Style and the New Poetic Revolution in Niyi Osundare's Poetry

Abstract

The emergence of Niyi Osundare along with a new poetic revolution is perhaps the high point of the contingencies of the transition of Modern African/Nigerian poetry from the loins of Euro-Modernist Poetry. The transformative encounters of the first and second
generations of Nigerian poets left behind patches of conflicting ideas. This paper is set against this background to explicate the poet's new poetic innovations within the framework of the Alter-Native Poetic Tradition. The synthesis of Western and African/Yoruba oral literary techniques are apparently laudable landmarks of the contexts. The
adaptation of local language and traditional speech pattern are distinguishing features of this poetry. This paper, therefore, seeks to assess Niyi Osundare's poetic style, in the glare of the rising quest and need for an effective way of communicating Africa's poetic vision
and African realities.

African Research Review Vol. 2 (3) 2008: pp. 62-84