Monday 4 June 2012

Nigeria rediscovered


My admiration of this awe-inspiring work of nature…
Dexterously crafted by an enigmatic potter.
A mysterious piece of art He did make,
Latched away in a mountainous jungle,
The lush jungles of Idanre - the City of Inselbergs.(1)

View of Idanre, courtesy of F Kolawole
The eye of a true writer is not content with visiting the surface of a place: it penetrates the layers of meaning (personal, collective and objective) which create 'place' in our perception.

Such is the eye of Folarin Kolawole, a geographer and Nigerian tour guide, whose travelogue at Naijatreks is an extraordinary investigation of places in Nigeria through words and images. The layers of meaning present in his work include the wealth of Yoruba folk culture and religion, local geology and geomorphology, plant and animal life, archaeology and history. His articles resonate on many levels, a product of what he calls a "passionate romance with nature’s endowments", including human life in its environmental context.

Kolawole's writing is vigorous, enthusiastic and pleasurable, nevertheless capable of weaving complex patterns of meaning. He truly brings places alive - see for yourself: 
Owa Cave, courtesy of F Kolawole



(1) (from 'Owá Cave- The House of a Thousand Bats' by Folarin Kolawole)

1 comment:

  1. Hey Tim...nice blog you've got here...I can see it's coming up fast and big...thanks for featuring Naijatreks. Will definitely keep coming back. Keep up the good job :)

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