Alufansa talk

‘Under the brown rusted

roofs’

By Abimbola Adunni

Adelakun

226 pp; Kraft

Under the Brown Rusted Roofs is a domestic drama revolving around the lives of the residents of Agboole Alabeni and specifically the household of the polygamous Alhaji Arigbabuwo. As one would expect from a setting like this, it’s a world of drama: comedy, mishaps, missteps, joy, insult-trading and battery to last a life time. The drama is unending and the twists and turns inevitable as the children from Alhaji’s different wives compete for the perfect destiny, the unfolding of which results in career paths that aren’t always pleasing to their parents.

The drama in Abimbola Adelakun’s ode to Ibadan unfolds over a 20-year period and is in third person narrative: from the Shagari era through the WAI years of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime to Babangida’s SAP-plagued years and the controversial June 12 elections.

None of the negative effects of each government escapes Agboole Alabeni residents, but none hits them as hard as Arigbabuwo’s misadventure into politics. The author does not elaborate on his tenure as local government chairman, but we know it must have been quite bad. Its effects become worse with the WAI and SAP policies that dig deeper into the family’s finances.

One can hardly argue with Adelakun concerning the plausibility of her tale about Ibadan: with most families in the household being polygamous, the many wives deliver reality in their love-hate relationship steeped in jealousy, competition and a strange and disparate unity that is obvious only between persons whose destinies are helplessly intertwined.

Adelakun’s transliteration of Yoruba expressions into the English language is reasonably apt and quite humorous. The reader, who understands the language, flows easily with the story and one becomes aware that the dialogue in this work is essentially in Yoruba.

In the continuous scheming by some of the wives to outfox their husbands, it is only a matter of time before “Oko kan o kun cupboard…” would surface in English of course, as “One husband does not fill a wardrobe; a woman can’t stay all her life with one.”

The themes of polygamy, politics, death, communal living, and existing in Nigeria through trying times, are highlighted by the author in this celebration of Ibadan, while a rainbow of characters dot the landscape, like the rusted roofs dot the city’s landscape.

And what would politics in Ibadan be without a grand commander? A ‘Baba’ makes his appearance towards the end of the novel. This makes it possible for Rafiu’s career in thuggery to come full circle as he succeeds in serving political heavyweights like Chief Olatubosun, Eru O’bodo and Baba himself (read real life political godfather, Lamidi Adedibu).

Her characters problems are many: From the wives’ exchange, to government harassment, to their children’s career choices and death in the family – young and old. In Greek drama, the fall of the house (or polis) is the utmost tragedy. The victory for Alhaji Arigbabuwo’s household is in the survival of numerous attacks against all odds.

It is compensation when at the end of the novel; Alhaji is rewarded with a lawyer in the family. Despite the numerous tragedies that befall the Labeni household, the author gives it a soft landing at the end of the novel.

Adelakun’s story is told in simple language with constant sexual allusions in the characters’ speech. It is, therefore, ironic that little children are accused of ‘alufansa’ talk. Not their fault considering the adults around them do not mind their language.

Adelakun has written a good debut novel, which should not be her best. The novel fails to draw the reader in immediately as her narrative is slow and disjointed at the beginning. But when it does pick up, it only wanes occasionally. The humour, wit and sarcasm that the characters regularly display are enough to keep you turning the pages.

The author takes the reader full circle from the first scene where a proud son looks on his father to the proud father who looks on his son: Arigbabuwo has made the best of what life gives him.

While it is obvious the author did some research, certain tiny details appear to have been taken for granted. Erindinlogun for example is 16 and not 19 as the author writes, while Alagba is ‘elder’ and Ogbeni, is ‘mister’ - not the other way round. In confusing ‘Bili’ for ‘Risi’ on various instances, the author creates that sense of confusion in the reader as we are not sure which is which.

In certain areas the author leaves us hanging. We don’t know the cause of and solution (or lack of) to Bili’s delayed puberty at 16 and we also do not know if Mufutau eventually makes it without the help of a herbalist.

Better editing and quality packaging will greatly improve this modern day theatre of the absurd, where the oddest of statements is taken without as much as a blink of an eye. Not overtly melodramatic and good stuff for TV drama, this book is a worthy read.

Under these brown rusted roofs, there are undeniably strong houses whose residents stealthily overcome and adapt to anything life has to offer. Adelakun tells this story well, but could have told it better. Though her skills might need more refining, the rawness of this particular tale makes it more endearing.