LITERATURE OBJ:
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THEORY ASPECTS
NO3
Lonely Days, Bayo Adebowale’s novel centres on Yaremi, a strong
widow and her
experiences as a lonely woman in Kufi village.
Yaremi is the widow of Ajumobi who was a very brave and
prosperous hunter.
She has three children: Segi, Alani and Wura. As in all African
cultures, Yaremi
faces a lot after the demise of her husband ranging from accusation
of murder
and several rites and practices. After going through all those,
Yaremi is now left
alone to face life as a widow.
Yaremi’s grandchild (Segi’s son), Woye, is a small boy who stays
with Yaremi
during this trying times. The boy helps Yaremi with her trade in the
market and
also with the production of dyed materials who she sells for a living.
After a short while of reminiscing on the good days, of sorrowing
over her dead
husband, of trying hard to face the new life of loneliness that the
death of her
husband presents; Yaremi is to pick a new husband.
No4i)
*Below are 3 irrefutable themes in the story:*
(i) Disadvantages of widowhood
(ii) Gender inequality among Africans
(iii) Hardwork and self-esteem
i)DISADVANTAGES OF WIDOWHOOD
The story placed its protagonist (who is a
widow) through the disadvantages of
widowhood. Yaremi (the protagonist) in her black
mourner’s attires, has not fully got over the
sorrow of losing her husband (Ajumobi) when
other negative effects of widowhood began to
pile. She became lonely fending for herself alone
yet the envies and criticism from the people of
Kufi village made matters worse; like other
widows, Yaremi was expected to be down in self-
esteem but she was not, she was expected to
depend her living on another man in Kufi but she
didn’t.
According to the storyline, Fayoyin, who was
also a widow, was made to lick libation and sing
dirge at her husband’s death; and her beautifully
woven hair was shaved to bard skull. Other
disadvantages the widow characters face in the
story are castigation, maltreatment, forceful
second marriage, etc.
ii)GENDER INEQUALITY AMONG AFRICANS
Gender inequality has been a very big issue in
Africa, both in urban and in rural parts. In Lonely
Days, the issue surfaced among dwellers of Kufi
village. The men are highly placed above women
and women are meant to have cold feet
whenever issue between man and women arise.
Even a Yoruba proverb says "let a man pee while
walking and a woman pee while walking and we
shall see which one will wet her legs with urine".
One of the ways with which men prove their
superiority over women in Kufi village is the
forceful cap-picking which is organized for the
widows; in such event, men interested in such a
widow will submit their cap for the widow to pick
one.
iii)HARDWORK AND SELF-ESTEEM
Hardwork and self-esteem are made to be the
treasures of women in Lonely Days by Bayo
Adebowale. Those who possess both are gloried
as in the case of Yaremi, the novel’s protagonist
and widow. She is a dedicated mother who not
only believe in herself but also in female
emancipation and empowerment due to her vast
experience and exposure. Yaremi was so
hardworking to the level that her trade was
known across surrounding villages.
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