Author: Taiwo Aderemi Olunlade
ISBN No: 978-1-920287-28-3
Cost: 250.00
The study examined the use of oral genres in the available Yorùbá newspapers from 1859 to 1960. It also highlighted the inter-textualities of Yorùbá oral literature and the contents of these maiden sets of newspapers, and the overall impact which they both had on the Yorùbá literate and civil societies. Moreover, it appraised the creative ingenuity of the pioneer-writers of these papers who, for stylistic, aesthetic and thematic effects, amply employed the use of Yorùbá oral genres in the newspapers.
The methodology employed involved the collection of twenty Yorùbà newspapers published between 1859 to 1960. This was complemented by library and archival research. Oral interviews were also conducted among the literate but fairly old people who knew part of the period when the newspapers were in circulation. The analysis of the data was carried out within the framework of sociology of literature.
The results showed that Yorùbá oral materials such as panegyrics, riddles, proverbs, fictional stories, taboos and songs were effectively and extensively used in the newspapers of the period under study. The study identified eleven different ways in which Yorùbá praise and descriptive poetry (oríkì) were used in casting news headlines and other captions. The use of the Yorùbà praise and descriptive poetry in this way was also found to be a major motif in the newspapers. Other themes in the newspapers included concise autobiographies, stories related to the provenance of towns and communities and some other forms of literary creativity at large.
The study concluded that Yorùbá oral genres provided good source materials for education and entertainment among the Yorùbá. Also, the genres were found to be inseparable from both the pre-literary and literary life of the Yorùbá people as they formed a dependable hub around which our contemporary written literature radiates.
ISBN No: 978-1-920287-28-3
Cost: 250.00
The study examined the use of oral genres in the available Yorùbá newspapers from 1859 to 1960. It also highlighted the inter-textualities of Yorùbá oral literature and the contents of these maiden sets of newspapers, and the overall impact which they both had on the Yorùbá literate and civil societies. Moreover, it appraised the creative ingenuity of the pioneer-writers of these papers who, for stylistic, aesthetic and thematic effects, amply employed the use of Yorùbá oral genres in the newspapers.
The methodology employed involved the collection of twenty Yorùbà newspapers published between 1859 to 1960. This was complemented by library and archival research. Oral interviews were also conducted among the literate but fairly old people who knew part of the period when the newspapers were in circulation. The analysis of the data was carried out within the framework of sociology of literature.
The results showed that Yorùbá oral materials such as panegyrics, riddles, proverbs, fictional stories, taboos and songs were effectively and extensively used in the newspapers of the period under study. The study identified eleven different ways in which Yorùbá praise and descriptive poetry (oríkì) were used in casting news headlines and other captions. The use of the Yorùbà praise and descriptive poetry in this way was also found to be a major motif in the newspapers. Other themes in the newspapers included concise autobiographies, stories related to the provenance of towns and communities and some other forms of literary creativity at large.
The study concluded that Yorùbá oral genres provided good source materials for education and entertainment among the Yorùbá. Also, the genres were found to be inseparable from both the pre-literary and literary life of the Yorùbá people as they formed a dependable hub around which our contemporary written literature radiates.
