SECTION E – African Prose
BAYO ADEBOWALE: Lonely Days
How does Ajumobi’s death contribute to the development of the plot?
Explanation
The required answers should include:
i. Ajumobi’s death brings to the fore the plight of Yaremi and other widows.
ii. It sets the chain of Yaremi’s suffering as a widow in motion, e.g. her loneliness, ostracism.
iii. It unearths some of the superstitions and cultural practices of the society.
iv. It engenders flashback in Yaremi which underscores her love for her late husband.
v. His death does not kill his memory. He is used as a measure to assess other men, e.g. the three suitors at the cap-picking ceremony.