
Abstract: This study examined The Theme Of Superstitious Belief In Bayo Adebowale’s Lonely Days And Amma Darko’s Faceless.This piece of the research work allows us to imagine the disastrous situation which prevailed in Nigeria and Kenya. The two countries where so shakened by political, economic and social problems in that writer such as Amma Darko and Bayo Adebowale could not stand such exploitation unfolding before their very eyes without denouncing it. As depicted in those novel, the 20th century was marked by wide socio-economic gap between the have and they have notes, the well provided and the disposed. This situation of vulnerability was brought about by the system that induces the social improvement of the wealthy people to the detriment of the most important part of the country that is the working class of farmers. Both Darko Faceless and Bayo lonely days deals prominently with the theme of social injustice and that is the reason why this work can be seen as a novel of protest against social injustice. These writers, put the blame on the capitalist system which is the sign post of domination and exploitation.
Amma Darko who is known as a committed writer like Bayo Adebowale gives a true protragal of Kenya lamentable state in faceless. He believes that the colonizers are doing contrary to their so called civilizing, missions which they so much proclaims in Africa have only come to exploit and mislead the people after the independence the new leaders set up a system that continued what the colonial rulers had been doing, meaning Ill treatment and exploitation of the poor masses. The African leaders have also replaced the white dominators in their excesses and live in an early paradise. Whereas the masses are crammed up in their slums. The hopes of independence have gone.
Above all, people are politically persecuted and their various freedoms denied of them. In both novels, the under privileged class of masses is stripped of their means of production. They are the ones who are deprived of their properties and no one does to rebel against them. The motive of these two writers is to write against the exploitation and colonialism that prevails in the newly independent countries. And the general moods of desperateness leads people into forming groups of rebel and denounce their dad living condition. In faceless lonely days masses are mobilized by committed a leader who intends to break the silence and heard all around the world through their united efforts and action as well as efficient leadership.
The Theme Of Superstitious Belief In Bayo Adebowale’s Lonely Days And Amma Darko’s Faceless
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Superstitious beliefs and exploitation are the major focus of this research. It should however be born in mind that whenever they occur in the society they take various ways and forms according to the needs and aspiration of the people in the larger society and indeed Africa as world.
Superstitious beliefs as we all know is a belief in which a particular events happen in a way that cannot be explained or bring good or bad woman to belief or accept a particular thing. In many part of the African society today, superstition beliefs, humiliation, exploitation and struggle for survival has eaten deep into the heart of the Africans. This has become an important problem that requires urgent solution
Bayo Adebowales lonely Days and Amma Darko’s Facaless are exemplified as those texts that expose the vices of superstitious beliefs, humiliation, exploitation and struggle for survival in the domain of the Africans
In regard the Marxist sees the African society as been perpetuated in conflict. Applying this to Bayo Adebowale’s lonely Days and Amma Darko’s Faceless, one will find the work fitting in to the frame work of maxism.
Maxism by a way is derived from German philosopher, Karl Mark whose theory about the African society is a call to over flow dictatorship of the Africans or men (the exploiters) and force the women.
Therefore, revolution serves as one of the element of Marxism. Other element includes protest against violence and struggle for survival of all kind.
Adebowale’s lonely Days deflect the physical by the men. Violence is manifested in the work in terms of hunger, poverty, exploitation, humiliation and struggle for survival by men.
Yareemi the heroine of the novel serves as a clear victim by the state of superstitious beliefs.
Similarly, in Amma Darko’s faceless the heroine of the novel is Baby T which also a victim of superstious beliefs, exploitation. Baby T is humiliated and beaten by poison (the street boy) because Baby T was flatly refuses to sleep with Onko who looks for public hair, a female vital parts as ingredients needed to rejuvenate his business and because of this, poison the street lord beat Baby T to comma. Baby dies as a result of the beating. It is against this back drop that this research work shall examine the theme of superstitious beliefs in Bago Adebowale’s lonely Days and Amma Darko’s faceless.
1.2 Statement of the problem
It is quit disheartening and unfortunate to have observed over the years that the African society is still being riddled with superstitious belief, exploitation, in spite of numerous functions performed by literature in our schools system to sanitize the society of these vices. All facet of human society is affected with these vices ranging from the traditional, culture and socio-economic aspect of human lives. Regrettably, the curt of the matter is that so many people in the world today, view superstitious beliefs and exploitation as a necessary shortcut for taking advantage on the widows in a particular family.
Therefore, it is against this background of pervasive exploitation and superstitious beliefs and its effect on the women and the entire society in general that the researcher is wholly committed, to carrying out the research study in order to probe into the literary works with the view to identifying, and exposing how the study of literature in schools can serve as a panacea to superstitious belief and exploitation in our society.
1.3 Significance of the study
The study is significant because of the following reasons.
- It will serve as a panacea to the prevalent problems of superstitious beliefs, humiliation, exploitation, struggle for survival and other vices in our society.
- It will help to promote the interest of the students, teachers, school guidance, counselors and the entire African society in literary studies.
- It will help educational administrators and planners in selecting textbooks that are depleted with moral lessons to learners.
- It will help the teachers of the subject in the choice of instructional materials for the lesson and also enable them utilize the materials properly.
- It will help or serve as a stepping stone to students in the department of English and literary studies who may wish to carry out further research on this topic to do so with ease.
The Theme Of Superstitious Belief In Bayo Adebowale’s Lonely Days And Amma Darko’s Faceless
1.4 Purpose of the study
The study intends to do the following:
- Explore, identify and expose the role of literature as a panacea to superstitious beliefs and exploitation.
- Enumerate useful criteria for sanitizing the African society of vices such as superstitious beliefs and exploitation.
- Examine critically and expose the factors responsible for superstitious beliefs and exploitation in our school and the African society at large.
- The study is limited to Address issues and proffer reliable solutions.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
The study is limited to two prose works by Bayo Adebowale’s lonely Days and Amma Darko’s faceless. The research work sets out to explore the theme of superstitious belief in Bayo Adebowale’s lonely Days and Amma Darko’s faceless.
1.6 Research Methodology
The study will be mainly literary based research. The two text chosen as a case study will be used as primary sources while other information from the internet, published and unpublished articles, Journals, copied of earlier project from the library and other related sources will be examined.
Originally posted on September 2, 2021 @ 10:54 pm