I met D. O. Fagunwa in 1981.

D. O. Fagunwa was born circa 1910 at Oke Igbo, Ondo State. He died in 1963 near Bida, Nigeria.

He was a teacher. My teacher. He was 71 and I was 11 when we met.

Do you remember Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole? D. O. Fagunwa authored it. I mean The Forest of a Thousand Daemons made available in English by Professor Wole Soyinka, 1986 Nobel Laureate in Literature.

I was born an unusually reflective child. I grew up in solitude.

Early in my preteen years, when my peers were building mud-houses and rolling tyres on the streets in the sleepy town of Akure, my tender soul was throbbing with a trillion questions.

About 'me' - the mysteries of birth and growth. About being African - the root and essence of being 'me'. About life in Africa - the problems of the continent in relations to the world and the purpose of existence.

My inner being ached. The society could not relieve me. Its glamour, music and wine offered less solace. My belly longed for answers. A mortal sojourn began.

So it was at the age 11 that I found a cobweb-sheltered treasure chest hidden under my maternal grandmother's bed. I was alone in her room. My heart was pumping fast. What could be the content of this chest?

I found diamond. Priceless treasure. I mean, books. Classics in both Yoruba and English. 90 per cent of the English books were the Longman series; Treasure Island, Return to Treasure Island, King Solomon's Mines, Allan Quatermain, et al.

Then I found D. O. Fagunwa. Rather, the Sage found me. He spent up to 24 months with me. He lived in my house for two years from 1981 to 1982.

On the first night, he taught me from The Forest of a Thousand Daemons that "... like the sonorous proverb do we drum the agidigbo; it is the wise who dance to it, and the learned who understand its language. The story which follows is a veritable agidigbo; it is I who will drum it, and you the wise heads who will interpret it.''

I went on to read Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje, Ireke Onibudo, Igbo Olodumare and Adiitu Olodumare.

D. O. Fagunwa taught me about life. He pointed the way up to God Almighty and showed me the mysteries of the unknown worlds. He took me through adventure. He lavished me with the beauties of African culture and language.

He taught me the omoluwabi principles – the ‘iwa akin’ and imperishable values of bravery, courage, discipline, industry, endurance, focus, humility, selflessness, persistence, focus, accountability, time management, fidelity, leadership and service to humanity.

I long to see these omoluwabi principles in Nigeria some day soon.

D. O. Fagunwa also taught me the ways of the world, the way of women and the path to happiness. The Sage defined my worldview.

He shaped my perception about service, leadership, women and the Black race. He answered my questions. He left me in the later part of 1982 with a peace of mind.

My quest began. I visited all known bookshops in Akure. Toyin Bookshop, Dims New Era and others I would not readily recollect their names. I was a regular face in one antiquity bookshop then located beside the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Oba Adesida Road.

In 1986 when I visited my antiquity bookshop, I was abruptly launched into the strange world of Oswald Chambers, Oswald Sanders, Watchman Nee, Richard Baxter, John Milton, William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer to mention but a few.

It was a rendezvous with Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Sanders' The Man God Uses, Watchman Nee's What Shall This Man Do?, Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor, John Milton's Paradise Lost, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare and The Canterbury Tales of Geoffery Chaucer.

These books were worn with age. They were resold to me but not until the owner queried whether I was studying theology, philosophy or something. Of course, I just wrote my school certificate examinations.  He wondered what I would be doing with these books when I could content myself with the Mills and Boon series.

The books were really hard to understand. They stretched my teenage mind beyond comprehension. I laboured to read and was rewarded. My philosophies of life, work, leadership and responsibilities were invigorated through my fellowships with these timeless authors.

I lost D. O. Fagunwa to an inner conflict of ideology in the later part of 1986.

Twenty years later, in August 2006 I found him at the Muritala International Airport when I was returning to Accra from Lagos.

The Sage was 96. He was in the company of the Nobel Laureate. He glowed. I shouted, 'Baba, eyin ni yen.' The two lecturers from University of Ibadan beside me were bemused and embarrassed at my excitement. As they looked on, I rushed and embraced D. O. Fagunwa.

The quest continues.

Babatunde Fajimi, Accra Ghana

http://quest4excellence.blogspot.com

Robot  # 1 | 14.10.2006 15:42

...Read the full article.

No Smoking  # 2 | 14.10.2006 16:08

I enjoyed the original "Ogboju Ode" myself. In fact, Fajimi's literary collection resembled my own, unfortunately left behind in joining the Diaspora. If Fajimi is watching, and has not read it, I'll like to recommend "Gulliver's Travel". I once had the complete works volume, author Jonathan Swift. Good books, especially read in the formative years, leave a lasting impression on the young readers' minds and lives.

emj  # 3 | 14.10.2006 18:21

I went on to read Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje, Ireke Onibudo, Igbo Olodumare and Adiitu Olodumare . I read those books too, some light years ago...................... D. O. Fagunwa taught me about life. He pointed the way up to God Almighty and showed me the mysteries of the unknown worlds. He took me through adventure. He lavished me with the beauties of African culture and language. He taught me the omoluwabi principles – the ‘iwa akin’ and imperishable values of bravery, courage, discipline, industry, endurance, focus, humility, selflessness, persistence, focus, accountability, time management, fidelity, leadership and service to humanity. I long to see these omoluwabi principles in Nigeria some day soon. Oto lo so, Fajimi, baba Fagunwa's books helped to shape the lifes of some of us..........what is lacking today is lack of proper mentoring, a lot of the youths went to school, but did not get educated, rather, they settled for Instantas...............what a pity, the genesis of rat race........people just simply chase after emptiness.......... D. O. Fagunwa also taught me the ways of the world, the way of women and the path to happiness. The Sage defined my worldview. He shaped my perception about service, leadership, women and the Black race. He answered my questions. He left me in the later part of 1982 with a peace of mind. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........................................................ My quest began. I visited all known bookshops in Akure. Toyin Bookshop, Dims New Era and others I would not readily recollect their names. I was a regular face in one antiquity bookshop then located beside the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Oba Adesida Road. In 1986 when I visited my antiquity bookshop, I was abruptly launched into the strange world of Oswald Chambers, Oswald Sanders, Watchman Nee, Richard Baxter, John Milton, William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer to mention but a few. It was a rendezvous with Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Sanders' The Man God Uses, Watchman Nee's What Shall This Man Do?, Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor, John Milton's Paradise Lost, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare and The Canterbury Tales of Geoffery Chaucer. Those books are now antiques.........we had treasures in our hands and some of us gave them away, only to later pay through the nose to aquire them for our children. The culture of reading real Literature Books in most schools is as dead as a dodo.........not only did we take part in some shakespearean plays, but read those books back to back.....poetry was at a time compulsory, and Geoffery Chaucers books were no easy read.:biggrin: ......but we survived.........

katampe  # 4 | 14.10.2006 19:09

The books Fajinmi read were similar to what I read growing up. There was one I remember wasn't included in his list, The Prince and the Pauper (?) I hope that's the name . I read The Drummer Boy, The Passport of Malam Illia, and many books authored by Flora Nwankpa, Buchi Emecheta. I read Eze goes to school , and I enjoyed it. Many other books were constants and don't need mention. But before I forget, there was a character in Ogboju Ode that experienced weather differently from his other hunters. Anyone remember the guys name? Those were interesting times.I am not sure it is chic anymore for many to read Yoruba or African novels. I wish I can rediscover those moments of life again.And I will start collecting novels from today.

DeepThought  # 5 | 14.10.2006 19:24

But before I forget, there was a character in Ogboju Ode that experienced weather differently from his other hunters. Anyone remember the guys name? That was : Abami eda

bfajimi  # 6 | 14.10.2006 19:53

Yes, the guy was indeed an abami eda. His real name was Aramada-okunrin. "The seventh was the Miraculous Man, Aramada-Okunrin, a relation of Efoiye on the side of his father. He was a most singular man for when he was under the sun or inside fire, he would feel cold, but whenever the weather turned cold, he sweated from heat; everything about him was the wrong way round." quoted from The Forest of a Thousand Daemons by D. O. Fagunwa/Wole Soyinka. The original Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole goes as follows (for those who can read and enjoy reading Yoruba, and apologies to non-Yoruba readers who should enjoy the English version above): "Eni keje ni Aramada-okunrin ti ise ibatan Efoiye ni idi baba. On je abami enia kan, bi o ba wa ninu orun tabi ninu ina, otutu yio ma mu u, bi ina na ba si ti gbona to ati bi orun na ba ti po to ni otutu re yio ma pa a to; bi otutu ba si mu, oru yio ma mu on, odi ni gbogbo nkan tire nbo si."

bfajimi  # 7 | 14.10.2006 20:09

@ No Smoking, I read Gulliver's Travel for O/L. Think I have the unabridged version in my library. I would pick it up again one of these days to read it all over again. Oscar Wilde said, “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” Cliff Fadiman also said, “When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than there was before” Let's all encourage ourselves, our children and young ones around us to read at least one book a month. There are so many resources online today, reading has been made easy. Thanks.

WaleAkin  # 8 | 15.10.2006 02:11

bfajimi, Good Yoruba books authored by D.O Fagunwa..............memories flushed in as i read your article on how we used to be beaten by our Yoruba teachers if you dont know how to read and write in Yoruba language most especially the alphabets. We also read books by J.F Odunjo on the ALAWIYE series from Primary 1 to 6, those were indeed good times. God bless your soul for taking us back to those good old days!! Cheers, Wale

No Smoking  # 9 | 15.10.2006 16:15

Oh, that "picture" of the seven hunters (Original book) always used to draw my attention. The guys didn't look like anything mighty, but they convinced us they were, with all the tall tales of their exploits... :rolleyes: Abami-Eda became a popular nickname we assigned to odd characters.. :D

katampe  # 10 | 15.10.2006 17:57

I enjoyed the drawings especially with their "juju" tied around their waist and arms. who remembers Adebayo Faleti's "Ogun aso tele ki paro ." And there is this Wonbiliki wonbia cartoon, possibly in Ogboju Ode Nigbo Irunmale. Bfajimi, thanks so much again, such sweet memories.

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