Femi Osofisan Babafemi Adeyemi Osofisan (born June 1946 in Erunwon, Ogun State) is a Nigerian writer known for his critique of societal problems and his use of African traditional performances and surrealism in some of his novels. A frequent theme his novels explore is the conflict between good and evil. He is in fact a didactic writer whose works seek to correct his decadent society. Professor Femi Osofisan has written works which has spanned into different fields within three decades . His works are: Kolera Kolej. New Horn, 1975. The Chattering and the Song. Ibadan: Ibadan UP, 1977. Morountodun and Other Plays. Lagos: Longman, 1982. Minted Coins (poetry), Heinemann, 1987. Another Raft. Lagos: Malthouse, 1988. (End Page 153) Once upon Four Robbers. Ibadan: Heinemann, 1991 Twingle-Twangle A-Twynning Tayle. Longman, 1992. Yungba-Yungba and the Dance Contest: A Parable for Our Times, Heinemann Educational, Nigeria, 1993. The Album of the Midnight Blackout, University Press, Nigeria, 1994. Tegonni: An African Antigone. Tegonni, an African Antigone. Ibadan: Opon Ifa, 1999. Theater and the Rites of ‘Post-Negritude’ Remembering. Research in African Literatures 30.1 (1999): 1–11. He speaks to Oyelola Ogunrinde on the state of Literature in Nigeria
The values of our culture are no longer being taught. This in turn has adverse effects on the country’s psyche. what can be done to curb this menace in our country?
It is the problem of our education, providing the right models, right values. A lot of youth rush through education and they come out and there is no job. It makes them go through all kinds of crime. So it is not one solution, it is a holistic look into all this situations. For instance, I keep asking some of my friends who complain that their children don’t do this or that. The question I always ask them is that do you teach them because there are certain things we take for granted. When we were growing up we had an environment where you don’t need to be taught, you saw how it is being done all around you. How the people greeted and so many other things that has to do with the day to day activities. Now, are the Children growing up in that same environment? They go to school, the parent are not there, they are in Belgium, Switzerland, etc. What are the children left with? They just watch television. Probably that is where they take their values from. When we were growing up we were surrounded by families.Sometimes you grow up in a compound, neighbours, the adults ware always a parents to any child. They offer corrective advices and discipline. The community also, you learnt your behavior there because you grew up in that community. Unfortunately, that community doesn’t exist anymore. You have to find another way to teach the children. Are there any folktales anymore. We really need to re-organise ourselves if we want positive values for our children. We ourselves what are we doing to give or impart our core values to our children through our characters? We only boast about contracts we have got, yet not fulfilling it. The father is a thief, how is the son going to be a saint? We only think that Government officials are the only ones that steal. Who has the responsibility of showing the right direction? All of us have the responsibility to show by example how to live a responsible life so that the younger ones will emulate
As regards reading culture in Nigeria. One of the complaints is that the reading culture then cannot be compared to now, is technology the main cause of this?
I don’t see iPad or internet as distraction. It is what is what people use it for. The internet is full of information If you want it, but you can always go for the negative ones too. The internet has expanded library. in fact it is more useful than the traditional library. It allows for more up-to-date information. The only choice is what is the choice of the young ones? What do they choose to see? What to choose to listen to and I don’t think it is fair to put that on the young people. It is the values that has been given to them by their parents, by all of us as the society created for this young ones.
The excessive love of materialism, the violence, the stupid indulgence in sex and pornography has always been there to undermine the little parental trainings we nowadays give to our children. However, if the young ones have not being taught to discriminate, to make wise choices then this is what you will have. The internet technology is not necessarily negative, it only complement the old sources we have. We don’t have internet during our time. If you want to read now, we have many e-books. I prefer bound books however, but of course if you are travelling, you can imagine the number of books you can have in one iPad. So I don’t think the internet is totally bad.
Which of Soyinka plays do you most admire?
Off course the usual one, ‘The Death and the kings Horsemen
Why sir?
Because of it’s worthy qualities and the very form of the dance, ritual and poetic nature. The tragedy of this man, the tragedy of that man who could not control himself is a lot of lesson for our leaders. Our major problem is excesses of our leaders as regards to material wealth, greed. The lack of control, he could not fulfil his life long duty, what he has been raising to do just because of this love for enjoyment, love for women and that undid him. We can see that in all aspect of our lives here. How this lack of self-control which has led to all this problem we have today
The ‘Man Died’, what is the lesson for Nigeria?
The man died in all face of tyranny, oppression, we should all be concerned when another person’s right is being violated.
