Oladejo Okediji
Writing has only brought me fame
Octogenarian
Yoruba writer Pa Oladejo Okediji, who earned a reputation as a crime writer and
has been compared to British writer Agatha Christie, speaks to Taiwo Abiodun on
his passion for writing, the early years and the fame, even as he laments the
dwindling fortune of the Yoruba language.
With
85 year-old Yoruba novelist, writer and author, Pa Oladejo Okediji, there are
no dull moments. If he is not in his living room writing stories, then he is in
his bedroom, reading and brain-storming. Not surprisingly, his living room is
like an antique room, filled with books, artworks, biblical and poetic verses
artistically inscribed on cardboards and photographs that either dangled from
the ceiling or hung on the walls. He says his bedroom is no different. And his
library boasts of over 5,000 books.
Sturdily
built and unassuming, the old man’s hair has gone all white, which is
indicative of his age, but he retains his sharp wit, rich sense of humour and
quick memory. When The Nation met him in his sitting room, he was busy
making notes; he says he gets inspirations from his immediate surrounding and
from his Christian leaning. This indeed is the world of one of the most popular
Yoruba novelists of all times, who modelled his works after British crime
writer, Agatha Christie.
Pa
Okediji says all his published stories are basically about life and its
challenges, especially crime stories, which were the toasts of readers in the
60s and 70s. Going down memory lane, he said the desire to write stemmed from
his passion and voracity to gobble as many books as he could lay his hands on,
back in the days. “I had read so many English novels such that I thought I
should write something myself. Somehow, in 1954, the Western Regional
Literature Committee advertised in the Daily Times and two or three other
papers that it wanted Yoruba writers who could write, but in a style different
from Daniel O. Fagunwa the legendary Yoruba novelist, whose stories were
full of mystery. Put simply, they wanted a style similar to the English. It
suddenly occurred to me that I should give it a try; so that was how I started
with a story in the crime section. I had read crime books of Agatha Christie
and many other English novels, so I just started writing. I wrote what I
thought should be acceptable to the advertiser with free hand and sent it by
post. Unfortunately, I did not make any copy or duplicate of the story, so it
looked like that story had gone forever, especially since I didn’t hear from
them for about six years.”
He
continued: “Much later, an advertisement was placed in the newspapers again to
commemorate the independence of Nigeria, which had been slated for October 1st
1960. I read another advertisement in the same Daily Times asking where Oladejo
Okediji was. The advertisement was signed S.A .Babalola. I wrote back to ask
whether it was on account of the script I had sent years back, but they said it
was for a writing competition; so I sent my address to them. I was
expecting a reply, but that also ended there. Then another six years, 1966,
this same Babalola wrote another published message, asking where I was and I
said ‘Leave me alone, I sent you a script nothing has been heard of it,’ then
he said the script was lost. He said the last person who probably had it was D.
O. Fagunwa, who in between had passed on and nobody could trace it. He thus
implored me to write again, and that was how I started writing ‘Aja Lo leru’
and it was published in 1969.”
But
he had become wiser and thereafter always kept a copy for himself. “I would
write and type Aja Lo leru, save a copy, then send a duplicate to Babalola, who
in turn sent it to Longman Publishers.” Soon Okediji said it became part of him
to write. He recalled that he was so enthused to see his book published that it
spurred him on to write more. “I wrote Aja Lo leru, which was followed by
Agbalagba Akan – both were crime stories. Then the late Professor Ola Rotimi
who was then at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) asked me
to write plays, but I asked him the difference between plays and novels. He
however encouraged me, and that was what motivated me to write Rere Run. All
the books I wrote were published by different publishers.”
But
following the success of his first two crime novels, (Aja Lo leru and Agbalagba
Akan), Okediji said it took him another 38 years (2007) to write a sequel Ka
rin ka po and that it was due to popular demand by his publisher. He said it
was a continuation of the story of Lapade, a hero in the first two books.
About
‘Atoto Arere,’ another of his crime books, he explained how he got its inspiration.
‘Oh that book? I patiently watched the notorious first armed robber to be
executed in Nigeria, Oyenusi. That was at the Bar Beach, and it was exactly at
that execution ground that I started the story. Though, ‘Atoto Arere’ is not as
popular as the sequels featuring Lapade, Okediji says the book, ‘Rere Run’ is a
complete one. It was translated into French, with the title, ‘Catastrophe au
rendezvous- vous, while his other books are in series.
He
also revealed that almost all his books have been used at one time or the other
as Yoruba language texts in Nigerian universities, serialised in newspapers,
radio and produced as Yoruba home videos.
He
however says writing for him is more about passion than money: “There is no
money in writing, the only reward you get is having an admirer walk up to you
and say ‘thank you.’
“The
highest I have ever got from a publisher is 32,000 naira from ‘Aajo Aje’
(Running After Riches) a play I wrote a few years ago and published by Agbemem
Nigeria (Co.) Limited. “
On
his writing style
Pa
Okediji said he gets inspirations through his environment and things happening
around him. He said writing is about vision- you sit down and see something
happening, you internalise it, and put it in another situation to form a
story.”
His
Saddest moment
The
old man declared that he is always happy, except on occasions when he remembers
his younger brother who passed on three decades ago. “I am happy everyday but
my saddest moments have always been connected with my younger brother, Ayo Okediji,
who died 31 years ago. I am also not happy anytime I remember a colleague like
D.A. Ladele (author of ‘Je nlo gba temi’), who died recently. He lived nearby
and we used to discuss a lot about the Yoruba Language, its usages and
spellings and how to improve on them.
On
his children
Okediji
is blessed with kids who have all done well academically, with a good number of
them working within the academics. “Each of them has his/her own choice of
life: Moyo is in love with Arts, he is a professor of Arts and presently
lectures in a university in the United States of America. One of them is a
school principal, while another is a teacher. I also have a daughter who is a
lawyer, whose daughter is also a lawyer.”
Does
he have any regrets? We asked.
But
Okediji looked up, gave a good laugh and said “Looking back and having regret
is like crying over spilt milk. I have no regrets, I am happy with my God. I am
Otun Baale of Apaara. Mind you, Apaara was a big quarter on its own before I
was given the title, so it didn’t develop because of my writing.”
Fears
for the Yoruba language
Okediji
is of the opinion that “The dearth of Yoruba language is worrisome as people no
longer teach their children the language; everything is going down, the culture
now is money, and there is no money in writing. When ‘Aja Lo leru’ came out in
1969, a certain company gave me an award with 25 pounds; if the
government, people and companies have been doing that and recognising writers,
Yoruba would have been kept alive. There is no money in writing, just fame.”
For
would-be Yoruba writers, Okediji says the only way forward is “They should read
wide. If you don’t read, you cannot write. It is unfortunate that our Yoruba
students aspiring to write do not want to read. Another thing, they should not
expect to become millionaires!”
His
education
“I
went to primary school, I left Standard Six in 1943; I was a pupil teacher in
1944. I did not attain the four walls of the university except for a diploma
course. I have Associate Certificate of Education (ACE) from the University of
Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) Ile Ife. Some of my Published works are:
Aja Lo leru, Agbalagba Akan, Atoto Arere, Aajo Aje, Ka rin ka po, Oga ni
Bukola, Rere Run, Sango, Opa Agbeleka, Iroyin Ayo, Binu ti ri among others.
Even now, I am writing another one, but the title is under wraps.”
As
he finished the last sentence, Pa Okediji looked up, tapped his head, smiled
and went back to his writing.
#nationalweekofremembrancefordepartedwriters
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