Yoruba Language
1. Ijapa n gboke gope.
2. Alira n lora rela.
3. A padaba l'aba baba; a o fun baba alaba l'adaba je.
4. Labalaba subu l'Alaba, l'Alaba ba laa labara.
After brief periods with some consulting firms in the UK, he undertook the mandatory practical training in the Civil Engineering Department of Crown Agents London from 1961 to 1963. Thereafter, he returned to Nigeria for his civil service career in the Federal Ministry of Works where he worked on many construction and maintenance projects. He was also at the Planning Department of the Highways Division of the Federal Ministry of Works and took part in the planning, design, and specifications for many road projects in the country.
In 1978 he was transferred to the Federal Capital Development Authority as the first Director of Development and Engineering Services, where he contributed to the definition of the urban transportation system and the regional road network in the Master Plan of the new Federal Capital City, Abuja and the associated activities leading to the eventual construction and first phase of movement to the city.
While his main professional interests are transportation planning, the development of the indigenous construction industry, project management and computer applications, he has made huge contributions to the country's political development through his writings and commentaries. His writings have been delivered at conferences, lectures, and tribunals while some have been published in journals and newspapers. He enjoys sports, current affairs, motoring, flying and traveling.
Engr Oseni voluntarily retired from the Federal Public Service in 1981 to set up an engineering consulting firm, F.A. Oseni Consultancy Services and Oznick Computers Ltd in 1983.
He is a Member, Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria, Member, Institution of Civil Engineers (London) and Fellow, Nigerian Society of Engineers. In June 2011, he "Achieved the distinction of having been a member of the British Institution of Civil Engineers for fifty years."
He was conferred with the traditional title of Olisa Bobaniyi by Sir Olateru Olagbegi II, KBE, the Olowo of Owo in December 1994.
Engr Festus Alfred Oladimeji Oseni is married with three children: two daughters and a son.
In 1938, a school teacher, David O. Fagunwa came out with a book entitled Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale. In part because of its novelty, in part because of the richness of language, in part because it treated familiar themes and because it relied heavily on folklores with which people were familiar, Ogboju Ode was an instant success.
Fagunwa’s first novel, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale (1938; The Forest of a Thousand Daemons), was the first full-length novel published in the Yoruba language. Fagunwa’s works characteristically take the form of loosely constructed picaresque fairy tales containing many folklore elements: spirits, monsters, gods, magic, and witchcraft.
Also because of their classical nature, richness and because of the prolificity of its author, Fagunwa's books (he wrote four others after Ogboju Ode) became so prodigious that they, for a long time, seemed to overshadow other writings in the same genre. Indeed, it is only recently that many, outside the circle of the educated Yorubas, are beginning to realize that there were indeed some other literary works of note before and during Fagunwa's ‘reign'. Such was the intensity of leverage the Fagunwa's works wielded.
The books, in order of publication are:
- 1938, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale (Wole Soyinka translated the book into English in 1968 as The Forest of A Thousand Demons).
- 1940, Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje (Expedition to the Mount of Thought).
- 1946, Igbo Eledumare (The Forest of God).
- 1949, Ireke Onibudo.
- 1963, Adiitu Olodumare.
What a rare collections!
Besides assembling Yoruba folklores and weaving them together to form a composite narrative, Fagunwa, in each of his works, preaches ‘high morals' from Yoruba cultural perspective as well as Christian ethos. The five works essentially deal with Yoruba traditional society. The first two works centre on how life was lived in pre-colonial Yoruba society. His latter works also consider the traditional society. But this time taking cognizance of the fact that real social and political power has shifted from Obas or traditional chiefs to the colonialists. The Fagunwa phenomenon thus represented the third landmark in the evolution of Yoruba literature.
“Because of its popularity, because of its depth and because of its uniqueness, D.O. Fagunwa's writing is often regarded by many as the pioneer of Yoruba literature - especially the novels.”
-Jare Ajayi
ABOUT D. O. FAGUNWA.
Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa MBE (1903 — December 9, 1963), popularly known as D.O. Fagunwa, was a Nigerian author who pioneered the Yoruba language novel. He was born in Oke-Igbo, Ondo State. A chief of the Yoruba, Fagunwa studied at St. Luke's School, Oke-Igbo and St. Andrew's College, Oyo before becoming a teacher himself.
Fagunwa remains the most widely-read Yorùbá-language author, and a major influence on such contemporary writers as Amos Tutuola.
Fagunwa was awarded the Margaret Wong Prize in 1955 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1959. He died in a motor accident in 1963 (though not certained).
In 1938, a school teacher, David O. Fagunwa came out with a book entitled Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale. In part because of its novelty, in part because of the richness of language, in part because it treated familiar themes and because it relied heavily on folklores with which people were familiar, Ogboju Ode was an instant success.
Fagunwa’s first novel, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale (1938; The Forest of a Thousand Daemons), was the first full-length novel published in the Yoruba language. Fagunwa’s works characteristically take the form of loosely constructed picaresque fairy tales containing many folklore elements: spirits, monsters, gods, magic, and witchcraft.
Also because of their classical nature, richness and because of the prolificity of its author, Fagunwa's books (he wrote four others after Ogboju Ode) became so prodigious that they, for a long time, seemed to overshadow other writings in the same genre. Indeed, it is only recently that many, outside the circle of the educated Yorubas, are beginning to realize that there were indeed some other literary works of note before and during Fagunwa's ‘reign'. Such was the intensity of leverage the Fagunwa's works wielded.
The books, in order of publication are:
- 1938, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale (Wole Soyinka translated the book into English in 1968 as The Forest of A Thousand Demons).
- 1940, Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje (Expedition to the Mount of Thought).
- 1946, Igbo Eledumare (The Forest of God).
- 1949, Ireke Onibudo.
- 1963, Adiitu Olodumare.
What a rare collections!
Besides assembling Yoruba folklores and weaving them together to form a composite narrative, Fagunwa, in each of his works, preaches ‘high morals' from Yoruba cultural perspective as well as Christian ethos. The five works essentially deal with Yoruba traditional society. The first two works centre on how life was lived in pre-colonial Yoruba society. His latter works also consider the traditional society. But this time taking cognizance of the fact that real social and political power has shifted from Obas or traditional chiefs to the colonialists. The Fagunwa phenomenon thus represented the third landmark in the evolution of Yoruba literature.
“Because of its popularity, because of its depth and because of its uniqueness, D.O. Fagunwa's writing is often regarded by many as the pioneer of Yoruba literature - especially the novels.”
-Jare Ajayi
ABOUT D. O. FAGUNWA.
Daniel Olorunfemi Fagunwa MBE (1903 — December 9, 1963), popularly known as D.O. Fagunwa, was a Nigerian author who pioneered the Yoruba language novel. He was born in Oke-Igbo, Ondo State. A chief of the Yoruba, Fagunwa studied at St. Luke's School, Oke-Igbo and St. Andrew's College, Oyo before becoming a teacher himself.
Fagunwa remains the most widely-read Yorùbá-language author, and a major influence on such contemporary writers as Amos Tutuola.
Fagunwa was awarded the Margaret Wong Prize in 1955 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1959. He died in a motor accident in 1963 (though not certained).
THIS IS THE BEST GIFT COLLECTIONS YOU CAN GIVE TO YOUR FATHER, MOTHER, UNCLE, BOSS, ETC AND I BET YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN THEIR GOOD BOOK.