㰀⼀琀搀㸀 㰀琀搀 瘀愀氀椀最渀㴀∀琀漀瀀∀ 眀椀搀琀栀㴀∀㔀瀀砀∀ 戀最挀漀氀漀爀㴀∀⌀ 昀 ∀㸀☀渀戀猀瀀㬀㰀⼀琀搀㸀 㰀琀搀 眀椀搀琀栀㴀∀㔀瀀砀∀㸀☀渀戀猀瀀㬀㰀⼀琀搀㸀
On "Efita's End" and Writing in a Second Language
㰀瀀㸀㰀戀㸀䴀漀氀愀爀愀 圀漀漀搀㰀⼀戀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀 My native language is Yoruba. It is spoken by an estimated forty million people of the Yoruba ethnic group, mainly in South Western Nigeria and, to a lesser extent, other parts of the West African sub-region as well as the African Diaspora.
ऀ㰀瀀㸀 一椀最攀爀椀愀 戀攀椀渀最 愀 昀漀爀洀攀爀 挀漀氀漀渀礀 漀昀 䈀爀椀琀愀椀渀Ⰰ 䔀渀最氀椀猀栀 椀猀 琀栀攀 漀昀昀椀挀椀愀氀 氀愀渀最甀愀最攀 椀渀 愀 挀漀甀渀琀爀礀 琀栀愀琀 椀猀 攀猀猀攀渀琀椀愀氀氀礀 愀渀 愀洀愀氀最愀洀愀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 渀愀琀椀漀渀猀 眀椀琀栀 搀椀瘀攀爀猀攀 挀甀氀琀甀爀攀猀 愀渀搀 氀愀渀最甀愀最攀猀⸀ 一椀最攀爀椀愀渀猀 愀爀攀 攀搀甀挀愀琀攀搀 椀渀 䔀渀最氀椀猀栀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 䤀 洀愀椀渀氀礀 猀瀀漀欀攀 夀漀爀甀戀愀 瘀攀爀礀 攀愀爀氀礀 漀渀 椀渀 洀礀 挀栀椀氀搀栀漀漀搀⸀ 䤀 爀攀最愀爀搀 椀琀 愀猀 洀礀 昀椀爀猀琀 氀愀渀最甀愀最攀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 挀氀漀猀攀猀琀 琀漀 洀礀 猀漀甀氀⸀ 䤀 爀攀最甀氀愀爀氀礀 搀爀攀愀洀 椀渀 椀琀Ⰰ 琀栀椀渀欀 椀渀 椀琀 愀渀搀Ⰰ 椀渀 琀椀洀攀猀 漀昀 愀氀愀爀洀Ⰰ 昀椀渀搀 洀礀猀攀氀昀 戀氀甀爀琀椀渀最 漀甀琀 洀礀 愀渀砀椀攀琀礀 椀渀 洀礀 氀愀渀最甀愀最攀Ⰰ 渀漀 洀愀琀琀攀爀 眀栀攀爀攀 䤀 愀洀⸀ 䤀 漀渀氀礀 爀攀愀搀 琀栀攀 䈀椀戀氀攀 椀渀 夀漀爀甀戀愀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 䤀 猀琀椀氀氀 昀椀渀搀 琀栀愀琀 琀栀攀爀攀 愀爀攀 洀愀渀礀 琀栀椀渀最猀 琀栀愀琀 愀爀攀 戀攀猀琀 猀愀椀搀 椀渀 洀礀 洀漀琀栀攀爀 琀漀渀最甀攀⸀ 㰀⼀瀀㸀English, however, is a necessary component of Nigerian everyday life, whether in academic pursuits, business, or informal dealings with friends and acquaintances across ethnic divides. Whilst I am passionate about the need to express myself creatively in Yoruba, I am constrained by the fact that one writes to be published and read. Readership in English is alluringly wide. On a practical note, most of the outlets for publication in my country, and outside, are in English. The usual frameworks by which a writer develops and grows, are only accessible to me in English. Although I am fully literate in my first language, my writings—fiction, non-fiction and poetry—are virtually all in English.
㰀瀀㸀 䠀愀瀀瀀椀氀礀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 夀漀爀甀戀愀 猀椀搀攀 漀昀 洀攀 挀漀渀猀琀愀渀琀氀礀 昀椀渀搀猀 攀砀瀀爀攀猀猀椀漀渀Ⰰ 攀瘀攀渀 愀猀 䤀 愀洀 眀爀椀琀椀渀最 椀渀 䔀渀最氀椀猀栀⸀ ∀䔀昀椀琀愀✀猀 䔀渀搀∀ 椀猀 愀 挀愀猀攀 椀渀 瀀漀椀渀琀㬀 椀琀 椀猀 焀甀椀琀攀 瀀漀猀猀椀戀氀攀 琀栀攀 洀漀猀琀 ∀夀漀爀甀戀愀∀ 漀昀 洀礀 猀琀漀爀椀攀猀 琀栀甀猀 昀愀爀⸀ 吀栀攀 猀攀琀琀椀渀最 漀昀 琀栀攀 猀琀漀爀礀 椀猀 愀 爀甀爀愀氀 挀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀礀 氀愀爀最攀氀礀 椀渀猀甀氀愀琀攀搀 昀爀漀洀 琀栀攀 漀甀琀猀椀搀攀 眀漀爀氀搀⸀ 吀栀攀爀攀 椀猀 愀 猀洀愀琀琀攀爀椀渀最 漀昀 夀漀爀甀戀愀 瀀栀爀愀猀攀猀 愀渀搀 眀漀爀搀猀Ⰰ 眀栀漀猀攀 洀攀愀渀椀渀最猀 琀栀攀 渀漀渀ⴀ夀漀爀甀戀愀 爀攀愀搀攀爀 眀椀氀氀 最爀愀猀瀀 昀爀漀洀 琀栀攀 挀漀渀琀攀砀琀 椀渀 眀栀椀挀栀 琀栀攀礀 漀挀挀甀爀⸀ 䴀漀爀攀 椀洀瀀漀爀琀愀渀琀氀礀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 氀愀爀最攀爀 戀漀搀礀 漀昀 琀栀攀 琀攀砀琀 昀甀渀挀琀椀漀渀猀 琀漀 挀漀洀洀甀渀椀挀愀琀攀 夀漀爀甀戀愀 猀攀渀琀椀洀攀渀琀猀 愀渀搀 眀漀爀氀搀瘀椀攀眀⸀ 吀栀椀猀 椀猀 攀砀瀀爀攀猀猀攀搀 洀愀椀渀氀礀 戀礀 琀栀攀 眀愀礀 琀栀攀 挀栀愀爀愀挀琀攀爀猀 漀昀 琀栀攀 猀琀漀爀礀 猀瀀攀愀欀 愀渀搀 琀栀椀渀欀 椀渀 夀漀爀甀戀愀Ⰰ 琀栀漀甀最栀 琀栀攀 眀漀爀搀猀 漀渀 琀栀攀 瀀愀最攀 愀爀攀 椀渀 䔀渀最氀椀猀栀⸀ 㰀⼀瀀㸀I remember being asked by a writer friend: what is Efita's original name? The answer is, I don't know. She is known by two names in the story: Efita and Sisi Teacher, both signifying what the character represents to her community. I have always been interested in the mutability of names, and this is because in Yoruba society names also have that quality. Yoruba formal courtesy means that, except in informal situations, it is impolite to address adults by their first name. Hence, Efita is named "Sisi Teacher" for her position as a teacher, and "Efita" for her melancholic quality. The name is meant to be "Evita," of course, but the rural people cannot pronounce it—there is no "v" in the Yoruba language. Undeterred, they have Yorubanized the name. In naming Efita and the other characters in the story, I have been true to Yoruba conventions.
㰀瀀㸀 吀栀椀猀Ⰰ 栀漀眀攀瘀攀爀Ⰰ 眀愀猀渀✀琀 搀漀渀攀 挀漀渀猀挀椀漀甀猀氀礀⸀ 䌀漀洀瀀愀爀攀搀 琀漀 洀礀 漀琀栀攀爀 猀琀漀爀椀攀猀Ⰰ ∀䔀昀椀琀愀✀猀 䔀渀搀∀ 挀愀洀攀 爀攀氀愀琀椀瘀攀氀礀 攀愀猀椀氀礀 琀漀 洀攀㬀 䤀 搀椀搀 渀漀琀 琀栀椀渀欀 愀戀漀甀琀 琀栀攀 瀀爀漀挀攀猀猀 甀渀琀椀氀 琀栀攀 眀爀椀琀椀渀最 眀愀猀 漀瘀攀爀⸀ 䔀昀椀琀愀 椀猀 愀 爀攀挀漀氀氀攀挀琀攀搀 瀀爀攀猀攀渀挀攀 椀渀 琀栀攀 猀琀漀爀礀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 猀栀攀 漀渀氀礀 攀砀椀猀琀猀 瘀椀愀 琀栀攀 爀攀渀搀攀爀攀搀 瀀攀爀猀瀀攀挀琀椀瘀攀猀 漀昀 漀琀栀攀爀猀⸀ 䤀琀 眀愀猀 漀渀氀礀 愀昀琀攀爀 琀栀攀 猀琀漀爀礀 眀愀猀 昀椀渀椀猀栀攀搀 愀渀搀 愀 昀攀眀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 爀攀愀搀 椀琀 琀栀愀琀 䤀 爀攀愀氀椀稀攀搀 琀栀攀 爀椀猀欀 䤀 栀愀搀 琀愀欀攀渀⸀ 吀栀攀 猀栀椀昀琀椀渀最 瀀攀爀猀瀀攀挀琀椀瘀攀猀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 甀猀攀 漀昀 洀愀渀礀 挀栀愀爀愀挀琀攀爀猀Ⰰ 攀瘀攀渀 琀栀攀 昀愀挀琀 琀栀愀琀 琀眀漀 渀愀洀攀猀 愀爀攀 甀猀攀搀 昀漀爀 漀渀攀 瀀攀爀猀漀渀 琀栀爀攀愀琀攀渀攀搀 琀漀 愀氀椀攀渀愀琀攀 猀漀洀攀 爀攀愀搀攀爀猀⸀ 㰀⼀瀀㸀 Although I had many enthusiastic responses to the story, it did seem at odds with much of what I was reading in literary journals, and I was beginning to fear it would not be accepted for publication. Looking back now, I think how wonderfully appropriate it is that "Efita's End" is in this issue of In Posse Review.
㰀栀爀 ⼀㸀
㰀戀爀 ⼀㸀
㰀搀椀瘀 椀搀㴀∀氀漀最漀∀㸀㰀攀洀㸀䤀渀 倀漀猀猀攀㨀㰀⼀攀洀㸀 倀漀琀攀渀琀椀愀氀氀礀Ⰰ 洀椀最栀琀 戀攀 ⸀ ⸀ ⸀ 㰀⼀搀椀瘀㸀
㰀瀀㸀㰀椀洀最 猀爀挀㴀∀琀攀搀栀攀愀搀⸀最椀昀∀ 愀氀椀最渀㴀∀爀椀最栀琀∀ 愀氀琀㴀∀氀漀最漀∀ ⼀㸀㰀⼀瀀㸀
㰀栀㌀㸀㰀愀 栀爀攀昀㴀∀栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀眀攀戀搀攀氀猀漀氀⸀挀漀洀⼀䤀渀倀漀猀猀攀⼀椀渀搀攀砀⸀栀琀洀∀ 愀氀椀最渀㴀∀爀椀最栀琀∀㸀刀攀愀搀 琀栀椀猀 戀攀愀甀琀礀ⴀ戀攀愀猀琀 椀猀猀甀攀㰀⼀愀㸀☀渀戀猀瀀㬀☀渀戀猀瀀㬀 㰀⼀栀㌀㸀
㰀⼀琀搀㸀㰀⼀琀爀㸀㰀⼀琀愀戀氀攀㸀㰀⼀挀攀渀琀攀爀㸀㰀⼀戀漀搀礀㸀㰀⼀栀琀洀氀㸀