The Elegiac Poems of Odia Ofeimun

Abstract

One area that has received little or no criticism in the poetry of Odia Ofeimun is his elegies. Interestingly, one of the distinctive characteristics of his verses is the elegiac traits that run through them. This paper focuses on Ofeimun's poetic mastery as an elegist. It examines the manner in which he mourns the death of reputable Pro­ Democracy political figures in the collection of poems entitled Go Tell the Generals. Using a blend of textual analysis that is anchored on the concept of elegy as its theoretical framework, the study underscores the agonies and grief of the poet over the death of three iconic Pro-Democracy activists - Alfred Rewane, Bola Ige and Kudirat Abiola. Moreover, our attention is also drawn to the consolatory effects generated by the legacies of these personalities that assuage the grief-stricken status of the poet. In the end, it is discovered that Ofeimun's mastery of the elegiac craft, elucidates the uniqueness of poetry as an effective tool for mourning.