Tomi Falade, a Nigerian journalist and writer, has released two new historical plays as she returns to storytelling.
Ms Falade’s Alayemore: The Twice-Crowned King and Orompotoniyun: 12 Nights For A Crown are her third and fourth books, respectively.
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The books were launched at The Tomi Falade Book Party 2.0: A Cocktail Affair, hosted by comedian and entertainer Gbenga Adeyinka 1st at Cafe One, Ikeja.
The event brought together members of Falade’s family, friends, colleagues, literary enthusiasts, media executives, and cultural advocates, who celebrated the author’s continued use of drama to revisit African history.
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Some of the dignitaries at the book lunch include Babajide Fadiya, Chief Executive Officer of Baggage Support Services; Seun Oloketuyi of the Best of Nollywood Awards; Yemi Adebisi, Editor of Saturday Independent; Olumide Iyanda of QED Media; Muyiwa Kupoluyi; and Nollywood actor and filmmaker Jide Awobona.
Previous plays
Ms Falade’s latest works follow her debut play, ‘Olobun: Matriarch of Ondo, Mother of Legacy’, and her second book, Dates From Hell, a collection of humorous short stories examining the complications of contemporary relationships.
Her debut play, set against the backdrop of 15th-century Yoruba history, explores the circumstances surrounding the birth and exile of twins associated with Alaafin Oluaso, as well as the emergence of the Ondo Kingdom.
With her latest publications, however, Falade turns her attention to two historical figures associated with the royal traditions of Ile-Ife and the old Oyo Empire.
Alayemore: The Twice-Crowned King
The Twice-Crowned King centres on Obalufon Alayemore, traditionally identified as the third Ooni of Ile-Ife and a figure whose story is closely connected to the history of Efon Alaaye.
Historical and oral traditions surrounding Alayemore tell of a monarch whose reign was interrupted by the emergence of Oranmiyan.
After leaving Ile-Ife, Alayemore is associated with the founding of Efon Alaaye, where he established a new royal line. Following Oranmiyan’s departure from Ile-Ife, Alayemore was reportedly recalled to the throne of Ife, making his story unusual in Yoruba royal history.
His association with both Ile-Ife and Efon Alaaye contributed to his enduring reputation as a monarch whose life straddled two kingdoms and two royal chapters.
Falade transforms this history into a stage drama, imagining the conversations, conflicts, ambitions and personal emotions that may have accompanied the political events.
Orompotoniyun: 12 Nights For A Crow
The second play, 12 Nights For A Crown, takes readers into the world of the old Oyo Empire and the extraordinary story of Ajiun Orompotoniyun, commonly known as Orompoto.
Orompoto is traditionally remembered as the first woman to occupy the throne of the Alaafin of Oyo. She is associated with the 16th-century Oyo Empire, when the kingdom was consolidating its military and political influence.
Accounts of her reign also associate her with military campaigns and the development of Oyo’s cavalry tradition. Her story has remained one of the more remarkable examples of female political authority in pre-colonial Yoruba history.
According to the author, Orompotoniyun: 12 Nights For A Crown is a work that occupies the space between historical storytelling and creative invention, which she describes as historical “fiction”.
Story telling
Speaking at the launch, Falade explained that her interest in the stories was driven by a desire to bring lesser-known African histories into contemporary conversations.
“I’ve always loved stories, and I believe that Africa, Nigeria, and by extension, the Yoruba people have a wealth of stories no one is talking about. I think it is time to begin to own those stories and tell them unashamedly,” she said.
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Ms Falade also acknowledged the distinction between historical scholarship and literary interpretation, stressing that her books should not be read as definitive historical accounts.
“My books are not the gospel truth. Let me be clear: my plays are works of ‘fiction’, not a historical thesis,” she said.
According to her, she deliberately altered timelines, incorporated contemporary rhythms and heightened the human drama to make the stories suitable for the stage.
She urged readers who become interested in the historical figures through her books to consult royal historians, traditional custodians and practitioners of oral history for more detailed accounts.
“I have merely given readers a taste of these stories, and I believe that a taste is all that is needed to spark interest,” she added.
The launch featured readings from both plays, with guests taking turns to interpret selected passages and characters.
The book launch also featured a stage performance as the readers brought the texts to life with expressive delivery, characterisation and spontaneous ad-libs, drawing laughter and reactions from the audience.
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