User:Ydo
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[[User:Rosemary B.O'Neal(4:21: 26 December 2007)Yemi D. Ogunyemi Yemi D. Ogunyemi is a Nigerian cum American writer, poet and literary philosopher with over forty titles of literary works, most of which are published by his house. Because only his parents know the time and place he was born, he has chosen 01.01.01 as his birthday. This goes with Yemi D. Prince, his poetic name that duly signifies immortality. According to his parents, he was born in a fishing boat while his parents were fishing on the Lagos lagoon, and delivered by Oshun the goddess of love and productivity.
Yemi was born into a piscatorial family. His father, Reuben Ojagbuwa was a Chief of Ipepe, one of the littoral town-lets in Atlantic Yoruba. He completed his Primary, Junior and Senior High School education in 1960, 1963, 1967, respectively. Having worked with the Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Reconstruction for six years (1968-1973), he went to Austria on Study Leave Without Pay. He attended Graz University in 1977 and completed his Journalism and Communication Studies in 1979. While working with International Atomic Energy Agency, he enrolled with Webster University where he completed his MA in Human and International Relations, the first scholar to have done so without a BA diploma in his possession.
Early Life Yemi Diploman Ogunyemi was born on March 21, 1950, while his father (Reuben Ojagbuwa) and his mother (Matilda Ogunyemi) were fishing on the Lagos lagoon. His father who is originally from Ode-Omi (in Ijebu Province), later became the Chief in Ipepe. He completed his primary and junior high school education in Zion-Ipepe (1960 and 1963, respectively), a spiritual town, founded after many citizens in Yoruba Atlantic had been forced to become apostates. In 1967, he completed his High School education at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School. His education was hugely supported by Chief Obafemi Awolowo's scheme for free primary education in Western Nigeria. − The family mentor who had opened his eyes and ears to the voice of nature, the rivulets of legends, myths, folktales and Yoruba narrative Philosophy is Chief Tai Bola (1898-1989), a diviner and bucolic philosopher.
A spiritualist, who believes God (Olorun) himself is the name of his religion, equally believes that a honestly told story has the power to heal the body as well as the soul. The upshot of his faith led to the publication of Path to Ifetherapy and Its Healing Poems in 2001.
Studies Abroad After a short stay in Italy in 1973. Yemi moved to Vienna, Austria in 1974 and published his first poetry book, Trans-Continental Poems, the same year. He completed his diploma program at Graz University in 1979 and his MA at Webster University in 1982.
On becoming a full writer in 1983, he set up his publishing house, Development News, Ltd, publishing most of his children's stories which have increased from five in 1983 to fifteen in 1989.
In 1983, he established an in-house Institute of Creative Writing, promoting research in Nigerian/African literatures through seminars, conducted lectures, symposia, conferences, book presentations and writing workshops.
In 1991, two years before he closed down the Institute, and five years after the beating of his cousin, Abayomi by the Vienna police led to his cousin's death, he published Studying Creative Writing in Nigeria, a textbook intended primarily for BA and MA students of Creative Writing in Nigerian colleges and universities.
Yemi, a luminous fellow of a gentleman, whose work reflects the savvies and the radiance of his spirit, is always fascinated by books. On becoming a full time writer and researcher in 1983, his writing has taken him to a new level of dimensional enlightenment where he often finds himself couchant between Yoruba cosmology and cosmogony. According to him, he discovers his inspiration as he looks upon the Yoruba culture as a trichotomic culture, likened to a pyramid. On the top of the pyramid seats philosophy of consciousness, followed by religion and literature. Using the spirit of Olodumare as his guidance, and Ogun as his ancestral Muse, he strongly believes in the future and the visionary Divination of Ifa-Ife, the metaphysical concept central to Yoruba/African philosophy, religion and literature.
Having temporarily joined the Liberty University in 1993( a private university in Vienna, trying to make a difference), as Associate Professor of Letters and Yoruba Philosophy, he moved to Harvard University in 1994 as Reserch Fellow, African-American Studies. His research that took him to the six continents of the world, in search of people of African descent and avant-garde writers led to the publication of Literatures of the African Diaspora in 2004.
Currently, Yemi D. Ogunyemi is adjunct professor of Creative Writing, Warnborough University. And at the time of writing this bio, he has joined Bircham International University as Professor.
Some of his Philosophucal Aphorisms
- It is more honorable to do a few things that make people happy than to do a lot of things that make none happy.
- Literatures of the Diaspora will bring Africa closer to the Western world, now that her literatures are no longer marginalized.
- Can any history of a people from one nation to another be complete without Africa and its diasporized people?
- Any lore that widens people's horizons and presents food for thought is the beginning of philosophy.
- A folk philosophy is a narrative philosophy (from Yoruba philosophical point of view), explicating and pointing to the knowledge of the causes and the nature of things, affecting the corporeal and the spiritual universe--and its wellness.
- Philosophy starts where the thought of recognition puts an end to barbarism, attached to slavery and colonization.
Some of his Neologisms Some of his neologisms as used in his literary works are: (a)Abiko----A dumb, crash-head, dolt, blockhead. One who is born a bastard. One who could have behaved well, were it not for his bastardy. (b) Abikoric----Doltish or bastardly. (c) Bukaria----An indigenous Nigerian restaurant, noted for its macrobiotic condiments and gusto. (d)Confliculture----Conflict emanating as a result of disrespect for other cultures. (e)Fanimora----Patois for fabulous (f)Holygourd----A symbol of necessity conferring material, spiritual and mystic benefits. (g)Ifadom----Practice Ifa: the oral scroll of enlightenment. (h)Ifalogy----Branch of theology relating to the ancient Book of Enlightenment. (i)Ifamas----The festival of the priests, priestesses, deities, ancestors, from which Xmas (named after Jesus Christ, the son of Olorun) said to have been derived. (j)Iferic/Iferical----Of love: pertaining to love. (k)Ifetherapy----The ancient massage therapy, making use of either coconut milk, rain-water or the grains of paradise. (l)Ogunate----Office, position, shrine, cosmos, or dignity of Ogun: period of Ogun's rule as the artificer and commander-in-chief of iron and steel. (m)Olele-wind----A cure-all zephyr that visits Ipepe every calendar year. (n)Sasarawa----An idyllic dwelling characterized by longevity and spiritual wellness. (o(oTrogloden----A den or a dwelling of a troglodyte. (p)Wahala----Patois for trouble or problem. (Q)Wahalaroka----The state of being engulfed by wahala. (r)Zeon----Half-man, half-animal creature.
Some of his Literary Events 1977-1979----Occasional lectures at Graz Secondary Schools,making use of Trans-Continental Poems 1986-1987----Occasional lectures at Vienna Srcondary Schools. June 5, 1986----The Presentation of Women in Europe, Institute of Creative Writing. January 24, 1990----Poetry Workshop, International Hostel, Halifax, Canada. December 18, 1991----Studying Creative Writing in Nigeria, Presentation of; Afro-Asian Institute, Vienna. March 31, 1993----Presentation of The Covenant of the Earth, International University Club, Vienna. March 22, 1994----Avadh University, India: Lecture at. May 21, 1998----Presentation of Introduction to Yoruba Philosophy, Religion and Literature, Northeastern University, Boston. September 30, 2003----Reading and signing The Political Philosophy of Wole Soyinka and Other Narratives, and The Melodrama of the Last Word, Harvard Coop of the Harvard University, Cambridge.
Foundations Austro-Nigerian Society. Development News Ltd, name changed to Diaspora Press of America in 1995. Institute of Yoruba/African Narrative Philosophies. Academe of the Diaspora.
Works Novels The Myths of the Coffee Boys---1985 Dreams of Joy---1985 The sweet Mother---1985 The Literary Philosophy for the Year 2000---1991 The Melodrama of the Last Word---2003 My Gazar With My Geisha---2007
Short Stories(Nine out of Twelve) The Story of a Chief Who Married 35 Wives---1985 The Yellow House---1985 Follow Me---1986 Aduke is a Singer, Mama---1986 Okobaba and the Nine Angels---1986 Tortoise, the Storyteller---1986 Waiting for the Dry Season---1987 Vendetta---1987 The Story that Never Ends---1987
Poetry(Four out of Seven) Trans-Continental Poems---1974 African Soul---1991 The Covenant of the Earth---1991, 1998 The Anthologies of the Diaspora---2006
Actualities The Writers and Politics---2005 Literatures of the African Diaspora---2004 The Political Philosophy of Wole Soyinka and Other Narratives---2002 Ifetherapy and Its Healing Poems---2001 Intoduction to Yoruba Philosophy, Religion and Literature---1998 Studying Creative Writing in Nigeria---1991 Women in Europe---1986 Press-Media in Africa---1986 Political Ideas for Peace and Development in Nigeria---1987 The New Intellectuals for Peace and Development---1987 My Contact With Africans and Africa (Editor)----1989
Children's Stories(Two out of Twenty-eight) How Dogs Become Friends of Men---1987 The Source of River Koku---1987
External Links Diaspora Press of America IUniverse.com givalpress.com Council for Secular Humanism Yoruba Book Center Pambazuka News: News from Diaspora Authors from various Diaspora Motherland Nigeria: Nigerian Organizations Fishpond.com.au
(EDITING COMPLETED. THANK YOU.)--Daniel B. King(
The previous user name is Daniel B. King (Editor) and NOT Ydo which stands for Yemi D. Ogunyemi. The new user name is me--Rosemary B. O'Neal. Please note. Thank you. (12.26.2007)
