August 16, 2025
Introduction:
This post aims to drive into the the background of Not My Business by Nìyí Osundare in order to further give readers the clarity of the poem. Without further delay, let's set sail.
Background of the Poem
Not My Business by Niyi Osundare has a Nigerian political economic background, judging by the poet's background and the name of characters in the poem.
It reminds the reader of the era of military dictatorship in Nigeria (which spanned between 1966 and 1983). The era full of power hijacking via coup d'état.
During such era, free speech was very poisonous, the mass media was in a cage of timidity.
Many authors, musicians, activists were terrorized in the country. People like Ken Saro Wiwa lost their lives, the likes of Fela Anikulapo Kuti tasted imprisonment, authors such as Wole Soyinka embraced the act of elopement.
About The Poem
Not My Business by Niyi Osundare exposed the negative result of maintaining non-challancy in face of unjust acts meted out to people around.
The multiple stanza poem narrated how the voice of the poem refused to stand for the victims been oppressed by the agents of military dictatorship, which were symbolized with the word "They".
Judging by human and environmental sentiment, the voice of the poem adhered to a care-free attitude because he or she share nothing in common with the victims (in terms of occupation, religion or ethnicity).
The victims in the poem all varied in few way except being neigbours; Akanni (probably a male Yoruba name), Danladi (a male Hausa name), Chinwe (a female Igbo name).
As seen in line 1, stanza 1 of the poem; Akanni was victimized in the morning "They picked Akanni up one morning". Danladi witnessed his own share of brutality at night time. "They came one night/Booted the whole house awake/And dragged him out..." [stanza 3]. Chinwe was sacked from work without explanation in broad daylight.
"And then one evening
As I sat down to eat my yam
A knock on the door froze my hungry hand.
The jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawn
Waiting, waiting in its usual silence."
The concluding stanzas of the poem as shown above, revealed that what had been going around eventually got to the non-chalant narrator.
About the Poets.
Niyi Osundare, the poet behind the poem Not My Business, is a Nigerian poet and writer. He was born in 1947 in Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria.
His poetry combines Yoruba traditions with influences from around the world not excluding some themes such as corruption, oppression, pollution, etc.
Few of his other poems are "The Leader and the Led", "They Too Are The Earth", etc. We have also taken time to analyze or discuss the two mentioned poems _ therefore, you might find those topics below or you click the search box in this website to find topic you wish to read and digest.
Hopefully, one or more knowledge has been acquired by reading this article. Before you exit this website, do share your thoughts in the comment section and also share the article with others via various social media platforms.
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