Magic/Magical Realism (henceforth referred to as Magic Realism in this post) is considered to be a subset of literary fiction genre and is ludicrously credited to a 20th century German. It is defined as “what happens when a highly detailed realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe” (see source).
I wanted to write about Magic Realism in the African setting but opted first to look for definitions. I was puzzled that the provenance of Magic Realism was traced to Germany in the 1920s. I can accept that Europeans did not know Magic Realism existed before their contact with Africans. However, the moment that contact happened, they would have encountered Magic Realism. Germany itself had its share of African territory in East Africa and South West Africa (see source). It is more likely that what was claimed as the origin of Magic Realism in Germany was inspired by encounters with the African culture. Although I will use Magic Realism narratives in South West of Nigeria as the base for this article, my guess is parallels can be seen elsewhere on the continent.
Among the Yorubas and other people groups in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, Magic Realism is not just a literary genre. Instead, it is at the heart of day to day reality. Football matches, winning elections, gaining political power, overcoming sickness, becoming successful in life, conception and successful delivery, etc., are often framed in what would be considered to be Magic Realism. That thing that “is too strange to believe” by Europeans and those whose ontologies are very Western, is entrenched in our belief system. As these things are embedded in the belief system and part of narratives that are believed by the people everyday, it naturally flows into our poetry, fictions, films and theatre. Every foreign religion that landed in South West of Nigeria has had its reckoning with the local Magic Realism narratives. Out of the encounter comes something that is neither completely foreign nor local.
Before and until the age of nine, I read several novels written in Yoruba language. Most of those books were deeply immersed in Magic Realism. First and foremost are the books of D.O. Fagunwa (MBE). Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole, translated into English language by Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Laurate (get a copy here) is probably the most popular. As early as the third page of this book, we come across that example of a “highly detailed realistic setting” being “invaded by something too strange to believe”. In the account that started on the third page, a hunter went on a hunting trip. Eventually, he became tired and rested. After a while, he saw the ground literally open and smokes started coming out until the fog of the smokes became so thick and dark he no longer could see. As the hunter tried to escape, the smoke became a man bearing a big sword, trying to kill him. As he begged for his life, the sword bearer said he wanted to kill the man because he was married to a wicked witch. His life was spared but only on a promise that he would kill his wife as soon he gets home.
After the incident, the hunter headed back home. His route took him through his okra farm and he heard some footsteps, therefore, he climbed a tree to see the intruder. The culprit went into a secluded place, but out came a deer, which straightaway started helping itself to the crops. Angrily, the hunter loaded his gun and aimed a shot at the deer. To his surprise, the deer wept bitterly and exclaimed in Yoruba: mo gbe o! (I am finished!). The hunter then retired to a little hut on his farm to pass the night.
At daybreak, the hunter went to investigate what happened to the deer but there was nothing but blood. He then traced the blood until it led to the room of his wife in his own house. Opening the door, the hunter found a creature that was from head to shoulder his wife but the rest of her body was that of a deer! All these within the first five pages of the book. Fagunwa went ahead to write a few more books where everyday reality was invaded by the magical.
Fagunwa set the pace but several others followed. Amo Tutuola with his book the “Palm Wine Drinkard” did the same but he wrote in English Language. Tutuola’s book was about the search for his dead palm wine tapper, a trip that was full of the invasion of highly realistic settings by events too strange to believe. Another author who wrote in Yoruba was J.O Ogundele. Ibu Olokun (The Deeps Of Olokun) was the story of a man called Orogodoganyin (I won’t even dare translate that!) who was whisked way by iji (storm, tornado, hurricane) and was not seen again for seven years. When he eventually turned up, Orogodoganyin came with abundance of supernatural power. In, “Ejigbede Lona Isalu Orun” (Ejigbede On the Way To Heaven), Ogundele told the story of a man who literally walked to heaven.
“Eegun Alare” by Lawuyi Oguniran which I reviewed here tells the story of masquerade magicians who went around performing to entertain people and can turn into animals and turn back to humans. “Won Ro Pe Were Ni” (they thought she was mad) by Adebayo Faleti (reviewed here) told the story of a man who tried to offer his best friend’s daughter for a sacrifice that will restore his wealth, but the girl got lucky and escaped.
Magic Realism has crept into every sphere of life in the South West of Nigeria and it is more than fiction. Magic Realism is almost part of our reality. Our ontology, our metaphysics accommodates the magical and this is often abused. Take Christian doctrines preached in South Western Nigeria versus similar Churches in England or America. American will preach “deliverance” just as the British churches do. When these doctrines are preached in South Western Nigeria, there will be another edge to it. In South West of Nigeria, you would hear “testimonies” of people who would claim they used to be the second in command to Satan himself and knew the devil personally. How many second in command does Satan have? Lol! Some pastors will preach about how they prayed for somebody who spew out a live snake (but there will not be any documentary evidence). These Magic Realism narratives can be exploited by some wicked leaders to get away with murder.
When you watch those viral clips where spiritual leaders command their followers to eat grass or to do something stupid, the reason the followers consent is simply because of their belief in Magic Realism. In their minds, their spiritual leader is very powerful and speaks to God face to face. Therefore, if he commands them to eat grass in order to magically manufacture their breakthrough, so be it. And those ritualists who kill their relatives, friends, strangers or what have you in order to have magical wealth are acting out the extremes of the believes in Magic Realism.
The bible teaches about the miraculous but the miraculous has blended into Magic Realism and commercialized. “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:5-8) is how the miraculous is dispensed in the bible. With Magic Realism, people are made to part with their money in exchange for the promise of a miracle. Magic Realism narratives about the miraculous things that the spiritual leader did for others are used to prepare the people for the extraction of their resources. Some of these leaders promise financial miracles but their own finances are sorted by extracting money from their followers.
And you don’t even have to go to a religious setting like a church to encounter Magic Realism. I once read an article in a Nigerian newspaper about a witch who was “flying” back as a bird from a coven meeting and fell on a bus: Fake news. There was a famous academic in Nigeria who died suddenly decades ago. A man claimed that early death was because of an academic covenant: death at an early age in exchange for a meteoric academic career, this is nothing but pure conjecture!
As enjoyable as Magic Realism is as fiction, when it becomes part of our reality, it is dangerous and deadly.
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