Lesson Note on Week 2 and Week 3 for SS3.

INTRODUCTION TO “NOT MY BUSINESS” BY NIYI

OSUNDARE: Setting, Summary, Author’s background,
Analysis.

AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND
Niyi Osundare is a Nigerian poet, dramatist, linguist and
literary critic. He is renowned for his commitment to
relevant art and artistic activism. He has accused and
protested against generations of corrupt Nigerian
leaders and the poem; “Not My Business” is A
testament to his bluntness. Niyi Osundare wrote “Not
My Business” in accusation of the murderous
dictatorship of Gen. Sanni Abacha from 1993 to 1998.

SETTING OF THE POEM

The poem is set on Nigeria and describes the series of
political unrest and repressing where injustice and
oppression are common.

SUMMARY OF “NOT MY BUSINESS”

“Not My Business” is about the spread of oppression in
the society and the consequences of staying silent in
the face of injustice. In the poem, the speaker recounts
three separate oppression that he sees around him.
Each instance reinforces the system of oppression:
violent suppression and loss of livelihood. Despite all
these, the speaker chooses to remain Indifferent. He
focuses on worldly pleasures and his own needs. His
selfishness finally catches up to him as the same
oppressive forces that he helped to enable arrives at
his doorsteps, to mistreat him the same way. The
speaker is truly shocked since he thought he was
superior and that this suffering could never fall on his
shoulders.

THE POEM
“NOT MY BUSINESS” BY NIYI OSUNDARE

They picked Akanni up one morning

Beat him soft like clay
And stuffed him down the belly
Of a waiting jeep

What business of mine is it

So long as they don’t take the yam
From my savouring mouth?

They came one night

Booted the whole house awake
And dragged Danladi out
The off to a lengthy absence

What business of mine is it

So long as they don’t take the yam
From my savouring mouth?

Chinwe went to work one day

Only to find her job was gone
No query, no warning, no probe
Just one neat sack for a stainless record

What business of mine is it

So long as they don’t take the yam
From my savouring mouth?

And then one evening

As I sat down to eat my yam
A knock on the door froze my hungry hand
The jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawn
Waiting, waiting In its usual silence.

ANALYSIS OF “NOT MY BUSINESS”

Niyi Osundare’s “Not My Business” is a poem of 26
lines divided into 8 stanzas. It is a narrative poem
whose background lies in the tendency of people to
keep silent when things go wrong simply because they
are not the ones being wronged. The poem is written in
free verse, meaning that it has neither meter nor
rhyme. It is also written in enjambment meaning that
an idea in one line tends to flow into another and this is
reflected in the scanty end punctuation marks in the
poem.
The persona of the poem tells the story out of regret
for his inaction and how it has cost him his freedom.
The whole poem is a narration of how the persona
refused to speak up when his neighbours were suffering
until he himself was consumed by the same fire.
The first stanza of the poem:

“They picked Akanni up one morning

Beat him soft like clay
And stuffed him down the belly
Of a waiting jeep”

Is the typical life under a dictatorship which was the

prevalent situation in Nigeria in the 1980s. The stanza
talks about the sudden and apparently unlawful arrest
of a man named “Akanni” and how he is beaten before
being put in a jeep. This stanzas raises the theme of
the oppression of the weak by the powerful, as Akanni
represents the common mam. “They” in the poem
refers to the people in power. The express “picked up”
is a euphemism for arrest or kidnap.
The second stanza is a refrain and reads:
 “What business of mine is it
So long as they don’t take the yam
From my savouring mouth?”

These lines is a rhetorical question as well as a regain

in the poem. It captures the apathetic attitude of the
persona who represents those sections of the masses
who fail to speak up against bad leadership simply
because they’re not affected by the actions of the
leaders. The persona is speaking in direct response to
what has befallen Akanni, his neighbour.
According to him, the arrest of Akanni is not his
business as long as it does not stop him from enjoying
his delicious meal, “yam”. The yam mentioned in the
poem is a Metaphor and when combined with the word
“savouring” evokes gustatory Imagery.
The third stanza of the poem dramatizes another
aspect of dictatorship – the sudden disappearance of
political enemies or opponents. The stanza recounts, in
the words of the speaker how the agents stork the
house of Danladi and take him away and he is not seen
again.

“They came one night

Booted the whole house awake
And dragged Danaldi out
Then off to a lengthy absence.”
Here, “booted” is a metaphor for physical often
associated with the military. The word “dragged” is
suggestive for violence, harassment and inhuman
treatment.
The expression “off to a lengthy absence” is
euphemistic and suggests not only the kidnap of
Danladi but also the possibility of him being murdered,
which explains “the lengthy absence”. Which means
that no one heard from him again.
The refrain is again repeated which reinforces the motif
of apathy in the poem.
The fifth stanza bemoans the fate or Chinwe who is
unjustly dismissed from work. The speaker clearly
states that her dismissal does not follow due process.
“No query, no warning, no probe” (line 17). This stanza
raises the theme of injustice typical of military regimes
where the rule of law is not allowed to operate.
Again, the refrain is repeated and sustains the idea of
the speaker’s lack of concern.
It is important to note that the three names
mentioned so far in the poem represent the three major
ethnic groups in Nigeria. Akanni (Yoruba), Danladi
(Hausa), Chinwe (Igbo). And this implies that dictatorial
rule spares no tribe and gender.
The seventh stanza is so dramatic that it startles even
the speaker. A knock on the door is a sign of a visitor
except in this context, the visitor is unexpected. The
most significant thing about the knock is that it occurs
just as the persona wants to settle down to one of his
tasty meals. There is a personification on the third line
of this stanza; “A knock on the door froze my hungry
hand”.
In the last stanza, a jeep is mentioned which reminds
us of the one we encountered in the first stanza of the
poem. The expression “bewildered lawn” speaks of the
frightened state of the speaker. The word “waiting” is
repeated thrice in this stanza, and the repetition
heightens the suspense in the poem.

THEMES IN THE POEM

Significant themes in Niyi Osundare’s “Not My
Business”.

 Theme of Indifference: The theme of Indifference is

evident in the persona’s Indifference to brutalities
around him. He does not seem to care about the
atrocities meted out on citizens by the oppressive
government. He only cares about how he sustains
himself and makes end meet.

 Theme of Suppression: This theme is very

dominant in the poem. The beatings, arrests, sacks
and detentions are tactics meant to intimidate
people. Suppression is seen in the story of Akanni,
Danladi, Chinwe and expectedly the Indifferent
poetic persona.

 Theme of tyranny: The footprints of tyranny is

everywhere in the poem. Tyrannical rule is
 dominated by violence, threat of punishment
orchestrated by the dictator. Citizens are arrested,
brutalised and illegally detained, as in the case of
Akanni, Danladi and the poetic persona.

POETIC DEVICES
 Personification: The poet uses Personification to
reflect the feeling of confusion and
misunderstanding between the reader and the
story. This appears several times in the poem;
stanza 1 (lines 3&4)
“And stuffed him down the belly of a waiting jeep”.
(Line 9) “Booted the whole house awake”.
The poet uses this to convey how big of a scene was
made by the armed men. Again, personification is seen
in (line 25) “bewildered lawn”; this highlights the
speaker’s disbelief at falling victim.

 Symbolism: The poet uses this device to serve a

deeper understanding of the real life situations
ongoing in Nigeria. The main symbolistic choice in
the poem are the names which represent the three
main ethnic tribes in Nigeria; Akanni (Yoruba),
Danladi (Hausa) Chinwe (Igbo). This portrays how
the different tribes went through the same cruelty.

 Repetition: The poet conveys the actions of the

speaker even when the same thing happens over
and over again. “What business of mine is it/ So
 long as they don’t take the yam/ From my
savouring mouth?” Is repeated three times. This
like suggests that we’ll keep our mouth shut as
long as we get some benefit from it.

 Enjambment: The poet uses this technique to

create a sense of urgency and chaos and to convey
the confusion and disorder of the conflict in
Nigeria.

Evaluation::
The students are asked to;
 Briefly analyse the poem; “Not My Business” by
Niyi osundare.
 State two themes from the poem

Assessment:
* In your own words, what message do you think the
poet is trying to convey through his poem

*With extensive explanation, state three themes from

the poem.

*With excerpts from the poem, write out four poetic

devices used by the poet in the poem “Not My
Business”.
Lesson Note on Week 4 and 5 Literature in
English for SS III
School – Learning Field Int’l School
Class – SS III
Topic – Introduction to “The Telephone Call” by Fleur
Adcock
Duration – 50 mins
Specific Objectives – By the end of the lesson, the
students should be able to know:
a. The poem “The Telephone Call” by Fleur Adcock
b. The background of the poem and poet
c. Summary & Subject matter

Entry Behaviour – The teacher begins the class by

asking the pupils questions based on their previous
topic.

Instructional Resources – Textbooks, Handbooks, Online

materials and resources, etc.

Instructional Procedure –
 INTRODUCTION TO “THE TELEPHONE CALL”
BY FLEUR ADCOCK

POET’S BACKGROUND

Fleur Adcock is a New Zealand poet and editor of

English and Northern Irish ancestry. She has lived much
of her life in England. She was born on the 10th of
February, 1934. She is well represented in New Zealand
poetry anthologies, was awarded an honorary doctorate
of literature from Victoria University of Wellington and
was accorded an OBE in 1996 for her contribution to
New Zealand literature. In 2008, she was made a
companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for her
services to literature.

SETTING OF THE POEM

The poem doesn’t specify a setting. However, it

describes a “Telephone Call” in the age before cell
phones, most likely made to a home number.

THE POEM:
“THE TELEPHONE CALL” BY FLEUR ADCOCK

‘They asked me ‘Are you sitting down?

Right? This is Universal Lotteries.’
They said ‘You’ve won the top prize
The Ultra-Super Global Special.’
‘What would you do with a million pounds?’
‘Oi, actually, with more than a million –
Not that it makes a lot of difference
Once you’re a millionaire.’ And they
Laughed.

‘Are you OK?’ they asked – ‘Still there?

Come on now, tell us how does it feel?’
I said ‘I just... I can’t believe it!’
They said ‘that’s what they all say.’
‘What else? Go on, tell us about it.’
I said ‘I feel the top of my head
Has floated off, out through the window
Revolving like a flying saucer.’

‘That’s unusual,’ they said. ‘Go on.’

I said ‘I’m finding it hard to talk.
My throat’s gone dry; my nose is tingling
And I think I’m going to sneeze – or cry.’
‘That’s right,’ they said, ‘don’t be ashamed
Of giving way to your emotions.
It isn’t everyday you hear
You’re going to get a million pounds.’

‘Relax, now, have a little cry;

We’ll give you a moment... Hang on!?’ I
Said:
‘I haven’t bought a lottery ticket
For years and years. And what did you say
The ‘company’s called?’ They laughed again.
‘Not to worry about a ticket.
We’re Universal. We operate
A Retrospective Chances Module.

Nearly everyone’s bought a ticket

In some lottery or another,
Once at least. We buy up the files,
Feed the names into our computer,
And see who the lucky person is.’
‘Well, that’s incredible,’ I said.
‘It’s marvelous. I still can’t quite...
I’ll believe it when I see the cheque.’

‘Oh,’ they said, ‘there is no cheque.’

‘But the money?’ ‘We don’t deal in money.
Experiences are what we deal in.’
‘You’ve had a great experience, right?
Exciting? Something you’ll remember?
That’s your prize. So congratulations
From all of us at Universal.
Have a nice day!’ And the line went dead.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

Fleur Adcock’s “The Telephone Call” was first published

in The Incident Book (1986). The poem talks about a
group identifying themselves as ‘Universal Lotteries’
calls the speaker’s phone and asks if they are “SITTING
DOWN. ( i.e , ready to hear major news). The caller
claims the speaker has won the ‘Special grand prize in
their ‘Global’ lottery’. The caller asks the speaker how
the speaker might spend the prize, which is a million
British pounds. The callers ask if she’s feeling alright,
and if the speaker is still on the phone. The speaker
stammers that she’s in disbelief, and the callers urge
her to continue. The callers urge her to let her tears
flow for a minute. But the speaker tells them to wait,
objects that it’s been years since she entered a lottery
and sceptically asks the callers to repeat the name of
the organization.
The callers say it doesn’t matter that the speaker
hasn’t entered a lottery lately. Their organization’s
name is ‘Universal’ and they use a retroactive system.
 Most people have entered a lottery at some point and
they are all eligible for Universal’s prize, because
Universal purchases all past lottery entries and uses a
computer program to draw a winner from them.
The speaker expresses wonderment but says she won’t
believe fully until she’s received her prize check. The
callers say they won’t be sending any prize check.
When the speaker asks about the monetary award,
the callers say their lottery doesn’t actually hand out
money; it hands out ‘Experiences’. The callers claim the
phone call itself has been an incredible, thrilling,
memorable experience, that’s what the speaker has
won. The callers congratulate the speaker, add a
pleasant goodbye, and hang up.
SUBJECT MATTER

“The Telephone Call” by Fleur Adcock is a criticism of

the lottery and the hope it creates in the stakes. It
reflects how the people that are involved in it feel and
at the end many hopes are dashed.

THEMES IN THE POEM “THE TELEPHONE CALL”

• Illusion vs Reality: The illusion of sudden wealth

and fortune is created by the phone call. But the
call seems to be a scam as the prize is merely the
experience of winning. This contrast between
illusion and reality proves that everything is not as
 it seems, therefore we should be cautious about
what we believe to be true.

• Unpredictability of Life: The speaker gets a surreal

phone call, manipulating his hopes with false
promises of winning a million pounds only to have
his expectations shattered by the reality of the
situation. Life itself is like a lottery as we are
unable to control the chance factors that
determine outcomes.

• Hope and Disappointment: The poem illustrates

easy it is to give unrealistic hopes and how doing
so can make inevitable disappointment all the
more crushing. Even though the speaker suspects
their amazing luck is too good to be true, they get
partly swept up in hope and correspondingly
disappointed. The poem captures this cycle of
guarded hope and predictable disappointment as
universal part of the “experience” all humans
share.

POETIC DEVICES IN THE POEM

• Hyperbole: The description of the prize as “the

Ultra Super Global Special” creates a sense of
excitement In the reader as well as the speaker, as
they wonder what the prize may entail.
 • Enjambment: The poem has several interrogations
and lines of the poem get connected by the use of
enjambment.

• Personification: “We feed the names into our

computer”. This line, and others, are examples of
where the poet deployed personification.

• Ellipses: This as a literal device used to omit parts

of a sentence or phrase. There are three instances
where the poet uses ellipses in the poem.

SUMMARY:
The teacher summarizes the lesson by asking and
answering her students’ questions.

EVALUATION:
The students are asked to:
. Give a brief background of the poet
. Give a summary of what the poem entails
. List two themes in the poem and explain extensively.
. List three poetic devices in the poem taught in class.
Lesson Note on Week 6 and 7 Literature in
English for SS III
School: Learning Field School
Class: SS III
Topic: Introduction to “Hearty Garlands” by S.H.O.
Afriyie
Duration: 50mins
Specific Objectives: By the end of the lesson, the
students should know
a. About the Poem “Hearty Garlands” by S.H.O.
Afriyie. The background of the poet
b. Setting, Summary and Subject Matter of the Poem.
Entry Behaviour: The teacher begins her lesson by
asking her students questions based on her previous
topic
Instructional Resources: Textbooks, Workbooks, Online
materials and resources.
Instructional Procedure:

INTRODUCTION TO “HEARTY GARLANDS”

ABOUT THE POET

The poet S.O.H. Afriyie-Vidza The poet focuses on
celebrating life and acknowledging the beauty of lived
experiences. The style of Afriyie-Vidza based on this
poem is reflective and celebratory, engaging deeply
with themes of aging, wisdom and legacy.
S.H.O. Afriyie wrote “Hearty Garlands” as some form
of tribute, written for an elder, celebrating their life
achievements and the grace that comes with advanced
age.

SUBJECT MATTER
“Hearty Garlands” by S.O.H. Afriyie- Vidza is a thirty
Five line poem that celebrates the life,
accomplishments, and wisdom of an individual who has
reached the age of eighty- five. The way the celebrant
is celebrated in the poem is a testament to how old
people are being revered for their age which is an
evidence of their wealth of experience, wisdom and
accomplishments.
A group of younger individuals had gathered to
celebrate this person who has just reached the ripe age
of eighty- five and remind him of his accomplishments
and contribution to society. The speaker goes on to
express his admiration for the celebrant, while he pays
tribute to the aged person as a mentor figure who has
guided others through life’s challenges.
And by the end of the poem, the celebrant is urged to
continue embracing life and its challenges even in the
twilight of his years. He is also implored to live long
enough in order to watch others strive and succeed.
 “Hearty Garlands” is therefore, a panegyric that
praises an individual who has just reached the ripe age
of eighty- five. The poem portrays the celebrant’s
accomplishment and his impact on the community.
While it urges the celebrant to reminisce on his long
fulfilled life, it also clearly says age eighty-five is far
from the end for him, which is why he states that “For
yon lies mop-up work and higher tasks still / By you / To
be accomplished” (lines 27-29).
With old age comes a new set of roles and
responsibilities in a society that is not eager to dump its
old people in a nursing home.

THE POEM
Hearty Garlands consists of thirty-five lines patterned in
seven stanzas. Each stanza has five lines.

HEARTY GARLANDS BY S.H.O AFRIYIE

For a person who has lived as long

And one who, as well, has done much
As you
Life’s whole process blooms into Stark
Beauty
And failures give no tribe, crippling
Regrets
Yet On occasion, Shamed, worried green-
Eyed
Envy fights benign Felicitation
Exclusively couched
For you
By us who won’t be left out of today’s
Joy
And must send you warm hearty birthday
Garlands.

You must, you wondrous mentor of rouges

Like us
Receive copious blessings today; I stay
Well blessed
To you
Age eighty-five is life’s smiley
Cloudless dawn
It is the gainful twilight of fulfilled
Dreams.

Hope now nods in contented concert with spent desires

Now restful hope neither nags nor raves
Nor rants
At you
But your heart sits on garlanded satis shores

Looking out to sea for heavens delivering vessels

From the subdued heights of your lofty
Consequent toils
And from flights of vanquished steps, at five and
eighty,
Must you
Watch us strive and beat your mahogany Chests
In pride
You must shake your own hands like iroko
Agama
March on, old boy, do, and clinch yonder
Untamed gain

For yon lies mop-up work and higher tasks still

By you
To be accomplished, then must you hear
Trumpet sound
That to a guru must blow solo musical bravo
As you give yourself a cozy comfy treat today
Reclining in reminiscing and fondling a lingering
Smile
Could you
A certain style of locomotion all your own recall,
Best and aptly but simply dubbed “poetic
Walking”?

THEMES IN THE POEM “HEARTY GARLANDS”

 Celebration of Ageing and Wisdom: One of the

central themes of “Hearty Garlands” is the
celebration of ageing and the wisdom that comes
with it. The poem reflects on the life of an
individual who has reached the age of eighty-five,
a significant milestone that the poet equates with
“a smiley, cloudless dawn” and the “gainful twilight
of fulfilled dreams.” These metaphors suggest that
old age is a time of peace, contentment and the
harvest of a life’s experiences.

 The role of mentorship: This is another prominent

theme in the poem. The person being honoured in
the poem is described as a “conscious mentor of
rogues like us” indicating that they have played a
significant role in guiding, teaching, and
influencing others. The term “rogues” suggests
that the mentees may have been wayward or in
need of guidance and it is through the mentor’s
influence that they have found direction or
purpose. The poem highlights the respect and
admiration that the mentor commands, as seen in
 the lines where the speaker imagines the mentor
“watching us strive and beatings your mahagony
chest in pride.” This suggests that the mentor
takes pride in the achievement of those they have
guided.

 The continuation of purpose in old age: The poem

also addresses the theme of purpose and the
continuation of meaningful activity in old age.
Despite reaching the significant age of eighty-five,
the poet suggests that there are still “higher tasks”
to be accomplished. The line “March on, old boys,
do, and clinch yonder untamed gain” implies that
the individual is encouraged to continue striving,
even in their advanced age. This theme challenges
the notion that old age is a time of inactivity or
retirement from meaningful pursuits. Instead, the
poet suggests that life continues to offer
opportunities for growth, achievement and
contribution, even in the later stages.

 Peace and Contentment of fulfilled desires: Another

important theme is the peace and contentment
that comes from fulfilled desires. The poem
describes how “Hope now nods in contented
concert with spent desires,” and how this “restful
hope neither nags nor raves nor rants.”

POETIC DEVICES IN THE POEM

 Metaphor: The poem uses metaphor extensively,
comparing life’s progress to the blooming of a
process into “Stark beauty” and failures as
“Lacking trite, crippling regrets”. This suggests that
the person being celebrated has lived a life of
significance, where even failures are viewed as
part of a beautiful journey. “Age-eighty-five is life’s
smiley, cloudless dawn” compares the age of
eighty-five to a serene and clear morning,
indicating a time of peace and fulfilment in the
person’s life.

 Personification: Hope is personified in the lines

“hope now nods in contented concert with spent
desire.” Here, hope is given human characteristics,
emphasizing how it has transformed into a gentle,
satisfied force.

 Imagery: Vivid imagery is presented throughout,

particularly in “your heart sits on garlanded satis
shores, looking out to sea for health delivering
vessels.” This image evokes a peaceful scene of
someone at the shore, watching for something
beneficial to arrive. The imagery of “Smiley,
cloudless dawn” and “gainful twilight of fulfilled
dreams” paints a picture of a serene and fulfilling
stage of life, reinforcing the theme of Contentment
in old age.
  Mood and Tone: The mood of the poem is
celebratory, reflective and reverent. It creates an
emotional atmosphere that is warm and
appreciative. The tone is respectful and admiring,
indicating deep affection and esteem for the
person being honoured.

Summary:
The teacher summarizes her lesson by asking and
answering the students’ questions.

Evaluation:
The students are asked to:
a) List and explain three themes in the poem
b) Citing examples from the poem, explain three
poetic devices.
c) Give a brief Summary of what the poem is about.