A Review of Baba Igbomina by Tolani Awotayo
Baba Igbomina by Tolani Awotayo is a didactic play published by MAMSA Publishers in 2006. The book is emphatic about the importance of hard work and the fact that no one knows what tomorrow holds.
The thematic focus of the play is that every human being should prepare for hard work. The book also serves as a warning to those who frequently visit spiritual homes. It advises them to stop running from one herbalist, prophet, or Islamic cleric to another, as no one can predict the future.
Baba Igbomina by Tolani Awotayo strongly criticises certain societal behaviors, especially greed and envy. The writer’s use of language is commendable, and he also employs good literary devices and proverbs effectively.
Summary of Baba Igbomina by Tolani Awotayo
Gbádéyan is one of the hardworking but unfortunate youths living in Abà Asanlú. Although he is diligent, he has not been successful. Nothing ever works out for him. His friend, Sanmori, who is relatively well-off, often supports him financially. One day, Sanmori advised him to accompany him to a spiritual home as he wanted to consult about a building project.
When they arrived at the shrine of the priest Abésùjobì, the first divination cast was for Gbádéyan. The priest told him to reduce his restless hustle because he had come into the world with a bad destiny and that his fate rejected sacrifices and rituals. Gbádéyan dismissed all the priest had said and angrily left the shrine.
Sanmori later persuaded him to go with him to an Islamic cleric, Àfàá Tápà, but the message was the same. The cleric said Gbádéyan had come into the world with an unfortunate destiny. Again, Gbádéyan got angry and left.
When he got home, he set fire to the hut he lived in along with all his belongings. Then he headed to Ilé Ifẹ̀, intending to take his own life. None of Sanmori’s words of comfort had any effect on him.
Gbádéyan arrived in Ilé Ifẹ̀, searching for a place called Ọ̀gbọ́n Ìdó, but the town elders had already sealed off the cave before his arrival. Elútọ́lá, the person who took Gbádéyan in, pleaded with him to change his mind after hearing the story of his life.
After some time, things began to improve for Bàbá Ìgbómìnà (the name he was given in Ifẹ̀). He first worked as a labourer on Elútọ́lá’s farm. Not long after, he was given a piece of land and began his own farming. His fortunes turned around. Money started coming in. He eventually opened a large store in Ilé Ifẹ̀, built a house, bought a car, and even married a new wife.
After some time, his people in Ilé Ifẹ̀ told him to return to his hometown as they wanted to formally introduce him. Gbádéyan’s return to Ìsánlú was grand. He was generously giving money to everyone. Gbádéyan and his friend Sanmori went to greet the old priest. The priest, Abésù, explained that Gbádéyan’s destiny had changed because he boldly rejected the negative prophecy Ifá once declared over his life.
By the sixth scene, we see that Sanmori was unhappy about the positive turn in Gbádéyan’s life. His wife, Rọ́lákẹ́, fed his suspicion, insisting that Gbádéyan had used his (Sanmori’s) destiny. He became envious of his friend and eventually paid assassins to take Gbádéyan’s life.
The hired assassins’ luck ran out when they arrived at Gbádéyan’s house in the middle of the night. He commanded them with charm to return to the person who sent them. The hypnotised assassins went back to Sanmori’s house and took his life instead.
Sanmori’s death caused unrest in the town. Many townspeople believed that King Ẹ̀lábíyìí had a hand in his death due to an ongoing dispute between them. The king became furious and stormed out. Ògunlápe, a hunter who also served as the town’s informant, explained that he had seen Sanmori around midnight claiming he was going to deliver money to some people. He further clarified that the king had no involvement whatsoever in his death.
Character Summary
Among the characters in Baba Igbomina by Tolani Awotayo are Gbádéyan, Sànmọ̀rí, Èlútọ́lá, and King Ẹ̀lábíyìí.
Gbádéyan, whom people came to call Bàbá Ìgbómìnà, is the central character. He was poorer than a church rat. One day, he followed his friend to a spiritualist’s house, and a prophecy was declared over his life—that he had a cursed destiny. Angry, he left town and went to Ilé Ifẹ̀ with the intention of ending his life.
It was in Ilé Ifẹ̀ that he encountered kind-hearted people who helped him. There, his life took a positive turn, and he became wealthy and famous.
Sànmọ̀rí is Gbádéyan’s friend who supported him when things were not going well for him. However, he later became jealous when Gbádéyan’s fortunes changed. He plotted to kill him but ended up dying instead.
Èlútọ́lá is a farmer from Ilé Ifẹ̀ who helped Gbádéyan when he came to the city to end his life. He took him in, cared for him, and gave him land to start farming.
Abéṣù is the diviner who proclaimed that Gbádéyan was born with a cursed destiny.
Ọba Ẹ̀lábíyìí is the king of Asánlú, the town of Ìsánlú.
Rọláké is Sànmọ̀rí’s wife.
Ògunlápe is the hunter who keeps watch over the town.
Àfáà Tápà is the cleric who also declared that Gbádéyan came into the world with a cursed destiny.
