Thanks, Funmi,
I had other, private, communication with him after that. The last was on the 2nd of June, exactly a month before he was taken from us, where he stated:
"Although I'm no longer at Ilorin, I still have a connection as Editor of the Savannah Review which is published by Kwara State University Press.
"Although I'm no longer at Ilorin, I still have a connection as Editor of the Savannah Review which is published by Kwara State University Press.
As for my own work, a new collection of my essays is in production. It's entitled "The African Scholar and other essays." It will be published by CraftBooks, Ibadan, arguably the best Nigerian publisher. If all goes well, the book will appear in August or September. I will not fail to send you a copy when it's ready.
Irele
Note my current affiliation: Hutchins Centre, Harvard University."
I responded:
"I was moved to learn you are back at Harvard, in fact, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Could you share why you moved?"
"I was moved to learn you are back at Harvard, in fact, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Could you share why you moved?"
My email box became full some time after that and could not receive any mail. It was reactivated in early July.
thanks
toyin
On 12 July 2017 at 10:41, Funmi Tofowomo Okelola <funmitofowomo@gmail.com> wrote:
Toyin,--Pele oo. Don't be despair oo. I hope you'll find the strength to bear the loss of Prof. Irele. He was truly one of your dedicated fans on WSS (Wole Soyinka Society).When I heard about his death, I immediately thought about your relationship with him on the WSS listserv. Afterwards, I surfed the listserv to read Prof. Irele's last interaction with you on March 3, 2017.Olodumare a mu ojo jina si ra o. Won o ni ku aku fa o. Olodumare a duro ti awon omo ati ebi won o. Ase.Here: The thread between Toyin and Prof. Irele on 3/3/2017.
Mar 4Of course I will. I'll send you the draft when it's ready.IreleOn Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 6:27 PM, Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju toyin.adepoju@... [WoleSoyinkaSociety] <WoleSoyin kaSociety@yahoogroups.com >wrote: wow.could you clarify on the subject of terminology, prof. Irele?i hope you'll inform us when the collection comes out.thankstoyinOn 3 March 2017 at 23:45, Francis Irele abiolairele@... [WoleSoyinkaSociety] <WoleSoyin kaSociety@ yahoogroups.com > wrote:I'm preparing an Introduction to a collection of my essays. I argue that the terms we now work with in literary criticism are meaningless-- terms such as world literature and postcolonial literature--and should now be discarded.IreleOn Fri, Mar 3, 2017 at 5:25 PM, Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju toyin.adepoju@... [WoleSoyinkaSociety] <WoleSoyin kaSociety@yahoogroup s.com > wrote:---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bloomsbury Literary Studies <csm@...>
Date: 1 March 2017 at 16:02
Subject: Literatures as World Literature: explore the series
To: toyin.adepoju@...
On Tuesday, July 11, 2017 at 4:22:28 PM UTC-7, Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju wrote:I will really miss Abiola Irele.There are certain things one understands better only when it is too late, having blindly related to the world as if immortality was assured, and there would be enough time to do all that needs to be done.He was one of my dedicated fans, though I performed below expectation too many times, in the spirit of a person drunk on opportunity, the variety a haze blocking clarity of vision.One might not understand what love is at times, until it is gone.On the long journey of trying to understand who I really am, he gave me a lot of support, giving unqualified identification to my choice of social media and self publishing online platforms as primary scholarly publicisation systems, on the basis of which he offered me sterling opportunities in mainstream academic publication, some of which I was wise enough to make the most of.I have never been completely at home with schooling and academia in their currently globally dominant sense, and Irele's appreciation of my efforts as I sought to find my own way has been central fuel in that struggle.He is a colossus, yet always appreciative of any effort one makes to highlight his inimitable radiance.Something important is gone from my life.What flows in to occupy the void thus created?The memory of the coruscation of power that is the master. The foregrounding of the abyss against which one must measure oneself.I have so much I want to share with you. Work already done which I saw myself as too occupied to share. Work in progress which is likely to delight him. That attentive ear is gone from the space we long shared.toyin
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Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
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Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
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