PHILOSOPHICAL EXPRESSION ON ECOSPHERE AND CONCEPT OF HUMAN’S RELATIVE WANTS IN YORÙBÁ WRITTEN POETRY OF AKÍNWÙMÍ ÌṢỌ̀LÁ

Abstract

Akinwumi Isola demystifies, through his poem, the concept of human existence and the anxiety to survive in a world filled with unrealistic socio-cultural influences. He explores psychological distress and the paradoxical misperception of the world (ayé) presented to his readers. The main focus of this paper is to examine Akinwumi Isola's philosophical stance on human existence, communal philosophy, and survival mechanisms in an estranged world, using himself as a case study. We analyze the theme of human existence and the urgent issue of survival in modern times as portrayed by the poet. The selected poem, “Mo Ju Ayé Lọ,” is divided into sub-themes and subjected to literary analysis utilizing rhetoric and moral theory. The materialistic nature of humanity and the theme of “survival of the fittest” through the “rats’ race” are prominent in Isola’s poems (1978). The poet clarifies the readers’ understanding of human aspirations, ingenuity, survival instincts, and disillusionment, especially as maturity develops. Though written in 1978, the poem is rich in poetic language and practical illustrations of human efforts to dominate the natural world, often futile. Phenomena and the desire for further exploration of both the “known” and the “unknown” are essential and integral parts of human social life. The instinct for human expression and the unsuccessful efforts to “conquer” the world are depicted poetically and reflect a philosophical stance.