THE FOLDED LEAF
Segun Afolabi
· Unscrupulous preachers use religion for monetary gain· Self acceptance
- Pastor Fayemi’s affluence
- The disabled children
- The bribery incident
- The smiling child beggar
- The “miracles”
- Bunmi’s acceptance of self
Characters
1. Bunmi-the narrator (12 year old, visually impaired)2. Bola-her brother (14 year old)3. Sam-on a wheelchair4. Tunde (16 year old, heart ailment)5. Mr. and Mrs. Ejiofoh-affluent couple6. Mrs. Kekere (physical disability)7. Papa-Bunmi’s father8. Reverend Abbe9. Reverend Okujala10. Mama-Bunmi’s mother11. Pastor Fayemi
Synopsis
This brilliantly woven short story is about
religious piety and deceit or lack of integrity among some Christians in
society today.
The story is told through the “eyes” of a twelve-year
old blind girl, Bunmi. She lives in a religious society that has been
conditioned to believe in miracles which happen be delusional; mistaken beliefs based
on unsound argument.
Bunmi is in a conundrum. As a young girl living in a
brainwashed society, she is torn between self acceptance and the false hope
created by some conniving preachers like Pastor Fayemi aka Daddy Cool. Although
she is doubtful, she harbours false hope that the pastor can restore her sight.
It is easy to forgive her since she is misled by
adults such as Reverend Abbe who prays to God to send Mr. and Mrs. Foloroshi’s
eight year old son, Sam, new legs. Sam is physically disabled. Even her own
father has strong conviction that Bunmi and others can be “healed”. It’s no
wonder he resigns and capitulates like a folded leaf when he begins to realize
that they may be chasing elusive miracles.
Through Bunmi, we meet characters like Sam, Tunde
and Mrs. Kekere all of whom have some sort of disability or ailment. They are
accompanied on a journey to Lagos by Bola, Papa, and the Ejiofohs in search of
healing.
In spite of their conditions, the kids seem happy
and content. They make jokes, mimic adults, and giggle and have no self pity
whatsoever. Tunde is strong, plays football everyday and can beat Femi Adeleke
who is a year older than him. Bunmi is visually impaired but she is aware of
her environment. She can tell that they are driving on unpaved roads when she
picks up a whiff of thrown up dust and the waft of moyin moyin tells her that they must be near Mama Boyega's buka. (pg.82)
Afolabi explores the mushrooming Christian practice
of the gospel of healing and prosperity instead reward for virtues and retribution
for vices which is the traditional Christian teaching. The adherents are blind
to the fact that some deceitful preachers take advantage of their strong faith
to make themselves wealthy. Pastor Adejola Fayemi owns a helicopter and a Gulfstream
jet, homes in Florida, Switzerland and the Caribbean and always looks flashy.
In contrast, the inhabitants of Lagos, his congregants, have to endure poor
roads, corrupt police officers, traffic jams and poverty (beggars).
The Folded Leaf talks about people who are desperate to
change who they are. It espouses self acceptance. Self acceptance is the source
of contentment and joy. It also unveils the futility of religiosity in the face
of sly preachers out to exploit guileless believers.
Tunde refers to pastor Fayemi’s church as “wheelchair
city” since many disabled people are here, desperate for miracles. The church is brimming
with thousands of faithful nursing false hope. The pastors promise healing and
urge the congregants to give generously.
Papa now faces the headache of facing Mama, Reverend
Abbe and Reverend Okujala and all members of their congregation after giving away
all their donations to an impuissant con artist masquerading as a powerful preacher and healer, while on an unavailing journey to Lagos. Bunmi, Sam, Mrs. Kekere
and Tunde are not healed despite their strong faith.
Bunmi accepts her sightlessness as a gift or a sign from
God. She accepts that her life has a larger purpose in spite of her disability.
She appreciates the fact that her life is good enough. She has her parents and
siblings and Reverend Abbe who prays for her and others without demanding
money. Thinking of the disabled kid in Lagos without legs, begging in traffic,
she is surely better off. Contentment makes her whole-she doesn’t need
imaginary miracles.
- Acceptance brings comfort.
- Some false preachers are out to mint money promising elusive miracles
Self acceptance is the key to happy life. Write a composition in support of this statement basing your claim on Segun Afolabi’s “The Folded Leaf” (20 marks)
Some unscrupulous preachers take advantage of Christians to enrich themselves. Write a composition to validate this claim citing evidence from Segun Afolabi's The Folded Leaf.
NEXT : Read the analysis of Hitting Budapest by NoViolet Bulawayo.
See analyses of all stories in Memories we Lost here.
Do one for my father's head too, Please.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise have enjoyed the read.
I have done it already. Thanks for the feedback.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. Thanks for the analysis
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback.
DeleteNice piece.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteIs Mrs Kekere physically disabled or blind?
ReplyDeleteShe uses canes to move around. I believe she has some sort of physical disability. A visually impaired person would normally use a cane (white cane). Thanks.
DeletePlease do one for my father's head
ReplyDeleteIt is already on the blog. Simply google the title, please. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI love the simplicity of the analysis done. It's very for students to understand the stories as analyzed. Good work brother
ReplyDeleteThank you for the feedback my brother. This gives me the strength to write more articles & simpler analyses to help our boys and girls.
DeleteThankyou so much mwalimu 🙌🙌
DeletePlease assist me in writing the Umbrella man essay
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback Netty.
DeletePlease assist me in writing the umbrella man..thanks in advance
ReplyDeleteWonderful analysis mr. Wekati, you really make my lesson presentation interesting, kudos brother!
ReplyDeleteAssist me to write the essay religious hypocricy Leeds to exploitation
ReplyDeleteThanks for the analysis you make my lessons interesting and simple for the students. God bless you
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback
DeleteThanks for analysis
ReplyDeleteAn essay about self acceptance is the key to happy life basing your claims from Afolabi ' The folded Leaf'
ReplyDeleteGood point. I have done two essays on Folded Leaf already. Thanks.
DeleteAn essay about how Segun Afolabi satirizes the churches today
ReplyDelete