Summary Of Lonely Days
Lonely days recount the life of Yaremi as a widow. Ajumobi dies after a sickness, leaving yaremi to face the agonies of widowhood. Yaremi suffered great humiliation from extended family who strongly believed that she was responsible for her husband’s death. She became very lonely, not only as a result of Ajumobi’s death, but also because her two daughters, Segi and Wura, who would have kept her company, had been married off. Her only son, Alani who lived in the city had become so urbanized that he hardly visited Kufi. She devours her time to work, on the farm and the yard. She’s a maker and seller of dyed taffeta cloths.
Besides Yaremi, there were three other widows in Kufi who had gone through similar ordeals. They often empathized and shared their widowhood experiences with one another whenever they met on the narrow road leading to the village river. One of them was tortured and humiliated by her husband’s relatives. Dedewe was made to Silalone by her husband’s corps in a dark room and also compelled town up to offences she never committed. Another widow, Fayoyin suffered similar fate. Her hair was badly shaved and she was forced to lick libation. The third widow, Radeke was also accused of killing her husband.
Through Yaremi’s reminiscences, the author introduced his readers to Ajumobi. Ajumobi wa a brave and powerful hunter who enjoyed boasting of his prowess as a successful hunter. Yaremi was economically self-reliant and assertive. Like other widows in Kufi, Yaremi was expected to remarry by all means. Radeke, Fayoyin and Dedewe had gone through the cap picking ceremony where they chose new men to replace their deceased husbands.
Yaremi resisted all pressure and chose to remain unmarried. She demonstrated her resolve by running down proposals from three suitors and refusing to pick up a cap at the cap picking ceremony organized to facilitate her remarriage. As a result, the elders of Kufi village threatened to confiscate her husband’s property and banish her from her village. She strips herself of her brocade and the Lpele which circled her neck. Her eyes dim “with tears of accumulated injustice”. She however, makes up her mind to stand strong to the end. She definitely looks on to the lonely days that lie ahead. She is determined to face the new challenges with courage and strength of mind and assert her rights to self-determination and self-definition.