Tributes pour in for Okediji
By Bamidele Kolawole
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Tributes came in torrents yesterday for the family of Yoruba Novelist, Pa. Oladejo Okediji who passed on at 89.
The Hope correspondent who visited the late writer’s family house at Mabolaje area of the ancient town of Oyo said multitude of sympathizers poured in into the expansive compound to offer sympathy.
Okediji whose detail of death is still sketchy worked in Ile-Ife for many years before his sudden death on Monday. His burial comes up today at the Methodist Church Cathedral, Apara, Oyo at 10 am after which his body will be interred.
In a glowing tribute, a former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). Dr Wale Okediran described Okediji who was the Otun Baale Apara of Oyo as a rallying point of the Yoruba genre of literature.
He said the Oyo State chapter would be actively involved in the burial ceremony of the Legendry novelist because as we all know ANA had always been known to promote both literature in English and Indigenous languages.
His published stories were basically about life and its challenges, especially crime stories, which attracted readers in the 60s and 70s.
Some of his popular works include ‘Aja Lo Leru’, ‘Rere Run’, ‘Agbalagba Akan’, ‘Atoto Arere’, and ‘Karin Kapo’.
Other works include ‘Opa Agbeleka’, ‘Oga Ni Bukola’, ‘Sango’, ‘Iroyin Ayo’, ‘Binu Tiri’ and a play, ‘Aajo Aje’ (Running after Riches), among others.
Almost all his books have been used at one time or the other as Yoruba language texts in Nigerian universities.
They have also been serialised in newspapers, radio and produced as Yoruba home videos.
Watch out for his interview with The Hope.
