SETTING/BACKGROUND & PLOT OF THE STORY
SETTING/BACKGROUND
Widowhood is a common practice in Africa. It extends to various parts, especially Nigeria. The place in question is Kufi, a town in the Southwest of Nigeria. The names in the story equally depict Yoruba. Events in the story also take place in various parts of the land. They include Omiye, Alape, Igbaro and Korukoru. Characters are predominantly drawn from the area to exemplify the setting. There are names like Yaremi, the main character, Ajumobi, Aiani, Olonade. Notwithstanding, Lonely Days is an African story, set in Africa, about the Africa way of life by an African of Yoruba descent.
THE PLOT OF THE STORY
Lonely Day is a typical African story that exposes the dangerous practice of widowhood. It brings to the fore, the obnoxious practice of inheritance. It x-rays the traditional practices, customs, and belief systems of the Kufi people in Southwest Nigeria. The death of Ajumobi is the catalyst that driven the story. His death opens a vista of traditional practices and superstitious beliefs. The tradition of Kufi is based on the inheritance of widows after the approved mourning period. As for Yaremi, she is ever determined to resist tradition. Several suitors line up for the traditional festival during which a widow takes a new husband. The people think that she will not resist for long; her friends advise her not to dare tradition and its consequence. However, Yarerni is neither threatened by any tradition nor the consequence of her refusal to accept the obnoxious cultural practice.
Her love for Ajumobi is evergreen. Most times, she feels the presence of Ajumobi around her. Indeed, the story has it that even Ajumobi’s spirit is ever-present with Yaremi. Most times, Ajurnobi’s spirit averts impending danger for Yaremi. It is this undying evil between husband and wife that haunts Yaremi. Thus, she cannot contemplate breaking that bond of love she once had with Ajumobi. Tradition must prevail, Yaremi must be ostracized for contravening traditional widowhood injunctions. On her part, Yaremi is poised to resist cultural subjugation till the end even at the risk of her own life.