If there was a poll for the greatest ever African writer, a
fair number of informed readers would surely plump for Ayi Kwei Armah, the
Ghanaian writer who since his emergence as a young writer many decades ago has
garnered extraordinary respect and followership.
Robert Fraser, in this monograph, more than captures the essence of Armah - focusing as he does on his first five remarkable novels, the life and times of Armah, and his excellent vision. It is impossible to think of any other African concerned with moral regeneration as Armah has done for decades.
Fraser zeroes in on this aspect, starting with Armah's first, and by far the most famous of his works, The beautyful ones are not yet born. The startling story of an incredibly principled yet impecunious protagonist - he stoically refuses to indulge in any acts of corruption even when opportunities present themselves. Even his family are certain this is crazy self-flagellation.
"The man", who is given no name throughout the book is not so different from Baako, the principled protagonist of Fragments, Armah's second novel, as Fraser points out in this work. Alas, the society mocks and denigrates Baako too (in contradistinction to the flashy flagrant "been-tos"). Armah and his main protagonists luridly rail against materialism and corruption in African societies.
Fraser also examines Armah's other novels like Why are we so blest? (A trio of interesting rather zany individuals feature here too), Two thousand seasons (his most controversial and polemical work), and The Healers, which features profound thinkers and intellectuals annealed within the African crucible.
The author (Fraser) unequivocally admires Armah a lot as a superb, principled, analytical yet highly creative writer, and this is obvious throughout this monograph. He is on Armah's side most of the time even whilst the author is at his most polemical.
It is an eclectic, thought provoking study, with interesting analyses, allusions, and analogies. Eg whilst examining Two thousand seasons, Fraser juxtaposes some sections there with Alex Haley's Roots. I also liked the reference (s) to the work of another early great Ghanaian writer, Kofi Awoonor.
Fraser is rather enamoured with Armah's prose too, including African idioms, ululations, aphorisms; eg he reproduces (in Fragments) the philosophic musings of an old woman "Each thing that goes away returns and in the end nothing is lost...". He sums up the vision of Armah in his writings, the significance of the individual, and the collective, plural striations of society.
One cannot but feel that this is a remarkable study of a remarkable African writer. The essence of Armah has been captured, even if we know little or nothing about his later major works (eg Osiris Rising; KMT; and The Resolutionaries - Armah's very latest work)
Oh I love monographs on African writers...
- Malome Eric B
Robert Fraser, in this monograph, more than captures the essence of Armah - focusing as he does on his first five remarkable novels, the life and times of Armah, and his excellent vision. It is impossible to think of any other African concerned with moral regeneration as Armah has done for decades.
Fraser zeroes in on this aspect, starting with Armah's first, and by far the most famous of his works, The beautyful ones are not yet born. The startling story of an incredibly principled yet impecunious protagonist - he stoically refuses to indulge in any acts of corruption even when opportunities present themselves. Even his family are certain this is crazy self-flagellation.
"The man", who is given no name throughout the book is not so different from Baako, the principled protagonist of Fragments, Armah's second novel, as Fraser points out in this work. Alas, the society mocks and denigrates Baako too (in contradistinction to the flashy flagrant "been-tos"). Armah and his main protagonists luridly rail against materialism and corruption in African societies.
Fraser also examines Armah's other novels like Why are we so blest? (A trio of interesting rather zany individuals feature here too), Two thousand seasons (his most controversial and polemical work), and The Healers, which features profound thinkers and intellectuals annealed within the African crucible.
The author (Fraser) unequivocally admires Armah a lot as a superb, principled, analytical yet highly creative writer, and this is obvious throughout this monograph. He is on Armah's side most of the time even whilst the author is at his most polemical.
It is an eclectic, thought provoking study, with interesting analyses, allusions, and analogies. Eg whilst examining Two thousand seasons, Fraser juxtaposes some sections there with Alex Haley's Roots. I also liked the reference (s) to the work of another early great Ghanaian writer, Kofi Awoonor.
Fraser is rather enamoured with Armah's prose too, including African idioms, ululations, aphorisms; eg he reproduces (in Fragments) the philosophic musings of an old woman "Each thing that goes away returns and in the end nothing is lost...". He sums up the vision of Armah in his writings, the significance of the individual, and the collective, plural striations of society.
One cannot but feel that this is a remarkable study of a remarkable African writer. The essence of Armah has been captured, even if we know little or nothing about his later major works (eg Osiris Rising; KMT; and The Resolutionaries - Armah's very latest work)
Oh I love monographs on African writers...
- Malome Eric B
Pa Armah (he is an African elder now) has been a stunning, salient writer for decades now. Stated to be something of a recluse, nevertheless he has done Africa proud - very proud - with his magnificent writings, both creative, and polemical. A man of great convictions, his work speaks for itself.
ReplyDeleteI remember I read Armah's book, The beautyful ones are not yet born, at least twice over the years. I first thought that they made a spelling mistake on the cover (Beautiful) but when I read the book I realised it was not so. One was very shocked to read the book and see so many references to disgusting dirt, excrement, private part etc. It is a very powerful condemnation of filth and corruption in African continent, and one realised Armah is actually a genius, a man on a mission for decades, a man with great personal integrity (alas, so rare these days in Africa) We see the greed, sickening corruption and hypocrisy of Koomson (a "friend" of the main character of the book) now high up in government. That Armah is a superb essayist can again be seen in the parts, the long passages eg where he focuses on 'Teacher', a selfless enigma like the main character himself. Armah can easily go on and on in his works, highlighting the folly and weaknesses of our continent. A writer who deserves the fullest respect.
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