| My Time… new song
for humanity
By Taiye Akinyemi
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
My Time is a collection of poems by Dr Wilson Orhiunu and
it is targeted at people who enjoy the ecstasy of pidgin English.
The collection of 112 poems boasts of simple diction yet with
a generous use of figures of speech as well as literary terms,
all of which address different themes such as hardship, unemployment,
leadership by example, nature, culture, morality, segregation
and racism, the deception of technology, miracle, passions
and emotions, anger, praise, prayer among many others.
This collection opens with a poem entitled A Psalm of Babawilly,
which has five stanzas with six lines each making 30 lines
in all. The poem is dedicated to the poet on his 40th birthday
anniversary in 2004. From the title, the reader easily understands
that it is an ode to God as well as a praise song to people
who contribute to the poet’s success in life.
Africa, another poem sings about the greatness of Africa and
her natural resources among other endowments. But it also
highlights the irony in having many Africans wallowing in
poverty.
The poet in Africanian tries to deviate from the strength
of Africa by pointing out the contradictions on the continent.
Africanian ends with a rhetorical question; which denotes
that Africans are both rich and poor.
This poem, All Bowels Are Equal speaks more of the equality
of all creatures including ‘The great’ and the
‘Lowly poor worker’. Blind leader focuses on the
tragedy of most African leaders who govern their resilient
followers.
Blind Procedure highlights the wrong decisions, which individuals
take as far as love is concerned.
This 25-line poem of three stanzas entitled Blood is a kind
of eulogy for blood, which the poet refers to as life. Wilson
actually expresses himself as a doctor as he describes the
nature of blood and its significance on human beings. The
blood is dear to him, hence he holds it so dearly. Covered
with human flesh, Wilson notes that even when it rains, the
blood is safe, and it is a life giver to human beings. The
poet finally tells of how crucial the blood is to human survival.
Ceiling Fan is a satirical poem on Nigeria. Using the ceiling
fan, the poet reminds readers that on October 1, Nigerians
celebrate independence in unity. But on June 12, division
and confusion spring up. The poet, revealing his encounter
on the field where fans from heaven do blow also believes
that it is better to have the fan on a table with all its
blades safe in a prison such that the strange neck would be
rotating or spreading goodness to all.
In Cry, there is a dramatic repetition of the word cried.
In other words, when people observe some changes in their
status or in their environment, they cry either for good or
otherwise.
Other poems in this collection like Do Good, Don’t Play,
Earth’s Being Sold, Enjoy Life, GSM Yawa and a host
of others while the last poem is entitled Woman Palava reflects
the hardship a man goes through when he marries a very difficult
wife such as eating ‘dry toast/ instead of Banga and
how vexation and frowning show all over the person’s
face. Dr Wilson Orhiunu was born in London by Nigerian parents
on October 10, 1946’. In Nigeria, he obtained a degree
in Medicine (University of Benin) and later to the United
Kingdom (UK) in 1989 and trained in General Surgery and General
Practice. |
