The passing away of legendary scholar, writer and dramatist, Prof. Akinwumi Ishola, shakes the arts and culture community, Akeem Lasisi writes
When acclaimed broadcaster and dramatist, Adebayo Faleti, passed in July 2017, Akeem Lasisi tried to reach Prof. Akinwumi Ishola on phone. Based on how close the icons were, wanting to get his reaction on Faleti’s demise was a natural thing. Apart from the fact that they were both writers of repute and committed promoters of Yoruba, nay African culture, they were among the few intellectuals who identified with Nigeria’s contemporary film industry, especially what is informally referred to as Yoruwood – meant to be a branch of Nollywood.
Instead of the easy-going scholar to answer the phone, it was his wife, Mrs. Adebola Ishola, who spoke with the journalist. According to her, ‘Baba’, as she fondly called him, was a bit indisposed and had to rest. She noted that the family had deliberately kept the news of Faleti’s departure from him.
“You know they are very close,” she said in a very friendly manner. One could easily discern the kind of native intelligence that Akinwumi Isola always radiated in the voice of his sweetheart too – like husband, like wife. Of course, the ‘intruder’ too appreciated the need to give Ishola the place he deserved to rest and how not to compound the situation with the sad story of his friend’s demise.
When, on Saturday, news of his death broke, the experience came back to one’s memory. So, death is indeed a trickster! The friend has eventually joined his friend; Yoruba, indeed Africa, has lost two fantastic sons in a matter of months.
Little wonder, the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, described Isola’s death as a colossal loss to the Yoruba race, Africa and the world at large.
As a writer, Ishola gave Yoruba literature finesse and proved that modern novels and plays written in indigenous languages can be as engaging and interesting as those written in English or any other ‘international’ language.
Among other programmes that Ishola attended, he was a frequent and active participant at the Author’s Forum, organised by University Press PLC, Ibadan. Little wonder, one of the first persons to mourn him is the book company’s Chairman, Dr. Lekan Are, who stressed the deceased’s deep love for Yoruba language.
Are said, “He was a brilliant individual who made Yoruba history popular beyond Africa. He wanted Yoruba language to feature prominently in our education system but, unfortunately, this did not happen in his life time. May his soul rest in peace.”
While Isaia’s Efunsatan Aniwura, the drama of the tyrannical Iyalode of Ibadan, rattled the theatre decades back and continues to be a reference point, his most popular novel, O Le Ku, is an evergreen spectacle, a cultural romance that celebrates love in an intriguing plot and a pretty language. Many critics believe that if Things Fall Apart is Achebe’s golden book and Death and the King’s Horseman is Wole Soyinka’s, then O Le Ku is the best offering from the womb of Ishola’s muse. For one, the writer got the title, O Le Ku, so right that it has become part of the daily idioms of millions of Yorubas within and outside the country.
Yet, the novel set in Ibadan, with part of it happening at the University of Ibadan, still had another glorious date with limelight. That came when Tunde Kelani decided to film it, deploying fine talents, such as Lere Paimo, Kola Oyewo, Yemi Shodimu and Feyikemi Bodunrin, to the screen. Till date, the film that goes by the same title remains one of the best products from such an experiment.
Shodimu, who played the lead role of Ajani – the lover boy whom destiny and romantic avarice move from one girl to the other – still vividly remembers his encounter with Ishola as well as with the text. According to him, his interaction with the deceased was memorable.
He told our correspondent on Monday, “There is no doubting the fact that Prof. Akinwumi Ishola was an icon. One thing that struck me when we were on set of O Le Ku is that we found out that he had a vision for every line of the book. Yet, he never attempted to impose his perspective on us. He was a scholar who had an ideal picture of what life is and what life should be. He did well by attempting to document culture. I am privileged to have played the role of Ajani in O Le Ku. I am happy I met him.”
Kelani found the union so rewarding that he filmed Ishola’s other works that include Koseegbe and Saworo Ide. But one thing that made Ishola’s intervention in the country’s film industry real is that he, alongside his fellow learned colleagues such as Faleti, the late Larinde Akinleye and Laide Adewale, participated actively in the development of the scripts and actual delivery on set. It is such a rare collaboration that imbued highly successful Saworo Ide with a kind of dialogue that is almost larger than life.
On this, Kelani said in a report, “I am proud to say that I learnt a lot from him and my life experienced a great development since the time I worked with him, especially when we did Koseegbe, Saworo Ide, Agogo Ewo, among other films. My relationship with him was interesting. His works preach morals, and how to tackle corruption. I pray that God will uphold the foundation he had laid.”
Paimo also acknowledged the largeness of the intellect and heart of the departed writer, saying, “He is a great man full of wisdom and, without doubt, the industry and I personally would miss him. I cherish his philosophy and kind heart.”
Other stakeholders have continued to mourn Ishola, whose voice was also strong at lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences that bordered on cultural and literary development. He was, for instance, one of the scholars that the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation continually courted at its various programmes within and outside the country, when Prof. Tunde Babawale was at the helm of its affairs. Babawale likens his death to the demise of an institution.
“I am happy that Prof. Ishola led a successful and an enviable life. But my concern is how to replace such a legend, especially in the pitiable situation we find ourselves as a people, with regards to the regression that our culture is suffering,” Babawale said.
Legendary linguist, Emeritus Prof. Ayo Bamgbose, who supervised Ishola’s PhD, described him as a literary icon. Beyond the fact that Ishola’s friends nicknamed him Honest Man, Bamgbose maintained that Ishola was truly an honest soul and someone who valued integrity.
He said in a tribute, “If he had joined politics or meddled in politicians’ affair, they would have soiled his name. He was my brilliant PhD student. I feel bad about his death. I have made up my mind that I will no longer write in the condolence register for any younger one that died before me, but can I do that now? I cannot do that. I have to write something for Akinwumi Ishola.”
One of the deceased’s three children, Akinjide Ishola, who is a lawyer, also attested to his honesty and humility. He noted that his father was a gentleman in the real sense of the word.
“You hardly saw him angry,” Ishola junior said. “He was a great man who was very friendly with anybody. Anytime you came to him, he was ready for you. Come to him at Iam, he was ready for you. He was nice and loving to a fault. He was a wonderful man.”
While veteran artist, Moyo Okediji, saluted Ishola as one of the greatest, US-based scholar, Prof. Adeleke Adeeko, described him as a playwright, novelist, critic, teacher, poet and raconteur.
Adeeko noted in a Facebook post, “I regard meeting with him among my most fortunate encounters. The last time was on July 15, 2016, at his home in Ibadan, when we presented Prof. Pamela Olubunmi Smith’s English translation of Ogun Omode.
“Isola’s friends don’t call him Honest Man for nothing. Just go see Tunde Kelani’s video-movie production of Ishola’s acknowledgment of feminist critique of his best known work, Efúnsétán Aníwúrà. My heart goes to those I know that the passing of Prof. Ishola makes the world a far more lonelier place.”
So attached was Ishola to Yoruba language that he once dared academic tradition by delivering a convocation lecture in Yoruba – at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State – while he also translated Death and the King’s Horseman to Iku Olokun Esin.
According to a profile, the scholar born in Ibadan in 1939 attended Labode Methodist School and Wesley College in the Oyo State capital. He studied at the University of Ibadan, earning a B. A. in French. He also earned an M.A. in Yoruba literature from the University of Lagos in 1978 before commencing academic work as a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University. He was appointed Professor at the same University in 1991. Isola wrote his first play, Efunsetan Aniwura, while still a student at the University of Ibadan. This was followed by O Leku. His play proved popular and one performance in Ibadan was watched by 40,000 people. Also, in 1986, he wrote and composed the college anthem that is currently being sung in Wesley College Ibadan.
