My most memorable book is ‘ Olowolaiyemo’– Onifade

By onepageafrica Last updated Jun 26, 2020

Mufu Onifade is a dramatic painter. His sense of style is unique when he handles his brush on canvas. An author of books and producer of several short plays, Onifade shares his experience of the memories of a book, Olowolaiyemo by Femi Jeboda, which he read while in his second year in high school.

Olowolaiyemo is a book written in Yoruba language, with core values found in African societies. I dare to say that it remains the most memorable book that I have read. As elementary as it may have seemed, it was written with loads of moral lessons embedded in it for people to gain from, besides the entertainment that it shares.

The story is centred on a young man who was continuously looking for shortcuts to success in life, and he did quite a lot of things in his race to succeed. At some point, he became an apprentice to somebody.

The young man went ahead to do so many other things that could make him achieve success but, when he did not see his desire of becoming wealthy materialize, he joined a group of magicians who would make their performances by using a knife to cut around themselves but would still not be hurt.

The young man in question was the one who usually held the knives that were used for the group’s magical arts, and he particularly held the special knife (a blunt knife) that was used by the head of the magicians.

However, on this day that the unfortunate incident happened, the young man gave the lead magician a knife that was not the special knife he was used to. When the magician used the sharp knife, of-course there was trouble as he succeeded in ripping open his stomach.

The young man who always desired quick riches was arrested alongside other people and he was taken away, charged to court and thrown into jail. While in jail he realised that he had to stop, think and live life as a normal person. He thought to himself that indeed it was time he stopped looking for shortcuts.

When this ambitious young man got out of prison, he went straight to farming. This was actually the last chapter of the book which was titled ‘ ise logun ise’. The man became rich from proceeds of his farm produce and he became a happy person.

Memories of this book have remained with me, and the lessons I learned from the book helped me to always work with a sense of dedication and hard work. After reading this book, I realised that I always looked out for lessons that any other book has to give. And I must be bold to say that the book Olowolaiyemo is a book of wisdom, which shares with its readers the direction to follow in life.

3 Comments

Eya Ayambem says 12 years ago

So inspiring. Is there a movie on this story? Because I'd lov3 to watch it.

onepageafrica says 12 years ago

Thamks Eya for appreciating this. I don't know right now if there is a movie on it, but I can ask him and let you know. 🙂

Eya Ayambem says 12 years ago

That would be great! Thanks Debby.