Not My Business Not My Business

By Niyi OsundareBy Niyi Osundare

Not My BusinessBy Niyi Osundare

Political riotsPolitical riots

VictimsVictims

Innocent people left without homesInnocent people left without homes

They picked Akanni up one They picked Akanni up one morningmorning

Use of first names makes us think that the poet knows the victims

Beat him soft like clayBeat him soft like clay

Simile shows how a human can be easily misshapen just like clay.

And staffed him down the bellyAnd staffed him down the bellyof a waiting jeep.of a waiting jeep.

•Use of powerful verb “staffed” to show high level of aggression.

•Personification- the jeep symbolises a hungry person who swallows his victims into his belly.

What business of mine is itWhat business of mine is itso long they don’t take the yamso long they don’t take the yamfrom my savouring mouth?from my savouring mouth?

Whatever happens around if the poet gets his food then he does not care

They came one nightThey came one night

Booted the whole house awakeBooted the whole house awake

•The soldiers’ Aggression is shown by the verb “booted”

•Personification of the house getting awake as a person

And dragged Danladi outAnd dragged Danladi out Then off to a lengthy absence. Then off to a lengthy absence.

•Repetition of use of a first name.

•Aggressive verb “dragged”

•“Lengthy absence” makes us think that the victim may never return to his home and fasmily.

What business of mine is itWhat business of mine is itso long they don’t take the yamso long they don’t take the yamfrom my savouring mouth?from my savouring mouth?

Repetition of the chorus, gives stronger impression of the poet not wanting to get involved as long as he is safe.

Chinwe went to work one dayChinwe went to work one dayOnly to find her job was goneOnly to find her job was gone

•The next victim is named by first name yet again to tell us she is well known by the poet.

•The act of injustice is not so shocking as the previous ones but still leaves someone hurt.

No query, no warning, no probe-No query, no warning, no probe-Just one neat sack for a stainless Just one neat sack for a stainless record.record.

Being without a job means to be hungry and poor and even dead as there will be no money for food

What business of mine is itWhat business of mine is itso long they don’t take the yamso long they don’t take the yamfrom my savouring mouth?from my savouring mouth?

Third repetition of the chorus, another reminder that the poet does not want to know about the horrific things happening to people around him.

And then one eveningAnd then one eveningAs I sat down to eat my yamAs I sat down to eat my yam

The next evening though brings the soldiers to the poet’s home in the special for him time of supper

A knock on the door froze my A knock on the door froze my hungry hand.hungry hand.

The time for him being picked up has come, he is the next victim, but will anyone object, will anyone defend him, do anything to save him?

A jeep was waiting on my A jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawnbewildered lawnWaiting , waiting in its usual Waiting , waiting in its usual silence.silence. No-one is

there for the poet, everyone is just like he was-they don’t want to know.

StructureStructureThe poem has four stanzas.The poem has four stanzas.The first three stanzas are the sameThe first three stanzas are the sameThe fist four lines of them describe what happens The fist four lines of them describe what happens to three people the knows, then there are three to three people the knows, then there are three more lines which are the same in every of the more lines which are the same in every of the first three stanzas and they form a chorus which first three stanzas and they form a chorus which shows the passive reaction of the poet to the shows the passive reaction of the poet to the horrible, shocking events.horrible, shocking events.The forth and final stanza is a contrast to the The forth and final stanza is a contrast to the previous three, it is about how the time for the previous three, it is about how the time for the poet to be taken away comes and finishes on a poet to be taken away comes and finishes on a cliff hanger as we do not know what happens to cliff hanger as we do not know what happens to him.him.

What is the poem What is the poem about? about?

Structure Structure

Voice in the Voice in the poem/narratorpoem/narrator

Poetic devices usedPoetic devices used

Tone of poemTone of poem

What is the What is the effect/purpose of the effect/purpose of the poem?poem?

QuotationQuotation Poetic devicesPoetic devices How does it relate How does it relate to life in Nigeriato life in Nigeria

‘‘beat him soft like beat him soft like clay’clay’

similesimile

'stuffed ... down the 'stuffed ... down the belly' of the jeep belly' of the jeep

personificationpersonification