely the decorative
wrapping of an isolable content, is in fact part of the content
of the work.
Going by the definition of formalities we can say this is
true of Osundare’s poetry as he also on his own employs or
uses accurate language drawn from Africa’s culture and
xxviii
African experiences to beautify his poetry. As Victor
Shklovisky put it, literature “estranges” or “deformities”,
Roman Jacobson argued that “the object of study in lifting
science not literature, it is what makes a given work a literary
work. And this is especially the work of Osundare whose
emphasis is not on literature but on literariness as shown in
the way he come his massage through his use of language.
The diction in Niyi Osundare’s poetry cannot be
undermined. Longman dictionary of contemporary English
defines diction as ‘thrice of and use of words and phrase, to
express meaning especially in literature or poetry” diction as
an element of poetry is related to aesthetics of an art piece of
work. The stylisticians refers to it as marked’ word thrice,
this word thrice and usage that do not follow the most usual
and this is certain of Osundare’s poetry little wonder why
Abiola Irele Succinctly observers that. “Words have always
lain between the tension of his attitude to immediate issues of
communal
life
and
the
awareness
of
the
aesthetics
imperatives to give artistic form to his of response’. And
these goes in with the statement of Victor Shklovok
“literature “estranges” or “de-familiarize” this making it fore
grounded.
Using formalism as the basis of this work, the research
will give a close attention to the appreciation of the poets
xxix
(Osundare) use of language, which is Aesthetics, this
showing the peculiar literary nature of Osudere’s poetry.
Formalism prefers to concentrate upon the work itself in
relative isolation it is felt to be fundamentally concern with
literary structures. This is done through a close reading; their
study in ultimately bound to be in distinctive use of language
to portrays any particular topics or concerns embodied in the
work.
This chapter has attempt to review critical opinions of
various cities and scholars about Osundare, in relation to his
mode of poetry and use of oral traditional culture or
aesthetics of making his language diction special from other
poets. And the chapter has also attempts to examine
formalism as a theory in relation to Osundare’s poetry.
2.3. AN OVERVIEW OF THE FORMALIST APPROACH
Formalism is a general term covering several similar
types of literary criticism that arose in the 1920 and 1920
flourished during he 1940s and 1950s, and are still in
evidence today. Formalists see the literary work as an object
in its own right. Thus, they tend to devote their attention to its
intrinsic nature, concentrating their analysis on the interplay
and relationship between the texts essential verbal elements.
They study the film of the work (as opposed to its content)
xxx
although form to a formalist can connote anything from genre
(for example, one may speak of “the sonnet form” to
grammatical or rhetorical structure to the “emotional
imperatives” that engenders the works (more mechanical)
structure. No matter which connotation of form pertains,
however, formalists seek to be objective in their analysis
focusing
on
the
work
itself
and
eschewing
external
considerations they pay particular attention to literary
devices used in the work and to the patterns,
Formalism developed largely in reaction to the practice
of interpreting literary texts by relating them to “extrinsic
issue, such as the historical circumstances and politics of the
era in which the work was written, its philosophical or
theological miller, or the experiences and frame of mind of its
author although the term formalism was conned by cities to
disparage the movement, it is now used simply as a
descriptive term.
Formalists have generally suggested that every day
language which serves simply to communicate information is
state and unimaginative. They argue that “literariness “has
the capacity to over turn common and expected patterns (of
grammar, of story-line) hereby rejuvenating language. Such
now uses of language by also the world in an entirely new
way. A number of schools of literary criticism have adopted a
xxxi
formalist orientation, or at least make use of fro malts
concepts. The new criticism, an American approach to
literature that reacted its height in the 1940s and 1950s, is
perhaps the most famous type of formalism. But Russian from
him was the first major formalist movement; after the
Stalinists refine suppressed it in the early 1930s, the Prague
linguistic circle adopted its analytical methods. The Chicago
school has also been classified as formalist, in so far as the
Chicago critics examined and analyzed works on an
individual basis; their interest in historical material, on the
other hand, was clearly not formalist.
xxxii
END NOTES
Abiola,
Irele
“Niyi
Osundare
Between
Self
and
Commitment” in Emerging Perspective on Niyi Osundare ed.
Abdul Raheed Na’ Allah (New Jersey: African World Press,
2003), p. XVII.
Tanure Ojaide “Niyi Osundare and His Poetic Choices”,
Ibid.p.25
Charlse
Bodunde,
“Oral
Tradition
and
Aesthetic Transfer”, Ibid.
Enzenwa Ohaeto, “Review: Niyi Osundare The Eye of the
Earth”, African Association bulletin, Vol. 3 No 3 (1987) p. 36.
Chuzz Udenwa, “A poetry of Struggle” The Guardian, 5
September 1984, p.11
G.D Killam, “Osundare and Poetry for the People” In
Emerging Perspectives on Niyi Osundare ed. Abdul Rasheed
Na’Allah (New Jersey: African World Press, 2003) p. 136.
Ibid. p.138.
Olu Obafemi, “After Midlife, Songs of Change,” Nigerian
Tribune, 1 April, 1997, p.10
Odugbami S. “Poetry for the People”. In Poet of the People’s
Republic, ed. Salah Abdu (Kano: Benchmark publishers,
2003) p.36.
Aiyeleku, M “Yoruba Oral Poetry in Osundare Village Voices”,
Ibid p.36.
xxxiii
Olafioye Tayo, “Cultural Kinetic in Osundare Village Voices”,
Ibid p.36.
Osofisan Femi, “The Nostalgic Drum: Oral Literature and the
possibility of Modern Poetry” Ibid. p. 378.
Ibid. p.37
Ibid. p.37
Bikolo…. “Exploration in new Nigerian Poetry”, Ibid. p. 37
Aiyejina Funsho, “Recent Nigerian Poetry in Ogunjobi EE
Ibid. p. 38
Ibid p. 38
Ibid. p. 39
Osofisan Femi Ibid. p. 39
Ajayi R. O, Two of A kind: Art and Politics in the poetry of Niyi
Osundare”, Ibid. p. 39
Ajayi, R.O Ibid P. 40
Biodun Jeyifo, “Messages in Voices and Song”, Ibid. p.
Grffith
M.N
“Images
and
Ideology
The
Political
Consciousness of the Alter-native Poetry Tradition, Ibid p. 41
Maiwada, M. “The Deployment o the Ideology in the poetry of
Niyi Osundare”, Ibid p. 42.
Maiwada, M. Ibid. p.42
Ibid. p. 43
Ibid. p. 43
xxxiv
Bamikunle Aderemi, “Introduction to Wole Soyinka Poetry:
Analysis of a Shillte in The Crypt”, Ibid p.45
Bamikunle Aderemi” Niyi Osundare Poetry and the Yoruba
Oral Artistic Tradition, Ibid. p. 44
Bamikunle
Aderemi,
“problems
of
Language
in
Understanding Wole Soyinka A Shuttle In the Crypt”, Ibid p.
45
Jeyifor P.O, “ The poetry of Niyi Osundare”; Ibid p. 47
Ibid. p. 47
Ibid p. 45
Oloruntoba Oju” Themes and Tendencies in Literature and
Criticism: a short Introduction”. In The English Language
Literature: An Introductory Handbook, ed. E Adegbija (Ilorin
Modern European Languages, Unilorin, 1999). P. 213.
Wumi Raji, “modern Literary Theories and Criticism Ibid, p.
219.
xxxv
CHAPTER THREE
THE SOCIAL RELEVANCE IN NIYI OSUNDARE’S THE EYE
OF THE EARTH
3.0
PREAMBLE
Aesthetics use has become the idea of commitment and
has formed the crux of African writers and critics debate.
And different ideological view points have been identified in
African literature. Niyi Osundare as a poet has planted his
vision in the rubrics of the Marxist. While his subject is
increasingly assuming its form as the cause of the society’s
oppressed and dispossessed. But going by his language that
is, his use as aesthetics or socio-cognizance shows great
affinity to the formalist ideological concern.
This chapter concentrates on the arresting quality of
the poet use of language or their use of socio-cognizance of
Osundare’s poetry specifically his selected poems in the Eye
of the Earth.
3.1
THE CULTURAL-ECONOMIC SETTING OF NIYI
OSUNDARE’S THE EYE OF THE EARTH
Osundare in his poetic task portrays in his head some
kind of pictures of society. He correspond steadfastly the
manners and life of society and turns a visionary and warning
voice and builder of future in his volatile role as a poet. He
xxxvi
finds his voice in volatility opposing the inadequacies and
injustices all over the country. In doing this, he makes use of
socio-cognizance. Thus raising the question: How well does
he use Socio-Cognizance in his poem? It is therefore
imperative that we do a textual study of his poem therein, in
the Eye of the Earth to provide answer to this question and
facilitate our comprehension of how Osundare has made use
of Social relevance.
The poems of the Eye of the Earth (EE) are to together
by a sustained concern with the fate of the earth and what the
latter stands for. The thought of these poems in heavily
influenced by Osundare’s sustained evocation of Yoruba
myths regarding the physical environment in particular the
mysticism attributed to the earth god-like essence which the
Yoruba express in the folk-prayer which says “may we never
tread on the earth when it has eyes. (Quoted in Na Allah,
2003:61). The volumes central concern and its title clearly
device as do several things, from this trope.
The EE is chronologically the third published volume of
Osundare’s
poetry.
The
poems
reveals
the
poets
competence in sustaining a consistency of strike in exploring
his subject and giving his favourite theme the cause of
society’s majority
theme
glimpsed
superior pronunciation. The poet pet
in
his
maiden
xxxvii
collection
is
here
simultaneously widened and deepened, even authenticated
by the adoption of the earth with compared and celestial
environment as a spartral metaphoric correlative of human
life. A linguistic elasticity in the poet s lines coupled with a
fecund creative mind present the poetic grand unity of life of
man and earth.
Given the sustained amount of subject matter, which is
seen largely replicated by equally sustained poetic tone and
theme, the poems of EE can as well regarded as one long
poem sub-divided into three full sections and one subsection. The poet attempt to make readers see the volumes
as divided into three or four movement only goes to reveal
and enhance the poet-persona s recount only of the shades
and shadows of (one) remembered landscape. However,
above the consistent and so unifying features of this volume
remain the poet’s prudent selection and use of words to
produce line and create impressions that effectively convey
his impressions. The lyrical and radical dimension which the
poems in this volume take in best explained in terms of the
poets chose style of language use which begins early in the
prose poetic preface of the book.
The preface to the Heinemann 1986 edition of EE though
in prose is characterized by a poetic manipulation of words to
produce a metamorphic network of impression. An ample
xxxviii
resultant the passage bearing capacity of the lines endows
the passage with many layers of meaning laid with grim
humors and exciting, some time starting impressions. The
opening sentences of the piece constitute the author s poetic
rendition of his experience in childhood;
Farmer-born, peasant-bred, I encountered
Down in the enchanted corridor of the forest,
Suckled on the delicate aroma of healing herbs,
And the pearly drops of generous moon.
Living in those days rugged, but barns brimmed
With yams fattened by merciful rains and the
Tempering fire of the unplanned sun (p.xi)
The real message of this prose piece is clearly a deep
nostalgic about an irretrievable past and fears of a fast
receding peunt as attested by a full-length poem on P.43.
This effectively carried through the subtle effacing of the dull
edge of prose by an invented poetic phraseology by word
combinations of vibrant memorable. Guiding. For example, it
is alternative resonance of the first two hyphenates
compound words of the opening line and the collision of noun
and verb impression to express a noun subject in both
compound words that from the beginning impact to the
passage a high, imaginative quality. In the same ground,
xxxix
human,
non-human
animate
and
establish the author s presentation
non-animate,
which
in the forest, herbs,
moon, barns, yams, rains and the sun as correlative of an
active and living influence in human life, becomes at once
rhythmic and memorable in a poetic way. This quality and
character of language use are expected more manifest in the
poems where their use endows and enhances the beauty and
effectiveness of the lines.
The title of volume, with it personification of the earth
describe the poets intention to make earth, which is the third
from the sun, and its human inhabitants and fragment able
material constituting its surface, a metaphor throughout the
poems. The dual, even multi-dimensional, essence of earth is
effectively captured and expressed in earth. The first poem of
the volume of the fifteen fairly even lines of this poem are
arranged in Seven (7) pairs, which envoke the dynamic
essence of this planet, so far the only body in the cosmos
discovered by modern science to be capable of sustaining
(animal) life. The poet refers to the Anthropoid principle as
what makes the planet unique, humanizes this planet and
make it essential to man and human life.
Around it the poet uniquely weaves a pool of meta-poetic
idioms thereby making it so dear indeed, essential to man.
The earth for example is said to present the extreme of
xl
Temporary basement and
Lasting roof
Bread basket
And cost bed
The fact that human life is wholly dependent on the
earth and what it contains is conveyed in a succession of twin
paradoxical acclamatory phrase that form some the poems
stanza. The unique native of the earth, which makes it crucial
to man, is central to the poet s concern and thus to the
humanizing metaphors that underpin his diction.
The relationship of the earth and human life devices
from the planets for tuitions location among the celestial
bodies. Complex autonomic equations and jaws breaking
scientific terminology have been advanced in the attempt to
give explanation to the planets nature important and destiny.
To the poet’s earthly mind, however, no jaw breaking, mind
exerting effect is called for beyond the homely image of
mother, husband, and wife. For him therefore, the earth is at
the twin paradox of
Spouse of the moving sky
Virgin of a thousand offspring (p.1)
xli
What inspired the poets of this image is the Yoruba
folkloric regard of the earth as wife to the Sky, whole
marriage is consummated by showers of rains, which
subsequently, impregnate and thus cause germination of
plant from the bowel of the earth. The poet domesticate the
earth by evoking around it familiar human attributes. Among
similar images built by successive lines of the poem are those
of the homestead in basement and roof; food and rest in
breakfast and compost bed. Not less closely related to
human especially agrarian life is the poet s evocation of
rocks, lands and mountain which are amply complemented
by a broad web of influenced linked to the sun and the sky
and the sea, moon and the tropical climate in man s life. The
earth as a whole is said to be a broad nexus of images under
the influence of the sun.
Silence of the twilight sea
Echoes of the noon some tide
Milk of mellowing moon
Fire of tropical earth (p.1)
Accumulation of epithet for the earth in the poet s effort
at achieving a totality of convenience climax into the Yoruba
epithet, Omokoyeri (the one who shaves his head with a hoe).
Thus last line of the poem which marked stress and tone
xlii
forms an all encompassing Yoruba epithet for the earth. The
English translation of the same epithet (as accompanies in
the text) hardly makes it more apt a reference to the
preceding list of the Yoruba ward series to buttress a point
made earlier about the poet s honesty and so domesticated
images of the earth.
More so, the epithet enhance the lyricism of the line
particularly by its marked high-high and drawn vowel sound
and fitting high low sound of the final word. The latter
becomes an apt counter-point to, the staccato rhythm and
soaring proclamative tone throughout the stanzas of the
poem.
It is one aspect of the poet s idioms that he deliberately
recapitulates qualities of the earth that had already been
mentioned, and he does this against the background of
modern man s destructive activities. In this regard Earth the
forerunner poem initiates a trend of veneration of earth short
through by running reiteration of congenial attributes. The
latter, are identified are preserved in some poems, while
other force3s, which may threat the earth are presented an
inimical to the life and evidence of man. All the poems of back
to earth, the first section of the volume, are to be chanted to
the accompaniment of traditional musical instruments. The
first poem forest echoes are an evocation of nostalgia for the
xliii
past. For this purpose flute and heavy drums, a combination
of literary and raucous sound from the background to the
chant In the rock role to meet me the poet enacts rituals for
the semi divine rocks and the required solemn atmosphere is
to be realized with the help of an agba drum throbbing in the
background for its light and anticipatory mood harvest call,
the part of the volume, is to be chanted with lively bata music.
In each of the sections the poet’s success lies as much in the
music as in the poem s opening lines:
A green desire, performed memories
A leafy imaging line many wanderer
Feet to this forest of a thousand wanderer
Suddenly, so soberly suddenly
The sky is tree high
And the horizon dips into inky
Grace like a masquerade squabbling
Loric fear (p.3)
Apprehension and trepidation are mood traditionally
associated with journeys into the past. These are effectively,
evoked in the lines above. A lyrical simplicity achieves
through a transparency of diction in these lines depicts the
fauna and flora, the Climate and the whole universe that
xliv
surrounds and effects the person s sense of redezvous.
Music and Musical in flexion inform the poet s use of words
and lines, throughout the poem. A subtle change of tone in
the second stanza in forest echoes , which takes the form of
a chronic reply to the preceding lyrics, signals of stylistic
dance that introduce a profound thematic shift. In addition,
this free-line stanza implies a corresponding switch from one
musical instrument to another, the therefore to the full
realization of the poem as a chant and a performance. The
twist to the anchoring voice of the chorus provides a more
confident solution to the persona s perceived sea of trouble.
The mantle of the past, with its air of security and firm serile
to be longing, is hence forth assumed by the persona
throughout the poem. The poems diction enhances the subtle
move into the choric reaction just as it enhances reader s
empatary with the persona of the poem. As usual his
language love and modern science, as in the following:
The rains have kept their time this year
(Earth has finally was the line of the year sky)
Trees bub with buck wave sap and leaves
Grab a deepening green from the scanty sun (p.3)
A sense of arrival in conveyed in the reassuring
development of the seasonal rains the realization of a happy
xlv
end to the folkloric try of between earth and sky in the
opening lines of the stanza. A trust is the persona as he
plunges into a closer exploration of the landscape is
achieved through a paradoxical re-appraisal and flora.
Just as the persona changes from a state of adulthood
with its present inhibitions to that of childhood innocence and
the capability to experience things as they are, so the poets
medium changes. Elements of fear are seen on trembling
leaves that described as things natured by love/nature by
fairy tales in a darkling forest. Even though the poet s
narration successfully demystifies what we may consider to
be childish abomination, his use of language and idioms
remain couched in childlike lings. So the two-way passage of
time, from child hood to adulthood and non adulthood to
childhood, which the person undergoes, is seen through the
metaphor of the Elulu, a time keeper brid while regularity
makes it correlative of the clock. Since time itself is thus
nativized, the persona can now fathom and express the coffin
behind the cot identify of time as follows:
And every toe mark on the foot path
Every finger point on every bark
The ropy climbers flung breathlessly
From tee to tree
The Haunting &
xlvi
Adequately equipped and purified, the persona drives
into the journey to the distant land of memory. A definite shift
in the poetic sensibility is seen reflected and enhanced by a
change in the language and the use of idioms. The poetic
medium at this junction assumes a séance like Journey and
first point of call for the entranced persona is Oku ubo
Abusoro, folkloric forest of plenitude which creates a sense
of De ja vu in the visitor, and he admits in an apostrophic
exclamation: Here still they are
In air green eyes
Midgets and Monsters still
Their unlikeness now expanding
In their pupil of our school eyes
The poets remains within the realm of the child and its
experience as still fully avoids speaking with an adult voice.
The process of formal schooling, which weaned him from
childhood and so parted him with the positive experience he
has now regained, is only indirectly referred to in the last now
regained, is only indirect referred to in the last quoted line.
The formal school belongs to a number of influences, which
in the pret s catalogue constitute the cause of his nostalgic
xlvii
lamentation. The enterprise of timber merchants and the
havoc it entails for the green forest is another cause of
concern for the past.
Breaking delight at the sight of the palm is effectively
captured and conveyed in a variety of images. Some of the
latter are presented in narrative descriptive lines that
recants the legend or story of Ogbese, rebel daughter of the
God of Osun who is Symbolized by a stream in the Yoruba
panthem. The course of this mythological stream towards the
sea is shown as slicing the hills like liquid knife and at it
moves around the turf, through tunnels and across rocks, it
passage is said to be:
Spanning bridges of fallen Mahogany
Throbbing with fishlets and tadpoles
Temporary semi-colons hastening to
The unpunctuated period of looming sea
A memorable synthesia of sensation and impression is
achieved in the poet’s use of images and language such as
the analogy of the fishlets and tadpoles, living elements of the
environment with punctuation marks on the written page.
Birds and beasts of the forest and show case in a dazzling
array of idioms that portrays the forest is truly a bevy of
birds, la barrack of beast, each with its quizzical identity. The
poet persona conceives himself in the images of a
xlviii
headmaster and the animals as pupils was together from a
school of truant antelopes obeying his head masterly steps
as he walks around. Activities of each of the birds and beasts
are described in playful, but profound language. For
example, the partridge is said to escape the hunter s bullet
leaving him dazed from the sound of his gun, and the gun
power doused by drops of sativating anger. The weaverbird
on top of the palm is described as singing mutes straws into
eloquent patterns. On its part, the squirrel is espied piercing
the tasty iris/of stubborn as it stakes the fluffy grace of its
restless trail. The poet uses words like salivating, tasty and
grace each of which combines in the line with the appropriate
main to express the beautiful essence of poetry in a
memorable way. Indeed, the forest of the persona s visit is
made to wear, the activities described, a garment of million
mirrors.
In ‘Harvest call’ the last poem of this section, the poet
evokes the season of harvest through lines chanted against
the background of lively, Bata music. Iyanfoworogi, Oke Enizi
and Ogbese Odo, made famous farmlands for yam, corn and
cotton respectively, are paid a visit as harvest time. A refrain
in the forms of a demonstration declaration punctuates the
words and phrases of descriptive praise that cut memorable
xlix
images of bounty related with each of the three forests. This
for the forest where Yam plants flourish: This is Iyanfoworogi
Where, garnished in green
Pounded Yam rested its feted arm
On the back of stooping stakes
And the second and third forests where corn and cotton
are green respectively:
And this is Oke Eniju
Where coy cobs rack lustily
In the line of Swaying stocks
And
Finally? Ogbese Odo
Where cotton pods, lips duly parted
By December’s fun
Draped busy farm steads
In a harvest of Smile.
In the first section of this poem it becomes very clear
that the poet s successive presentation of plenitude in the
earlier section is to serve as a way of fueling his provocative
intention to underscore the oppression being experienced.
These follow his vexing questions about the disappearance of
l
common farm products that used to reward farmers labour &
Sweet:
Where are they
The Yam pyramid, which challenged the sun
In busy barns
Where are they
The pumpkins
For those absences the poet insists on a re-examination
of life as a whole. His concerned is linked to his meditation
about fute of humanity as a whole challenged with the ruin of
the environment. So, in an echo of the Green Peace
Campaign and a response to the danger posed today by
global warming the poet asks
With our earth warm
How can our earth be so cold?
The poet plays in the paradox of modern man s cool
fears about global warming or the warm planet
Eyeful of Glances is another subsection of EE and it is a
clutch of term poems, which flashes in a variety of incidents
each revealing a brief but profound insight into the volumes
central concern with the earth and with humanity.
li
In they too are the earth the poet also examine the
inhumanity of man to man. It deals with a catalogue of
suffering to which the beggars the hewers of food and
drawers of water, miners, the old men and women, in short
the socially depressed are subjected. This list of acts of
aggression in inflicted on man by fellow man whole
membership of this earth the poet doubt towards the end of
the poem.
The poet aesthetically uses some words that depict the
cognizance in the society. Throughout the lines of the poem,
the poets extract the issue that is affecting the society. They
state that they meaning beggars whose numbers is
substantial (brimming gutters) are entitled to belong to this
world. When the poet says they too are the earth he is saying
that they (beggars) have a right to the earth just as the
affluent.
Thy are the earth indicates that they are
downtrodden. This impression is reinforced by the next line in
which beggars are said to be under the supervisor snakeskin
shoes and Mercedes Benz tires of the rich.
They too are the earth also focus on the category of the
wretched the hewers wood and drawers of water, the holloipolloi. The poet says twice that thy are the earth. However,
he reinforces the notion of their down-troddness by saying
lii
that that are muddy and their every pore like naked moles
that in from their daily physical exertions for survival.
It also centers on the miners who are usually very poor
people. Occasionally the mine siter cave in and thousand s of
miners are buried alive. South African gold miners easily
came to mind, which is why the poet mentions gold dream.
His reference to blood banks has three possible sources
either he means the blood of the life burials in the mine or the
blood miners expend in sweet their blood to hospital blood
banks for survival.
They too are the earth also discuss the life of the old
men and women. The old die distant deaths
they are
avoidable deaths in very poor house uncared for. There are
also women, another oppressed group. They have been
oppressed by the male folk over the centuries in what the
poet refers to as maleficent skuery. The male in maleficent is
Italicized on purpose. The poem also focused on the rich. The
poet asks if by their behaviour they are also members of this
earth. This is because of their actions they fritter the forests
and hills: they live so that earth may die. In other words, they
are the enemies of the environment which renews earthly
resources and ensures human survival.
liii
In the poem, we can depict many themes and subthemes which will enable the betterment of thus research,
among the themes we have is they too are the earth are: i.
Membership of the earth: the poet uses the poem to
repeatedly assort that the earth also belongs to the
poor. He does this in a number of ways: First, he asserts
that they are also members of this earth by saying four
times that they too are the earth. That is in case that fact
is being forgotten. He also remarks four times that they
are the earth. The meaning is diverse thy only belong to
the earth itself because they provide with services that
ascertain and sustain the world. The poor also behave
as if they belong here. On the other hand, the opulent
carry themselves about as if they membership of this
earth that is doubtful. This is because of the manner
they destroy earth s natural resources like the forests
and the holls.
ii.
Poverty
and
Survival:
the
notion
of
poverty
is
announced very early in the poem, when the poet refers
to the swan songs of beggars sprawled out/in brimming
gather
sprawled
emphasizes the spread of these
beggars while brimming stresses their number. The
poor survive by physical exertions. Many of them
(millions) hew wood and hurl water for sale. They also
liv
search for survivals in mines, and occasionally pay for it
with their lives when the mine gives why. The reference
of blood banks in order to survive.
iii.
Environmental Degradation: the poem quietly condemns
the environmental onslaught by the rich. The rich are
the contractors and builders who use big machine, to
cut down the forest and to harry the hills. These things
are done without reference to their effects on the earth.
The affluent and the top brass do what they do on
environment for their own survival except that they live
they earth many die. The poet is attitude to the actions
of the rich with regard to the environment is easily
registered in the three rhetorical questions in the last
five lines of the poem where he asks if these people are
actually of this earth. The poem itself ends on adaggeerpoint Are they? This revealing the poets anger against
those who promote environmental degradation.
The poet uses words (diction) that evoke the connect
sympathy for the poor and stirs hostility for the rich. Such
words and expressions which make us feel for the downtrodden include ‘Swan songs’, ‘Sprawled out’ (as in lying on
one s stomach) ‘brimming gutters’,
‘buried alive’,
‘hard
unfathomable mines’, ‘blood banks’ (where the blood of the
lv
poor is exchanged for money),
‘maleficent slavery’ etc.
These words may appear simple but they evoke attributes,
impressions, emotions and actions which heightens our
sympathy for the wretched of the earth.
Notice must be taken of certain words; these words are
either repeated, stand alone or italicized. The word ‘earth’ is
repeated to underscore the necessity for human worth, the
poor and the needy being also human beings. ‘Distant’ is
another of such words, ‘distant groans’ and ‘distant death’.
One use of ‘distant’ emphasizes the length of time the
groaning has taken, the other refers to the fact that such
deaths are avoidable or go on unrioted. Each use of distant
returns us to the ‘uncaring’ behaviour of the oppressors
towards those thy subjugate. ‘Muddy’ is used to reflect the
closeness of the poor to the earth since during work, they
covered with mud. ‘Blood banks’ either indicates that the
oppressed miners of gold virtually shed their blood while
doing this or that the poor sell their blood to hospital blood
banks in order to survive
which ear interpretation, the
notion of depravity and want is easily underscored. Another
word in ‘maleficent’ part of which is italicized. In the way, it is
used in the poem, it connoter both ill-will and the fact that
slavish status of women is inspired by the men-folk.
lvi
They too are the earth focuses on things that make up
the earth. He goes from modern time’s mentiny ‘Snakeskin’
shoes and ‘Mercedes tyres’ to ‘centuries of maleficent
slavery’. Osundare s main point is to focus on things we as
people don t see as part of the earth but is actually a part of
the earth. In the end of this poem he asks if those who live
that earth may die are of this earth also. The poets want to
know if those who make the earth die away with their antics
and vices of the earth. Through his poem he insures a tore
that shows he wants to presence the earth and those who
don t care are not part of this earth. Osundare s mentions
death as being the earth. He mention different type of people
who died such as miners who died of
“gold dreams and
blood banks” and “the old dying distant deaths in narrow
abandoned hamlets”
to
“woman battling centuries of
maleficent slavery”. All of there people worked on the land
and make it prosperous. He mentions them all to show that
although circumstances are different, the cause was still the
sane being that nature was the earth and all these people
presented it.
Osundare end his poem by focusing on the people he
feels are not if the earth but leaves it to the spectators to
decides of this agree. His tone dislikes those who damage the
earth in order to get ahead. He can t seem to fathom the fact
lvii
that they would considered the earth just because they exist
but yet do it harm. Osundare s focus is very clear and his
tone is very strong. He looks at the earth through the people
and nature as opposed to nature to suffice it cans t do it alone
but with the help of its people it can live on.
The true concept of the earth as outlined in Earth is
seen extended in various ways and corners in poems of the
last section. The intertwining essence of man and the earth
as seen in
thy too are the Earth
is followed by the
conceptions of the latter as a woman whole fate is tied to that
of the mass majority, in
what the Earth says . Another
dimension of the man-earth relationship is presented in ours
to plough, not to plunder. The book declaration of the title
prefaces lines that show earth are belonging to man, who is
therefore the least to plunder or destiny of through idioms,
metaphor, and symbols from agriculture and mining, two
professions directly involved with the earth, the poem
reminds man of his obligation to his planet home.
The poet’s admonition to man on the fate of the earth
and its conference is concluded by a rich and exhaustive
submission in Our Earth will not die, the last poem of the
volume. In this poem, the poet emphasizes a variety of means
to express his worry about fate of the earth together with his
tenacious faith in the planets continues survival. First he
lviii
suggest that the poem is meant to be sung to the
accompaniment of a solemn, almost elegiac tune, which in
the last part is to change to a festive, louder music denoting
the perseverance of hope in him. This change of tone is also
adequately, anticipated by corresponding changes in the
language and style of presentation. From the opening of the
poem, for example, a dialogical re-enactment involving a lead
singer and a chorus alternates with a reflective declarative
voice. It is the latter, assisted by rise in the tone of music that
marks the high level of the poet s optimism for the future of
the earth.
Looking closely at the contents of the poem can be seen
informed by an awareness of man and atmosphere of the
earth. The opening stanza accumulated acts of desecration
earth has suffered, including the lynding of the Mountains.
Besides the fitting choice of words, which rhyme with each
other, the lives are dramatized with a lead voice narrating the
act of desecration and a chorus intoning the victim as
follows:
Lynched
The Later
Slaughter
The Sea
lix
However, the solemn elegiac tone that accompanies the
poet s presentation of a dismal picture of the earth is
punctuated through the first part of the poem by the
assurance that our earth will die. The optimism of this refrain
anticipants the change from fear to hope of the last stanza
with its spirit lifting content. It is against act of poisoning the
earth, sun, rock, grass, wind palm and sea through the
arsenic bladder of profit factories that the poet defiantly
sings of a new rain and the promise of harvest at a time when:
… A jubilant thunder flings open the
Sky gate and a new rain tumble down in
Drums of joy
The poets enumeration of man’s disastrous acts to
earth is suddenly made to give way to a form faith is, and
passionate affirmation of the survival of OUR EARTH.
This chapter has make a critical analysis of the Eye of
the Earth, relevant reference to the way Osundare has
control language and all the resources to express his
contributions with an impression of the condition of the
earthy as this is complicated with the fate of its human
inhabitants.
lx
From what has been obtained form these chapters one
can say that Osundare has successfully depict the socio
cognizance in his poem fro the great benefit to the society.
ENDNOTE
Niyi Osundare, The Eye of the Earth (Ibadan Heinemann
Educational Book Plc. 1986)
Emmanuel Ngara, Ideology and form in African poetry
(London: Jame Curry, 1990), pp. 175-183.
Saleh Abdul, “Eye of the Earth: Metaphoric Correllative
Humanity in Poet of the Peoples’ Republic”, (Kano: Bench
Mark Publisher, 203) pp.75-108.
lxi
CHAPTER FOUR
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Osundare has set out locate societal with his in future of
the world of the social, religious and philosophical ideas into
which he is born, which he also grows and the which he also
responds with his works. This essay has so far feature
Osundare and his love of nature.
The beginning of this essay examines poetry and
liberates at large as a genre of art, which enable Africans and
the whole world at large tot take cognizance of the essential
of the African world. It also depends of realities of society for
its relevance and functionality.
The essay also examines. Formalism as an ideology
employed by Osundare in successfully appreciating nature
with his works. The main focus of the formalist is “language
that is fire grounded” it geared this essay is line with the idea
of the school of formalism.
The
research
edits
critical
submissions
on
Niyi
Osundare and his poetry. The different reactions to his
poetry and style of writing give credence to him as a poet of
the most significant poet writer today. Many scholars and
critics have come to accept Osundare because of him seeing
the society as subject to dialectic motion, Osundare also
lxii
gives the vision of restoration, the redeeming essence of a
positive social firm.
The third chapter of the research, analyze Osundare’s
the Eye of the Earth to pass across his message. His way of
arranging and selecting poems in the Eye of the Earth is an
artistic piece that gives proves to his adequate use of
societal awareness.
Responding to the question of this research work,
beyond doubt, Osundare has extensively make use of natural
terms to examine his knowledge about the society. Selected
poems, which are analyzed in the cause of this research, give
credibility to his poetic vision. And this has ascribed him
various status among scholars and critics.
Furthermore,
he
artistically
creates
the
purpose
reassuring the life of a sick and rotten humanity. He
introduces nature as the basis of social and economic
practices, he posts that the manner of relation to earth
determines forms of social practices. The ability of Osundare
to advice these goals in the matter and manner of his poetry,
which a most profound among his contemporary.
Osundare’s reaction towards nature has made him
established himself as a past of the materialist view of the
word. He rites about what we are familiar with our
experiences, what we are familiar with our experiences, what
lxiii
we are knowledgeable about i.e. nature the rocks (Olosunta
and Orole), Forest that exists in the objective material world.
However, Osundare’s depiction of Nature, symbolized in the
true metaphor of the earth departs from other interpretation.
His major concerns come short of myth making.
END NOTES
Abiola Irele, “Preface: Niyi Osundere between Self and
commitment” in Emerging Perspective on Niyi Osundare (Ed.)
Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah (New Jersey: African World press,
2003) P.xiii
lxiv
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