Won Ro Pe Were Ni was written by Adebayo Faleti, a newscaster in the old Western Region, Nigeria. First edition was published in 1965. The setting was Ibadan, the capital city of Western Region. The old western region was subsequently divided into several states, including Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Lagos state.
The opening scene gave a synopsis of the book and its core message. The main problem was the love of money and the extent to which desperate people were keen to go to accumulate material resources. The central characters of the book were two close friends, Aremu and Baba Rama (Rama’s dad). Rama’s dad was very wealthy, but he loved to flaunt his wealth, wasting most of it on entertainers as they praised him.
It is very important to underscore the role of the entertainers. Imagine the market square. By appointment were adversaries (and their supporters) gathered there. Also present were the entertainers, usually people who were experts at using the talking drum. The adversaries would not engage in physical combat, instead, their money would do the talking. Using money, you can instruct a drummer to praise you, but your adversary can double what you paid and stop him from praising you.
One day, to win a competition, Baba Rama asked the lead drummer how much his drum cost. His reply was 2 pounds. Baba Rama then paid fifty pounds and instructed the drummer to beat his drum until it ripped. On that day, Baba Rama parted with 300 pounds, his robe, wrist watch and his shoes. Just imagine him walking home and how happy the entertainers were. Yes, Baba Rama won, but he walked home bare-footed and without his robes.
Eventually, but not surprisingly, Baba Rama fell on hard times and decided to join a cult that promised to make him rich, but there was a price tag: a woman who has never married and is still a virgin. Encouraged by his wife, both hatched a plan to abduct Ayoka, the bright daughter of Baba Rama’s close friend, Aremu.
Ayoka was on scholarship and studying in Lagos but was back home for a short holiday. It was this same Aremu who helped Baba Rama with his creditors and provided food for him when he was broke.
After delivering Ayoka up to the cult, Baba Rama was given apo marun, the sum of 1000 pounds. However, there was something unique about this money: it was a fetish and it will never be exhausted. Ayoka could not believe that Baba Rama, who she thought had rescued her from kidnappers had just sold her to cultists who would in the process of time use her for ritual sacrifice.
Meanwhile, Aremu and his wife, Asabi, Ayoka’s parent had discovered she went missing and the search was on for her. Of course, Baba Rama and his wife, Awawu were alongside Aremu during the search. When Aremu expressed despair, it was Baba Rama pumping out words of encouragement.
Miraculously, through a series of events, Ayoka narrowly escaped the violent and cruel death that was waiting for her. When she suddenly turned up at home, covering her modesty with a jute bag, Ayoka was shocked to find Baba Rama, who sold her to the cultists, as one of the chief mourners. In anger, she took off her wrapper and started beating Baba Rama with it. Aremu concluded his daughter had lost her sanity and that was where the title of the book came from.
The truth eventually came out and Baba Rama was jailed for 20 years, his wife, Awawu was jailed for ten years while the ritualists received various sentences ranging from death by hanging to life sentences.
The next post will explore the major themes in the book and see whether they are relevant in Nigeria of today.
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