A 26 year-old trained journalist and language educationist with a passion for literature over the weekend launched his first ever literary piece titled The Gods of My Parents, a novel that raises a very important and current social issues in our society.
The Gods of My Parents hosted by Bello Roqueeb, was launched at Maxima Hotel, Off Olopomewa, Eleyele Ibadan. The author also took out time to sign some copies purchased at the event.
The novel is a prophetic, insightful and revolutionary instinctive novel. It begins with the story of Bayo (the protagonist), a focussed lad who gets his inspiration from his religious mum. As the story progresses, Dimeji Sodeke raises a philosophical question on the link between religion and science.
With his first novel under her belt, Sodeke said the novel is definitely to awaken youths to our African realities and predicaments.
In his words, “Many are asleep intellectually and they need to be presented the true picture. The system that keeps us oppressed and suppressed is an organized one, to be against the system we must be organized.”
“I want to steer a revolution,” he added.
The deputy provost of FCE Abeokuta,, Dr. R.A Soyele, who was the chairman of the day was represented by DR MO Omiyefa, while Dr Segun Jegede gave an ideological appraisal to the book.
While delivering his speech, Omiyefa, spoke about Literature and 21st century and the role of our institutions to prepare students for jobs and technologies that don’t exist yet.
He said, “the 21st century is upon us. The role of educational institutions to prepare students for the type of skill needed for them to live and work in the 21st century has never been more crucial and there is a strong sense of urgency to equip our students for “jobs and technologies that don’t yet exist in order to solve problems that we don’t even know are problems yet.”
“With the 21st century skills being the main driving force behind economic, and ultimately education policies, the question then is where lies the power of literature.”
Another discussant, Mr Ropo Ewenla, made mention of the fact that “the system that keeps us this oppressed and suppressed is an organized system so to go against such system we must be so so organized such as reflected in Bayo as related to the piece.”
There were energetic performances from Hayteen and Diyke of Bold Mind Entertainment.
