Woye is seen tearing a piece of meat with his teeth violently. Soup stains are all over his cheeks and shirt. Yaremi walks in and sees her grandson.
Yaremi: All you know is food!
Woye: (munches aggressively) Yes, mama!
Yaremi: Have you had your bath?
Woye: (focused on his meat) Yes, mama.
Yaremi: …and how did you bathe?
Woye: (stops, stares at Yaremi) I poured water from up…on my tummy and my legs….
Yaremi: (stares at her grandson, surprised at the nonsense he is saying) And what about the rest of your body?
Woye: (focuses on his meat) I will do it later…when the water is warm.
Yaremi stares at her grandson, not knowing whether to chase him with a stick or fling him across the room.
—
MEETING WOYE
Woye always was my favourite character in the book, Lonely Days. Why? Well, because Lonely Days is a really sad story. It enlightens us about the reality of widows in some geographical areas, exposes us to the mentality of people in Kufi village, and thrusts us into the day-to-day affairs of Yaremi.
Chapters 1- 4 ought to have given you a glimpse of how Yaremi began her lonely journey, how she copes, what she copes with, and how she gets by the day. In all of this, I realised that at the time when the author described Yaremi as somewhat happy, Woye was in the picture. He was simply a breath of fresh air – his childlike behaviour always transported Yaremi to a new reality – a reality where she was not lonely. So yeah! I like Woye. This chapter aims to tell us who Woye is.
Let’s dive into five facts about Woye.
Woye was an energetic boy: He would engage in different activities at once. From kicking an orange ball barefooted or riding his bicycles at top speed along the lanes of the village yelling at those carelessly crossing the highway to keep off danger. As helpful as that is, I’m thankful he was from Kufi village, not Nigeria.
Imagine the state of the country right now, one small boy is riding a bicycle shouting at me to cross the road properly and keep out of danger. I would just turn and say, “I didn’t know you now, ehn.. I would have just given you a dirty slap,” because why are you shouting? (just kidding though)
Woye had a wild imagination: He would sit on a stool, stretch his legs across the table and begin to wave a thicket staff which he called a “horse tail of a monarch”. He would do this and then scream to passersby that he was a King – the King of Kufi village. All hail King Woye and his vivid imagination! Yaremi would stare at him and mutter the words, “Silly boy! A playful little rascal”. I’m sure after saying this, she smiled softly to herself because what a child!
Woye hated walking in the dark.
He loved playing with animals: He’d play with the goats and throw remnants of food at the stray dogs. He always wanted to protect the chicks from the selfish claws of the hawk.
Food was his friend and water, his enemy: Whenever it was time for him to take his bath, he would reluctantly strip naked and pour water on his belly leaving out the other parts. You see, Woye hated bathing with cold water – he’d shiver and let out a fearful yelp when the water touched his body but at the sight of food, he’d leap in boldly. No fear, no holding back, just relishing and loud munching.
Woye was a little bit terrified of hawks. He watched them swoop down from the sky and take away Mother Hens’ chicks so he’d say to Yaremi; “Protect me Mama! Please! The hawk might return to carry somebody away” but Yaremi made him understand that hawks only preyed on insects, chickens, lizards, or rodents. Woye was worried about the little, innocent chicks, so Yaremi created a low-budget scarecrow. This was a real miracle to Woye.
The people of Kufi village had suspicions about feathered animals, especially hawks. They always somehow connected them to a death or wicked sorcery. Yaremi was once thought of as someone who transformed into feathered creatures, especially when Ajumobi died. Why? Because nobody ever died a natural death in Kufi. If a person was not killed by the greedy members of his extended family using juju, one could be killed with poison just because a greeting was not rendered to the elders. One could also be killed by a Majele for seducing another man’s wife, a vengeful wife could also decide to evoke death on her husband by consulting a medicine man.
But Yaremi swore within her heart, that Ajumobi died a natural death. He came back from the farm, tired, and refused his favourite food. As his condition worsened, he spoke more, and he hallucinated. The village herbalist was invited, the oracle was consulted, and the death of Ajumobi was announced.
To Sum Up
In conclusion, Woye emerges as a vibrant character in Lonely Days, offering moments of joy and imagination in Yaremi’s otherwise solitary life. His energetic spirit and unique quirks provide a refreshing contrast to the sombre tone of the story, making him a beloved presence amidst the hardships of Kufi village. Through Woye, we witness the innocence and resilience of childhood, serving as a reminder of hope and light amid darkness.
In case you missed the previous summary of Lonely Days, click here.
