Reviewing Aminat Agbaje El fallo The Final Judgement

 

                                                 EL FALLO THE FINAL JUDGEMENT

 

SUBJECT MATTER:

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT  highlights the brutality of a rigid, zealous, brute and a dictatorship father who placed his household in a total disorder. His heartlessness and violent act led to the death of his wife and made her daughter suffer the same way her mother did. The protagonist, Salma struggled for a means of survival after she was deflowered and impregnated by a brute, Ahmadu. She gave birth to a set of twins, Sekinat and Hikmah, who became the pride of their mother. She had the best last laugh when she graduated as a lawyer and her two daughters, Sekinat and Hikmah, accountant and doctor respectively.

SETTING:                                                      

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT has its physical setting straddled in Lagos, Western part of Nigeria. Places such as ‘’Eko Idumota’’ and other descriptions gives a mental picture of the metropolitan state. The setting is also extended to the premier university, Ibadan, where the protagonist concluded her education.

NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES:

THE FINAL JUDGEMENT is a simple account describing events chronologically. It is a novel that runs on simile, metaphor, personification and imagery. The author used the techniques of the ‘’first person point of view’’ with the protagonist, Salmah as the narrator. There is also the use of ‘’dialogue’’. The story is objective and distinctive with the actions and thoughts of characters well reflected.

LANGUAGE AND STYLE:

The language of the text is simple, straightforward and direct. It is devoid of flamboyant words. The writer also uses words outside the box of English language such as Hausa, to reflect the tribe of the characters. The writer also used figures of speech such as simile, metaphor and personification.

REALISM AND FANTASY

This is an aspect of the novel worth mentioning. Certain incidence shares a similitude with real life experience. For example, the death of Kobena Kwamena is akin to the death of famous Ghanaian poet and author, Kofi Awoonor, who died on 21 September, 2013. Awoonor was among those killed in an attack at the westgate shopping mall in Nairobi. He was in Kenya as a participant in the storymoja Hay festival, a four days celebration of writing, thinking and storytelling, at which he was due to perform on the evening of his death.

IMAGERY AND SYMBOL

The author made use of imagery and symbols. The consistent use of  images such as ‘’blood’’ and ‘’monster’’ to paint something brutal. Symbols of the ‘’frangipani tree’’ which is an harbor of the birds suggests an environment of exquisite brilliance. The author also use the symbol of ‘’pothole’’ to connote the dilapidated state of the road.

 

 PLOT STRUCTURE:

The novel has a linear, causal and chronological plot with events leading to another. THE FINAL JUDGEMENT tells an absorbing story of a young girl, Salmah Tukur. Born into a Muslim family by Mr and MRS. Abubakar Tukur. A home once filled with milk and honey suddenly becomes sour. Mr. Abubakar Tukur, often called ‘’Papa’’ would return home drunk, beating all his households almost to a coma thereby placing all in a sorrowful state. He punches his wife every day, leaving in the pool of her own blood. His frequent beating leads to her miscarriage and she later died. His only daughter, Salmah is not left out of this torture. Her father would flog her whenever she comes second in her class. After the death of her mother and the departure of their maid, Salmah was left with no one to associate with and she was left uncared for.

       Salmah moved to Ahmadu’s house for shelter. Ahmadu was his father’s childhood friend from Nasarawa. Life with Ahmadu was getting interesting and things going on smoothly. Ahmadu started having a love affair with Salmah. She was deflowered and impregnated. Things began to fall apart when Ahmadu changed totally from the man he used to be. She was abandoned and was made to bear the pain of her pregnancy alone.Ahmadu. Ahmadu later made it known to her that he is not the one responsible for her pregnancy and often refer to her as ‘’bad luck’’ and calls the unborn child ‘’Bastard’’.

      Salmah later gave birth to a set of twin, two bouncing baby girls whom she named Sekinah and Hikmah. Salmah shouldered all the responsibilities of the twins with little or no help from Ahmadu, her husband. The twins are endowed with high intellect and their intelligence won them a scholarship in the British school. After years of neglect and abuse from Ahmadu, she sue for a divorce and it was granted. She then returned to her paternal house. She opted to start a new life entirely in the comfort of her children. She decided to return to school and she secured admission into the University of Ibadan to study law. It has always been her father’s wish for her to be a lawyer. Her children were awarded scholarship for the second time to further their education in Oxford university,London. Sekina studied law while Hikmah studied medicine. Salmah later met a saviour in the university,Kobena Kwamena, who then became her acquaint. Unfortunately, he died in Kenya when he went for a literary festival.

      Ahmadu and Salmah met each other when she took the twin to the mall. Ahmadu felt sorry for all his actions and he apologized. Ahmadu narrated how life had suddenly become unbearable for him. After all back and forth, Salmah decided to forgive him because of the love she have for him. The story finally came to an end when Salmah’s father, Abubakar Tukur surfaced again but this time, in the dailies. He had been charged with a murder case. He had killed a well known honourable, Boyette. He went on trial and was found guilty of the charge. He was sentenced to death by hanging. It ended the life sojourn of a heartless, brutal and dictatorship father.

THEMES:

1. SORROWS OF MOTHERHOOD:
   This theme surfaces in the novel from beginning to the end. It began with Salmah’s mother, Mrs. Tukur who was tortured by her husband when he comes home drunk. This severe beating eventually led to her death. Her only daughter, Salmah also lived her life the way her mother did. She began the second phase of her life when she was impregnated by Ahmadu and she was made to cater for the welfare of her twins from adolescent to adulthood.
2. DEHUMANIZATION/DICTATORSHIP:
   Salmah grew under the watch of a stern, brute and a heartless father, Abubakar Tukur. A dictator, who often beat his wife and other members of his house. Salmah is not left out of this torture. She receives heavy beating when ever she comes second in her class examination.
3. PERSEVERANCE:
   Salmah’s mother endure all excruciating pains inflicted on her by her husband in other to cater for the wellbeing of her daughter, Salmah. She condone all Abubakar’s nuances until her last day on earth.
4. LOVE:
   Another instance in the work. The love Salmah’s mother have for her husband made her endure all odds until she finally gave up. She is often heard saying; ‘’I will love Abubakar even in my grave’’. Another instance is that of Salmah and Ahmadu. Salmah loves Ahmadu with all her heart. In spite of all the torments Ahmadu made her go through during pregnancy and after birth, Salmah accepted him back when he came pleading thereby ignoring his shortcomings. The love between Salmah and Kobena Kwamena is also shown.
5. DEATH:
   Salmah’s mother life was truncated eventually after daily torture from her husband. Her death caused a great havoc in the life of Salma who began the second phase of her life without the supervision of her mother. Kobena Kwamena is another victim of death. He had travelled to Kenya as a participant in the story, Moja festival, a four days celebration of writing, thinking and story telling when he was killed by a rebellious group, the Alshabaab in a Nairobi shopping mall, Westgate. Abubakar Tukur was also sentenced to death by hanging after murdering a famous politician, honourable Boyette.
6. BETRAYAL:
   Instances of betrayal abounds in the novel. Ahmadu betrayed the love of Salma. He had deflowered her and put her in the family way. He breached all the vows he made to Salma. Leaving her alone to cater for the needs of her children.
7. JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD:
   In spite of all she had gone through as a child and adult, Salma had a lasting happiness when the seeds of her womb made her a proud mother in all spheres. They are not only beautiful but intellectually endowed and this earned them a scholarship in the British school and also in Oxford university. Sekina and HIkma were trained to be an accountant and Medical doctor respectively.
       CHARACTER/CHARACTERIZATION:
   SALMA TUKUR

            She is the protagonist/heroine of the novel. She grew up under the watch of a stern, heartless and dictatorship father who often beat her whenever she becomes second in a class of 75. She began the second phase of her life when she lost her mother and she moved to Ahmadu’s house. Ahmadu was good to her at first until he deflowered and impregnated her. She was made to cater for the wellbeing of herself and her twins daughter. She fought all odds and later returned to school to further her education. She succeeded and later became a lawyer.

           ABUBAKAR TUKUR

He is Salma’s father. Also known as ‘’Papa’’. A dictator, stern, zealous and a heartless father. He changed the fortune of a home once filled with joy and happiness. He often return home drunk and ends up being in a state of mental retardation. His frequent beating of his wife led to her miscarriage and many injuries on her which later resulted into her death. He was sentenced to death when he was found guilty of a murder charge.

            MRS. ABUBAKAR TUKUR

Salma’s mother. Also known as ‘’Mama’’. She is a victim of regular punching by her husband. In spite of the beating and torture, she remained resolute and endured all excruciating pains to stay in her marriage. She loves her husband and daughter dearly. She vowed to love her husband even in her grave. She later died due to the beating and injuries inflicted upon her by her husband.

AHMADU RABIU

A young, handsome and wealthy man. After the death of Salma’s mother, she moved into his house for shelter. Ahmadu took care of Salma and he made a love proposal to her which she did not decline. All seems okay at first until Salma got pregnant. Ahmadu changed from the man he used to be and did not care for Salma in her pregnancy period and even after birth. Years later, he met Salma and his children in a mall and pleaded for the forgiveness of all his atrocities. Salma accepted his apology and they started a new life in love and happiness.

KOBENA KWAMENA

Salma’s saviour whom she met in her third year in the university. He is an old Ghanaian lecturer who teaches criminal law. He is also  a writer, renowned poet and a motivator. Salma became an acquaint of Kobena and she cannot do without him. Kobena later died in Kenya mall. He had travelled as participant in the story, Moja festival where he met his death.

SEKINA AND HIKMA

Salma’s children. A set of twins and also pride of their mother. They are not only beautiful but intellectually endowed.S These two are the reason still have hope of living. After their primary education, they were admitted into the British school on scholarship. This made their mother happy. They also Passed the SAT AND TOEFL Examination and it earned a scholarship in Oxford university, London where they studied Accounting and Medicine respectively.