Denrele Adeetimikan Obasa (1927-1945) Akewi Alarojinle.
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Date
1987
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Publisher
Obafemi Awolowo University
Abstract
This research attempts to make a more significant literary assessment of the poems of Late Denrele Adeetimikan Obasa published from 1927 to 195 than has hitherto been done. The study suggests a solution to the problem of identifying the extent to which Obasa draws from the Yoruba oral poetic materials in composing his poems, and the effect of this on the interpretation of those poems.
The assessment is based largely on two literary theories. First, we used the hermeneutic approach in determining the contents of Obasa's compositions. And, second, our analysis of the poems is based on structuralism. A complementary use of the two theories gives us a reliable result. This thesis suggests that scholars have found it difficult to regard Obasa as a good and competent Yoruba poet because when assessing him, they have concentrated mainly on his use of Yoruba poetic materials from the oral tradition in the composition of his poems.
The study suggests further that when assessing Obasa as a poet, more emphasis should be placed not only on his use of Yoruba oral poetic materials but also on his effective choice and combination of the selected oral poetic materials, the messages, and the aesthetics of such composition. The thesis goes on to affirm that Obasa is very much concerned with the Yoruba's views of the world around them; and it is these views that Obasa presents in poetic form. When assessing Obasa's poems, therefore, one should also take note of their philosophical aspect. By so doing, one will not see Obasa as an ordinary poet but as a remarkable Yoruba poet and philosopher.
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Keywords
Denrele Adeetimikan Obasa, hermeneutic approach, structuralism
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APA