Episodic Approach to Fathers of Nations Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE
Episode 16: The Keynote Address at the Washington Foundation for Democratic Rule

                                                                                                                                

Summary Pages 66–70

The episode chronicles the story of Dr. Afolabi and his American wife, Pamela, through flashbacks. We learn that the Foundation for Democratic Rule in Washington had requested that Dr. Afolabi give a keynote lecture at their annual conference before being invited to Banjul, Gambia, to act as an advisor to the heads of state summit.  

Pamela, Dr. Afolabi's wife, thought the invitation was a blessing because it allowed her to redeem herself by seeing her father, a widower whom she hadn't seen in six years. As a result, she postponed all her other obligations, accepted the foundation's offer to pay for her husband's travel, and paid for her own so that she and Dr. Afolabi could visit her father together.

Pamela's father had left when they eventually got to America, but Pamela knew where dad kept the key whenever he was away. She found it, and they were able to get their belongings into the house. After a long journey from Nigeria, Dr. Afolabi wanted to walk around to stretch his legs.

Dr. Afolabi notes a change: there are more senior individuals now than when he was a Harvard University student. He decides to get a shaving razor at a department store, and while waiting in line to pay, he hears a conversation between an old man and a cash register attendant girl. The elderly man is telling the cashier about a device he refers to as "baby," which was a Christmas gift from Josh and can monitor his blood pressure and follow his activities. After politely dismissing the elderly man, the girl goes on to say that they receive people like that old man (Pamela's father) every day who want to touch and be touched, see and be seen, and listen and be heard rather than sitting at home alone all day watching television.

On his route back to the house after paying for his shaving blade, Dr. Afolabi notices a biracial youngster going to feed the pigeons. Currently, we learn about a disagreement between Dr. Afolabi and his wife, Pamela, regarding having children. Dr. Afolabi wished for two children of his own, while Pamela wished for two as well, but adopted them because she considered that Africa already had too many children and that it would be sensible to take theirs from this abundant pool.

Pamela's father returns an hour later and takes a gift from her—an African mask—before showing her a blood pressure monitor delivered to him as a Christmas gift from Arizona by a friend. Dr. Afolabi swears to himself that he will never tell his wife about the conversation he witnessed between Pamela's father and the department store cashier when he went to buy a shaving razor.

Analysis

Stylistic Devices and Themes

The episode continues to use flashback as a literary device to help readers understand the event, providing backstory on Dr. Afolabi prior to his employment with AGDA as a guide. This literary method is used to construct the story, and we can make sense of the events happening in the text.

In this episode, we find Dr. Afolabi observing a dialogue between Pamela's elderly dad or father and the cashier at the department store, which he promised himself he would never reveal to his wife. 'He would swear to himself never to disclose to his wife.’ Page 66. ’Never, here or there," swore Dr. Afolabi, would he ever disclose to his wife the scene he had walked into at the department store: the lonely old man he had seen there was her father.’ Page 70. In this subject, Dr. Afolabi is also depicted as a secretive guy. There is also a theme change. As he walked across Boston, Massachusetts, Dr. Afolabi noticed that, unlike his Harvard University days, America today has more senior people. He observed that there were more elderly people in America now than when he was a Harvard student. Its inhabitants were living longer lives. 'In days gone by, the old would have been staying with the young, as they still did in Africa, in the care of kith and kin until they died.' Now they lived alone in their own home, empty of relatives, or joined contemporaries in old people’s homes.’ Page 66-67. Contrast is used as a literary element in this artwork, with young Americans living with relatives, as is the case in Africa. This also shows Dr. Afolabi to be a great observer. The image of elderly people living alone nowadays extends to the concept of senior citizens in our modern society. Their families desert them; they no longer live with their younger relatives, forcing them to live alone or enlist in old people's homes. This is based on the premise that family integration causes people to live lonely lives, as evidenced by Pamela's father, whom she hadn't seen in six years but who is now old and a widower. The cashier at the department store expands on this theme by stating that they welcome people like him (Pamela's father) every day who want to touch and be touched, see and be seen, listen and be heard, and not sit at home alone all day watching television. Because she can be polite to both the lonely old man and the other customers, the interaction between the cashier girl at the department store and the old lonely guy—Pamela's father—shows her to be pleasant, kind, or accommodating. 'Doesn't it harm to oblige every now and then? 'Page 69. Dr. Afolabi also mentions how well she treated the elderly man.

To express his message, the author used artistic language, such as personification, in which the old man personifies the gadget as a baby. ‘You would have thought that was the end of Baby." But... baby somewhere.’ Page 67. ‘Baby has memory too; she remembers up to thirty previous measurements.’ Page 68. This style advances technological developments with difficulty. 'He'd murdered the queue.' Page 67. Rhetorical questions are used to elicit a response from the reader. '  But what would the old fellow do next? Would he go to show Baby to another chatty girl at a checkout counter or brag about Baby to a friend over booze in a bar? Or would he simply go back home and watch TV? Pages 69-70. This rhetorical question illustrates the chatty girl at the department store, as well as the elderly's predicament. Both the depiction of the inter-racial toddler feeding the pigeons and Dr. Afolabi's marriage to Pamela, an American lady, highlight marriage as a topic in this episode. Dr. Afolabi and his wife, Pamela, have an external quarrel regarding children. ‘He wanted to have two children of his own." Pamela wanted two as well, but adopted. She thought Africa already had too many children. So why not take theirs from the pool that was already there? Why add yet more? Dr. Afolabi did not move. She did not, either. The result: an impasse: "They did not have children, of their own or adopted.’ Page 70.

Role of Characters in the Episode

Finally, Dr. Afolabi's function in the episode is to discuss the problems of concealment and marriage in further depth. As demonstrated above, the girl at the department store understands the plight of the elderly in society as well as the subject of change.

Episode 17: Dr. Afolabi, the Guide
Summary Pages 70–75

Mr. Tad Longway, Director of Special Projects for AGDA, was on board the flight back to Nigeria from Washington and was demanding to sit next to a friend of his in economy class only by convincing another person in economy class to trade seats with him.

The flight crew finally managed to silence him when Pamela, Dr. Afolabi's wife, agreed to swap seats with him. She assumed that the crew would ask her husband to come along and sit with her, but that did not happen, and when she asked why, she was met with fake smiles. She and her husband, Dr. Afolabi, ended up traveling in different cabins.

Mr. Tad Longway introduces himself to Dr. Afolabi as AGDA's Director of Special Projects and compliments him on an excellent keynote address he delivered in Washington. The topic quickly shifts to what happened during the question-and-answer session, when a man from Grassroots International kept accusing Dr. Afolabi of looking for answers in places he shouldn't. Mr. Tad Longway states unequivocally that he agrees with the man's views. The man from Grassroots International was apparently dissatisfied with the current situation. Mr. Tad Longway goes on to say that in its current state, Africa has two new arrivals: corruption and impunity. He points out that corruption is a crime that impunity shields from punishment, whereas impunity is a crime that corruption rewards with kickbacks.

Mr. Tad Longway informs Dr. Afolabi that change can only occur when there is a strong desire to do so. He then asks Dr. Afolabi if he is interested in an adventure sponsored by AGDA, the overarching goal of which is to mobilize discontent with Africa's current state into a desire to change it. All these events make Dr. Afolabi realize that his meeting with Mr. Tad was not an accident but was planned. Dr. Afolabi confirms that he will attend the next summit in Banjul, Gambia, as an advisor; the heads of state have invited him to share his thoughts on Way Omega. Way Omega, according to Dr. Afolabi, will change the way Africans do business; no more military coups or rigged elections; no more civil wars or ethnic clashes.

Mr. Tad Longway, on the other hand, appears pessimistic, believing that Way Omega will not fly and informing Dr. Afolabi that Path Alpha is a better alternative because, unlike Way Omega, which is top-driven and lacks the will to implement, Path Alpha is bottom-led and has the will. He then asks Dr. Afolabi to be AGDA's summit guide, with the sole responsibility of guiding the four Path Alpha travelers AGDA is sending as observers to the summit in Banjul, Gambia. Apparently, AGDA does not require Dr. Afolabi to defect from Way Omega as an advisor to Path Alpha; rather, he will continue to serve as an advisor while working as a secretary for AGDA because they needed an entry point at the summit.

Mr. Tad Longway concludes the episode by handing Dr. Afolabi a copy of Path Alpha to read before making his decision. He also assures Dr. Afolabi that if he joins AGDA, he will cover all attendance costs.

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Analysis

Stylistic Devices,Themes and Character & Characterization

The events in this episode are still unfolding through flashback,allowing readers to understand the plot. There is use of figurative language, with the author using smiles to help the reader understand what the author is saying. ‘His voice lingered on like the boom of a big drum.’ Page 71. Mr. Tad Longway's voice has been compared to the sound of a large drum. ‘Sparks of earnestness were crossing his eyes, both crystal -green like toy marbles, confirming the compliment was sincere.’ Page 71. This figure of speech allows the reader to identify Mr. Tad Longway's character trait as honest and sincere when he compliments Dr. Afolabi on a wonderful presentation during the conference. Path Omega represents the old regime that needed to be fought and changed, whereas Path Alpha represents change and hope for African countries. AGDA, on the other hand, represents the people who are pushing for Path Alpha's success. Mr. Tad Longway is described as tactful in his dealings with Dr. Afolabi, eventually persuading him to join AGDA as a guide. Dr. Afolabi, on the other hand, is upbeat and optimistic, believing that Path Omega will alter the way things are done in Africa. ‘Just think: no more military coups or rigged elections, no more civil wars or ethnic clashes.’ Page 73. 

There is dramatic irony; readers know who the four AGDA travelers are that Dr. Afolabi was supposed to guide, but Dr. Afolabi does not. The issues of corruption and impunity come out in this episode as new arrivals affecting Africa. ‘Africa, in its present state, has two new arrivals: corruption and impunity. " The first is a crime; the second protects from punishment. ‘Page 72. 

Finally, Dr. Afolabi and Mr. Tad Longway's roles in the episode are to help develop the theme of corruption and impunity. 

Episode 18: The Separation
Summary, pages 75–81

Dr. Afolabi and his wife Pamela arrive in Nigeria following a meeting in Washington, where he was the main speaker. Issa, their houseboy, tries to prevent Pamela from entering the house because there is someone there whom she will not like. Dr. Afolabi intervenes and threatens Issa with breaking his arm if he does not reveal the identity of the person in their home. At this point, Femi, Dr. Afolabi Abiola's cousin from Kaduna, intervenes and saves Issa, who was wailing because Dr. Afolabi was torturing him. He claims that he is the one who let a girl into Dr. Afolabi and Pamela's bedroom. Femi had brought his cousin Dr. Afolabi a second wife because Pamela 'hates children and cannot have children of her own.' That wasn't the case. Dr. Afolabi protests and admits that Pamela and he did not have children, not because they couldn't, but because it was their decision. He also claims that he does not require a second wife. Pamela, on the other hand, storms out of their bedroom, only to resurface with a broomstick, chasing Nimbo, a little girl Femi had brought to Dr. Afolabi as the second Femi. Pamela just comes to a halt when Femi looks at her. The episode discloses that the concept of Femi bringing the second wife to Dr. Afolabi was inspired by people back home, but Pamela has none of it and orders Femi and the girl to leave their home immediately. Dr. Afolabi's efforts to persuade Pamela that the two are not to blame fail, and because they (Femi and Nimbo) cannot manage to leave, Pamela decides to leave. A week later, she contacts Dr. Afolabi and informs him that she has filed for divorce.

Analysis.

Stylistic Devices,Themes and Character & Characterization

The episode concentrates on the issue of traditions and culture, which is introduced when Dr. Afolabi's tribesmen request that he marry a second wife. People back at Dr. Afolabi's house set up the young girl, Nimbo, whom Femi brought to him as a second bride. ‘Femi says folks back home came up with this whole idea, not him.’ Page 79. There's also the subject of separation, which is highlighted when Pamela Dr. Afolabi's American wife divorces him, citing their brief separation on their flight from Washington to Nigeria as the catalyst for the divorce. The concept of conflict is introduced in this episode when Dr. Afolabi and his tribesmen disagree about marrying a second wife and his childless status. This also sparks another conflict between Dr. Afolabi and his wife, Pamela, which leads to a divorce. When we encounter a discourse between Dr. Afolabi and Issa, Pamela, and eventually Femi, we discover dialogue as a literary device. The author also uses vivid descriptions of Dr. Afolabi's cousin, Femi. ‘In a display of skill and calm, he was zipping his fly with one hand and buttoning his shirt with the other. But this display did not cancel out the unease it could not erase: the scar on his face. That scar was scary.’ Page 76. Dr. Afolabi employs situational irony when he expects Femi, his cousin, to hit the ceiling, but it is Pamela who does so. In this episode, a simile, a figure of speech, is used. ‘…Kaduna is like an arrow in hurried Yoruba.’ Page 78.

Femi is presented as skilled in this episode, thanks to a vivid description. ‘In a display of skill and calm, he was zipping his fly with one hand and buttoning his shirt with the other. But this display did not cancel out the unease it could not erase: the scar on his face. That scar was scary.’ Page 76. Pamela is shown as daring or fearless when he informs Femi that he is in his house. ' She re-summoned her courage. ‘Mister. You are in my house. You will show respect and answer me directly when I ask you a question.’ Page 77. Pamela is also hot-tempered and irritable, as evidenced by her action of driving Nimbo from her bedroom with a broomstick and her chat with Femi. ‘Pamela’s shock was slowly turning into hunger for her husband.’ Page 77. She is insistent that this comes out when Pamela says instead that Femi and Nimbo had to leave immediately. ‘They must leave now,’ Pamela insisted, stamping a foot on the floor. ‘Is that clear?’ page 80. She also portrayed herself as sarcastic. ‘So that girl I see in our home is just a figment of my imagination, right? And the man standing there beside you is another figment of my imagination, right?’ page 80. Dr. Afolabi, on the other hand, is shown in this episode as firm, resolute, and astute, as demonstrated when Femi, his cousin, asked Pamela to leave the room before he could respond, ‘ …Dr. Afolabi argued that Pamela is his wife. ‘No!’ said Dr. Afolabi firmly. ‘She stays!’ page 77.

Role of Characters in the Episode

 Finally, Femi, Dr. Afolabi Cousin, and Nimbo explore the theme of tradition or culture, while Pamela and Dr. Afolabi develop the theme of marriage and separation, as shown above.

Read an Artist of the Floating World Summary Here.

Read Chapter Six Summaries and Analysis of Fathers of Nations Here