The pulse of words in Oluwatosin Akinrinde’s Deathbed and Other Poems
Book Title: ‘Deathbed and Other Poems’
Author: Oluwatosin Akinrinde
Publisher: Academic Publishing Centre, University of Lagos (UNILAG)
Year of Publication: 2025
Reviewer: Dr. Adaobi Muo (Lecturer of English Literature & Acting Head of the Directorate of General Studies, National Institute of Nigerian Languages [NINLAN]) [email protected]
Oluwatosin Akinrinde’s “Deathbed and Other Poems” is a poetic narrative with thematic varieties and a Marxist mentality that exposes both social, personal, and cultural tensions in contemporary Nigerian society. Within this collection, the poet clearly elicits the subject of pain – a cataloguing of so much darkness which restricts the freedom of movement and survival. There is a sense of liminality which traps the persona in between death and life – a kind of cyclical nature with an abnormal trend. ‘Deathbed’ within the collection holds significant meanings – it creates anxiety and threatens the speaker’s existence and creativity – different forms of survival.
In the first poem entitled “Deathbed”, one cannot ignore Seul’s struggle for survival – the fact that he embraces writing as an act of self-defence to uphold his identity. The use of dramatic monologue is replete with the persona’s outrage due to what he perceives as an abnormal encounter. There are visible lyrical fragments in the lines of Akinrinde’s poem carved out of the images of fear, fever and death-like instinct for survival. ‘Deathbed’ symbolises pain, darkness, limitation and imprisonment – both of the body and mind. The poet’s concern in this poem is clearly to highlight certain levels of social injustice that have ritualised struggle in the human body and mind – hence the quest for freedom.
Notably, Deathbed functions as a metaphor with varied interpretations – an antagonist, a priest and a mirror held up for symbolic reflection. There are multiple meaningful perspectives in which ‘Deathbed’ functions as a narrative catalyst. In fact, it is a space for negotiating mortality. The profound issue here is hinged on resistance and survival – the ability of the dramatic persona to negotiate spaces with sickness and pain. The speaker writes a poem within the poem – a meta-gesture that foregrounds the act of composition as resistance. There is a sense of voice in the act of writing which compels confession in-between life and death, struggle and survival, pain and freedom.
The massive use of allusions to biblical ideologies is strikingly interesting. No doubt, ‘Deathbed’ is perceived as the seducer and the priest. “Deathbed” is not merely a situation but a speaking, tempting figure in the poetic prose. His cunning invitation is a mere pretence to ensnare the persona: “Come, come and merry with me….” With a tone of mimicry, Deathbed commands, and offers a mocking imitation of Christian ritual: “Take, drink, my blood…. Do this in remembrance of me”. The perception here smells of deceit, turning Eucharist into a coercive trap. This critiques how “Deathbed,” in the forms of sickness, disillusionment or suffering, can disguise as a route for salvation.
“Abyss’s Pull” is another poem that makes a significant contribution, which reinforces the ‘Deathbed’ idea. No doubt, “Abyss’s Pull” is a mirror-image of “Deathbed,” which adopts a deep mythic perspective. In the poem, the literary persona, ‘Atlan’, consistently struggles with a personified force termed the ‘Abyss’s Pull’, which has overwhelmed his psychic resolve, pulling him down with fatal, destructive forces. This poem connects deeply with the anxiety-dream myth in the poem “Deathbed”. With the interpretation of the poem, one perceives a sense of deprivation which traps the persona in a liminal space. There is an overwhelming denial indicating a pattern of sinking and surfacing, creativity and annihilation, where the act of writing – “carving the tides with kelp and shell” – is perceived as a form of resistance.
In “Education is Famine”, the arresting image deployed by Oluwatosin speaks volumes on the declining nature of education in Nigeria. He has employed an ideology carved out of intellectual decay and societal yearnings as points of reference. No doubt, his use of hunger/famine imagery – “feast for famished minds,” “starvation binds,” “books as rare as diamond finds” – conveys a sense of deprivation, both physical and intellectual. The striking imagery of ‘light/darkness’ contrast: “intellects in darkness,” “lamp extinguished,” “radiant sun”. It, therefore, captures education as illumination, which sharpens the mental horizon in human existence. However, the poet warns that its absence is an eclipse of the mind, growth and general development.
The poem, “Healthcare’s Collapse”, employs poetic lamentation to create awareness of the degrading condition of Nigeria’s healthcare sector. It adopts symbolic imagery such as “graves for beds”, “temples desecrated”, and “doctors fleeing” to critique the cruel irony of a system meant to preserve life but complicit in ending it. The poet’s critical scope is relevant for social awareness – the need for medical invigoration and rejuvenation. Hence, the prayer: “Revive, O mercy’s hand… Lord, stitch the wounds…”. The yearning for spiritual help is a step towards liberation from death-like traps caused by healthcare negligence.
Akinrinde’s poetic muse does not grow weary in critiquing Nigeria’s social problems. In his poem “Tribalism’s Divide”, the readers are overwhelmed with a deep sense of concern just like the poet. The poem is a meditative poem that reiterates the poet’s thematic objective on tribalism as the root cause of Nigeria’s disunity and ethnic wars. The poem serves as a lyrical cadence wrapped in a religious undertone – a form of political commentary that challenges the social evil incubated in tribalism. Hence, the poet’s clarion call for social awareness and the need for unity. Within the poet’s lines, one sees a glimpse of hope in the poet’s deliberate remarks, which end in an optimistic tone – a chorus of “sweet symphony” which signals that unity is achievable in Nigeria if divine help merges with human resolution for change.
The poem “Election’s Deceit” satirises Nigeria’s political process. It is the most symbolic poem which clearly captures the tragic consequences caused by the unpalatable issues condoned by the citizens in the decline of democratic principles. The sensitivity of the poem centres on the need for political reform in the perplexing electoral processes replete with thuggery, violence, rigging, and many forms of injustice. Therefore, one can easily notice the poet’s objective appraisal of corruption in Nigeria’s political sphere – hence, the need for a strong awakening captured in apt imagery like “lies should wear the crown” / And honesty in chains be cast down”. The above lines depict deep moral decay – a cankerworm that has eaten deep into Nigeria’s political system. Worthy of note is the fact that, though the poet’s tone is bitter and accusatory, he is not totally disillusioned. He advocates for critical social change – a leap for change for a better tomorrow.
Similarly, Oluwatosin’s “Boko Haram’s Terror” also questions the religious controversy that characterises Boko Haram’s extreme ideology of violence. This is what he perceives as religious extremism – an attack on truth and knowledge, which is characterised by an unnecessary destruction of schools where proper contemporary learning takes place. Akinride’s poem is a social cum spiritual outcry, a poetic witness to Nigeria’s northern trauma and a call for redemption through peace and education. No wonder the poet beckons: “God, quench the flames of fanatic zeal”.
Oluwantosin Akinrinde’s “On Corruption’s Grip” is a reflection on corruption – both political, socio-economic, religious and other forms. The poet adopts a revolutionary tone with a positive socialist vision to critique the damage caused in different spheres. The poet denigrates corruption with a captivating metaphorical imagery that paints a sordid picture of rot, abuse and immorality: “The public purse, a harlot’s bed” — a metaphor that identifies financial mismanagement with prostitution, suggesting betrayal and defilement. The poet further classifies excessive greed as the hallmark of corruption, as seen in the excerpt: “As compass needle points to hidden gold” — a metaphor which serves as a pointer to leaders’ unerring attraction to wealth. However, with a moralistic tone, the poet wishes for a better society free from corruption – a plea for God’s intervention and a call for societal change.
Again, the poem, “Oil’s Poisoned Gift,” is a powerful tool of persuasion that decries environmental destruction in the Niger Delta. The tone of the poem smells of deep lamentation wrapped around images of destruction that seek redemption. These images, no doubt, are evidence of exploitation and injustice – a condition seen as ‘oil curse’ which frames the economic and ecological narratives in the Niger Delta context. The heightened disillusionment caused by the massive destruction has thus become the poet’s muse for advocacy, leading to sanitisation and proper welfare – a serious action towards restoration. This is clearly captured in his prophetic declaration: “If grace be oil, anoint us pure and whole.”
