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Online version available in : http://arbitrer.fib.unand.ac.id

|    2339-1162 (Print) |    2550-1011 (Online) |

JURNAL ARBITRER

Submission Track A  B  S  T  R  A  C  T
Received: August 4, 2023
Final Revision: September 19, 2023
Accepted: September 22, 2023
Available Online: October 5, 2023

This study discussed strategies of humour in Adébáyo ̣̀  Àkàndé Fálétí’s 
writings. It interrogates how humour as a universal human interactional 
phenomenon is used to particularly entertain, checkmate human excesses 
and chastise societal ills in a mild manner. It is noted that among the living 
things only human beings laugh and humour excites laughter but it is not 
every humour that leads to laughter. Therefore, for humour to be effectively 
appreciated, it must be properly situated in its social context. The theoretical 
framework for this study is based on Thomas Veatch postulation of humour 
as a phenomenon made up of congruous and incongruous elements of 
socially typical and infringement of the prejudiced ethical standard. This 
framework is adopted to study Faleti’s use of humour to entertain, criticize 
human actions and chastise societal ills. It was out that humour as a form 
of lampoon is used euphemistically or ironically not as a means to destroy 
the society but to improve it. Faleti uses humour as an effective weapon 
of criticism and a subtle source of laughter to entertain the audience and 
to curb aberrations in the society. Humour in Faleti’s writings is used in a 
calm and amusing manner and the end result is laughter, although beneath 
the laughter is the lampoon of social misdemeanours concealed in the use 
of light-hearted constructions. Faleti has succeeded in espousing various 
methods of coping with serious and tense situation through the use of 
strategies of humour.

Keywords
linguistic perspectives, humour, strategies, Adébáyo ̣̀  
Àkàndé Fálétí’s, social discourse

Correspondence
E-mail: dayoakanmu2002@yahoo.com

Article

A Linguistic Analysis of the Use of Humour in Adébáyo ̣̀  
Àkàndé Fálétí’s Writings
Dayo Akanmu1, Francis Yede2

1Department of Nigerian Language Education, Lagos State University of Education, Lagos, Nigeria
2Department of English Language Education, Lagos State University of Education, Lagos, Nigeria

Under License of Creative Commons Attributioni-Non Commercial 4.0 International.DOI: https://doi.org/10.25077/ar.10.3.201-209.2023
 

I. INTRODUCTION
Humour is seen as the fulcrum on which 

literature is anchored to alleviate pain, to fetch 
pleasure and to make general conditions of living 
better. Humour is an instrument used to perceive 
and express a sense of shrewdness or entertainment. 
Humour encompasses the notion of appreciation 
and expression of incongruities or abnormality 
inherent in a state of affairs or character. Humour is 
more or often utilised to illustrate some fundamental 
absurdity in human nature or conduct. Humour is 
universal in nature. It is a phenomenon that cuts 
across all domains of life. 

Humour is uniquely and frequently adopted 
consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly 
by every human being in every aspect of their 
daily endeavours, irrespective of their status in the 

society. Humour, based on usage and intention, can 
be categorised into three levels for analysis. There 
is a universal humour that can be understood by 
everybody across culture or formal education. The 
second level of analysis considers humour as an 
instrument of relief from repression or inhibition. 
The third category of humour makes recourse 
to elevated language use and selected stylistic 
devices, Marina and Vadim (2021:97). The basic 
ingredients of humour are irony, satire and pun 
in Literature. Sophisticated humour is stylish and 
developed. From this, there arise two varieties: 
compassionate humour targeted at the heart and 
intellectual humour focussed at the mind and this is 
otherwise known as an elitist or high class humour. 

This study aims to describe in detail the sense 
of humour which dominates Fálétí’s writings 


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as well as the use of strategies which marks his 
idiolect. The motivation for this study emanates not 
only from the point of views of the happenings and 
scenes in Fálétí’s writings but also from the manner 
of his presentation. Many of his works and themes, 
especially those that are very serious and pathetic 
in nature, have always been humorous and capable 
of didactism as well as wiping out melancholic 
feelings. The main concern of this paper is to 
attempt a meaningful study of - Adébáyo ̣̀  Àkàndé 
Fálétí strategies for humour in his writings and how 
he utilises the strategies to deftly pass across his 
messages.

The concept of humour cannot be approached 
from a stereotypical point of view; this is because 
there are various aspects of humour. We often talk 
of “sense of humour”, “appreciation of humour” 
and “generation of humour”. Sense of humour is an 
identified characteristic of an individual language 
user – a sort of idiolect. And in some situations, it is 
seen as a proclivity to laugh at things, at situational 
issues or at a self folly. Appreciation of humour 
refers to the ability to glean humour in every 
situation or setting, whereas humour creation is the 
tendency to make humorous comments or act in a 
manner akin to situations or contexts of discourse. 
Scholars are of the views that generating humour 
is more psychologically protective and gratifying 
than simply appreciating humour, Kuhlman (1988), 
Dorde (2022). As stated earlier, in spite of numerous 
usages and approaches to the concept of humour, its 
mode of expression does not deny it of its universal 
definition and notion. From sociological point of 
view, humour is seen as a part of many socially 
acceptable actions. It is believed that the impact 
of humour is psychologically encompassing and 
also, socially and politically gratifying. Therefore, 
humour is otherwise described as “emotional pain” 
that does not hurt, Muldera and Anton (2002). 

Scheel (2017:25) from the communication 
point of view described humour “as an aspect 
or an element of human communication and 
social interaction associated with amusement and 
where illocutionary effect is crafted to occupy 
and entertain the audience.”  Pien and Rothbart 
(1986:67), on the other hand, consider humour “as 
a phenomenon that spans socio-cultural factors 
and the perception of incongruity in a playful state 
that may or may not be accompanied by laughter.” 
By this definition, Pien and Rothbart (ibid) assert 
that not all humour excites laughter. Incongruity 

itself refers to all unexpected associations of two 
normally unrelated or even conflicting contexts or 
circumstances. This means that, incongruity has the 
tendency of exciting laughter and amusement and 
if this is so, then humour may excite amusement at 
the expense of laughter. Also, looking at humour 
from the semiotic point of view, Marina and Vadim 
(2021:97) came up with the viewpoint illuminating 
the core attributes of humour. According to them, 
“humour is the identification of unidentifiable signs 
in the domain of conventionality.” The constituents 
of humour are signs that indicate conventionality 
or the “signification” of transformations. It is 
believed that without any reference to conventional 
significations, the possibility of being funny is 
unrealistic. From the semiotic point of view above, 
condemnation encased in humour via satire will 
become inconsequential without an element of 
conventionality and also will become direct insult 
and abuse. Furthermore, humour will become 
a reprimand and irony of reproach while an 
innocent joke that expresses “I am ok” without an 
element of conventionality will slither into strange 
misunderstanding. 

Simpson (1981:105) from encompassing point 
of view defines humour as “the quality of action, 
speech or writing, which excites amusement, 
oddity, jocularity, facetiousness, comic and fun.” 
It is noted that Simpson’s definition of humour is 
encompassing in nature. The definition does not 
restrict humour to speech alone but glean humour 
from all forms of writings and actions. It excludes 
commonplace writings and actions but foregrounds 
the ones which bring amusement and fun. The 
general viewpoints on humour shows that humour 
does not act alone but requires at least, its constituent 
parts for its effects to become fully realised and 
felt. Sa’adu  quoted in Inegbe (1999) towed the line 
of the viewpoint above by stating that humour is a 
social process and a shared experience originating 
with some intentions to facilitate regression and 
alleviation of severe psychological and mental 
state of mind. From Sa’adu (ibid) viewpoint, it is 
noted that humour is a social phenomenon which 
is accentuated and deployed through someone’s 
action to reduce anxiety and fear. 

Based on the foregoing, there are no doubts 
that humour is very essential to keep man stable 
psychologically, mentally and socially as well as 
maintaining balanced society devoid of rancour 
and acrimony. From whatever perspectives one 


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may examine humour, it serves not only as a source 
of amusement but also as a check to the excesses of 
man. In fact humour and laughter are so important 
to human existence and social life that a society 
without it will be faced with meaninglessness and 
angst. 

Thomas C. Veatch (1998) formulated 
incongruity theory of humour which has been 
adjudged by various analysts as the well-formulated 
and the most precise analytical tool in explicating 
the imprints of humour in literary works. Veatch 
establishes that humour include a phenomenon 
made up of congruous and incongruous elements of 
socially typical and infringement of the prejudiced 
ethical standard. While one element is socially 
normal the other is a violation of the “subjective 
moral order”. Veatch, (1998:168) explicates that the 
“moral order” is the “rich cognitive and emotional 
system of opinions about the proper order of the 
social and natural world” Although it should be 
noted that there are obvious distinction between 
the theories which come under this general term. 
Incongruity theories are, however, noted to be “the 
most widely accepted school of thought concerning 
humour” Franklyn (2006: 77). Attardo (1994:48), 
in consonance with the above remark, agrees that 
“laughter is a clear mark of incongruity.” The cause 
of laughter in every case is simply the sudden 
perception of incongruity between a concept and 
the real objects which have been conceived to 
having some relation. Laughter, therefore, is the 
apt expression of the perceived incongruity. In the 
search of actualising basic research principle for 
humour, Raskin (1985:40) noted that “there is no 
a priori reason why all aspects of every example of 
humour should be explicable in terms of a single 
principle.” For the purpose of this research, Veatch 
incongruity humour theory provides sufficient and 
adequate analytical tool for a more remarkable 
and exhaustive study and analysis of the make-
ups of humour in Fálétí’s writings for meaning and 
intention.

II. METHOD    
Data for this paper were drawn from excerpts 

from the literary texts of Adébáyo ̣̀  Àkàndé Fálétí, 
(1979), Ogun Àwíté̩lè̩, (1972), Bas̩ò̩run Gáà, (1980), 
Wó̩n Rò Pé Wèrè Ni, and  (1975), O̩mo̩ Olókùn E̩s̩in 
. They were selected as a sample group showcasing 
sufficient and pragmatic use of humour in Yoruba 
literary text. To achieve purposeful analysis, various 
linguistic strategies for creating humour such as 

comedy, satire, tragic-comedy, farce and burlesque,  
labelling, puns, irony of situations, comparisons 
and satire, etc were identified and reviewed by 
the authors of this paper under literature review 
section and, four strategies of comparison, dialect, 
wordplays and cinematography, which are found 
suitable to illuminate incongruity and expression of 
humour, were selected from the identified humour 
strategies. Data analysis, which was done mainly at 
stylistic and pragmatic levels, illustrated the issue 
of humour and its capacity to manipulate language 
use to particularly checkmate human excesses and 
chastise societal ills in a mild manner.

III. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Analysis of Humour Strategies in 
Adébáyo ̣̀  Àkàndé Fálétí Writings

Generally speaking, strategy for creating 
humour depends on the user’s capacity to 
manipulate language. For this purpose, linguistic 
strategies for creating humour were identified and 
analysed below. 

Comparison
Comparison is one of the strategies for creating 

humour. Comparison strategy utilises metaphor 
and simile as its useful tool. Metaphor is usually 
employed to indicate communication targets 
different from the literal meaning.  Olabode (1981) 
describes metaphor as the means of transforming a 
notion into another using an object with descriptive 
properties directly analogous to another object. 
Metaphor is therefore an emphatic comparison, 
which if expressed formally or indirectly, takes on 
the form of simile. In the excerpt below, metaphor 
features prominently in one of Fálétí’s narrative 
poems titled “Ìgbéyàwó Kan Ní Ìletò Wa.”  Faleti 
humorously described the size and bulge of 
Àkàndé’s goitre in the excerpt below:

B’ípàkó̩ ti ń fì dùgbè̩ lé̩hìn
Òrúbandú tí ń be̩ ló̩rùn a sì yo̩ síwájú bo̩bo̩bo̩
                        (Ìgbéyàwó Kan Ní Ìletò Wa II 179-188)

As his occiput dangles backwards
The round bulging thing in his neck would menacingly 
protrude forward. 

Here the word Òrúbandú, a metaphor, is 
employed as descriptive word for the size of 
the goitre in question. It is a humorous strategy 
employed to induce laughter through its strange 
and unexpected structure and sound. Òrúbandú 
as a word is a fore-grounded element which calls 


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attention to itself. The expression is metaphoric 
and it denotes a very big and massive object 
competing with the neck. This is more or less 
like an albatross on the neck of the mariner. This 
is an apt use of situational humour to portray the 
pathetic and helpless state of man. Goitre, in those 
days in Yoruba land, where medical operation has 
not been discovered for it, is an emblem of body 
shame which must be endured and coped with. It is 
akin to the situation in the myth of Sisyphus which 
indicates lack of escape from some life challenges. 
The use of situational humour is to emphasise 
fortitude as the means to cope with life problems. 

Unlike metaphor described above, simile is 
used to illustrate issues by using direct comparison. 
Adam (2015) describes simile, through relevance 
theory, as a poetic comparisons in which “like” 
in simile is used to encode the same thing in 
formally equivalent non-poetic comparisons. 
Olatunji (1984:55), on the other hand, defines 
simile as an overt comparison in which an object 
being described is similar to another. Simile 
helps in creating a vivid picture of what is being 
described. Of all the strategies of humour identified 
in Fálétí’s writings, simile is the most frequently 
used in most of his narrative poems, to praise, to 
ridicule, to emphasize and to illustrate important 
issues. Examples of where simile is used for the 
procurement of humour are found in O̩jó̩ Ìláyè̩fun 
where Lààlà joins his friend S̩àngódòkun in licking 
yam flour in order to prevent S̩àngódòkun’s in-
law from knowing that their son-in-law has gone 
mad. Through the use of simile, Fálétí describes 
S̩àngódòkun vividly as he licks the flour thus:

Ibè̩ nìyá ìyàwó ti bá S̩àngódòkun 
tí ń j’èlùbó̩ èkùkù bí àgùtàn
tí ń lá’nu mó̩rán bí ewúré̩ jewé ata
                                      (O̩jó̩ Ìláyè̩fun II 145-147)  

It was there that the mother-in-law found S̩àngódòkun   
As he was eating yam flour like a sheep,
And smacking his lips as a goat eating pepper leaves. 

The use of simile in the excerpt above creates a 
vivid picture, especially, to those who have observed 
a goat eating favourite leaves. Smile of this type 
utilises imagery to present cinematic report which 
accurately and colourfully illuminates S̩àngódòkun 
and his friend eating yam flour like a goat would 
eat pepper leaves. This is an example of gallows 
humour which applies to critical psychological and 
dire situations. It serves as a mechanism for coping 
with life in harsh settings so that negative feelings 

can be transformed into positive and resigned 
acceptance (Maier 1989). The scenario described 
above is incongruous. It elicits an illogical, even 
psychotic, response to irresolvable dilemmas and 
offers an existentialist’s reason for being in an 
insane position. The implication of the scenario 
in the excerpt above is multi-dimensional: it is 
either reflecting heightened emotions or reducing 
sensitivity to circumstances.

Similarly, simile is also used as a strategy 
to excite laughter in Wó̩n rò Pé Wèrè Ni where 
O̩mó̩mo̩s̩é̩, a musician, is sighted, entertaining his 
fans on the stage, at O̩jà O̩ba:

O̩mó̩mo̩s̩é̩ : E̩ farabalè̩
Ègbè : A ti farabalè̩ té̩lè̩ tele kó o tó wí

  bígi-imú onídàrùké tií farabalè̩ f’óòrùn.
O̩mó̩mo̩s̩é̩ : My people, I urge you to calm down

Chorus : We are already calm before you directed, 
just as the nose of the farm labourer surrenders 
itself to the sun

Here, simile is used to compare the manner 
with which the nose of the farm labourer surrenders 
itself to the sun and this use excites humour. This 
typical use of comparison is akin to Ò̩yó̩ versifiers 
who utilise comparison and euphemism to 
caricature and throw tantrums. The use of gallows 
humour, in the excerpt above, is to portray the 
reality of the situation of the peasant farm labourer 
in his resigned attempts and toils to provide for 
the needs of his immediate family and the entire 
neighbourhood.

Wordplays and Incongruity
The use of wordplays and incongruity in 

Fálétí’s writings are particularly noticeable in the 
way he devised word games, by manipulating 
the semantic implication of the written language. 
Writers are often fond of pulling words apart and 
reconstructing them in a new way, arranging them 
into clever patterns, infusing hidden meanings 
inside them and trying to use them to create special 
meaning and effect. In Giorgadze (2018), wordplay 
is described as features of languages use and is 
exploited to engender communicative significance 
by combination of two or more linguistic structures 
with more or less similar forms and more or less 
different meanings. Meanwhile, the noticeable 
juxtaposition of lexical items with similar shapes is 
considered by Olatunji (1984:37) as wordplay. The 
essence of co-occurrence of lexical items defined 
above is to produce effect of verbal dexterity. 


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Practically, a play on words could spawn offense at 
times and to create humorous effect and, the users 
too could be seen as social nuisance. In Bas̩ò̩run 
Gáà, wordplay is utilised by a character called 
‘ìyá ilé orí’ to cast aspersion on the embodiment 
of the Yoruba name Akínkúnmi in a ridiculous but 
humorous manner. Her reason is to discourage 
Àgbò̩nyín, her protégé, from getting married to 
Akínkúnmi, a character in the play and a suitor to 
Agbonyin, because of his poor background.

Ìyá Ilé Orí: Dáké̩ kó o jé̩ n gbó̩rò̩, má jè̩é̩ kí n s’ìwí só̩rò̩ re̩
Ta l’ajá tíí j’Ákínkúnmi?
Bó o bá ń gbó̩ tí wó̩n p’akin bò̩ níwájú, 
Bó o bá ń gbó̩ tí wó̩n p›akin bò̩ lé̩hìn
À fi k’énìà ó wolè̩ lò̩rò̩ Akin
Kó tó b’ákin s̩e.
Akínkúnmi lásán ò tó fè̩yìn tì
À fi bá a gbó̩kànlé ‘rú àwo̩n Akíndúrótini.
Bó o bá bímo̩ má so̩ ó̩ l’Ákínwùnmí    
E̩ni tó so̩mo̩, l’Ákínwùnmí, è̩bè̩ ló ń bè̩
Akín-wù-wó̩n lásán ni, wo̩n kìí níwà Akin
E̩ni tó so̩mo̩ l’Ákinlabí
Nwó̩n ń fe̩nu polongo Akin lásán ni
Akíndélé ńwínkùn 
Akínye̩lé̩ ń s̩àròyé 
Nwó̩n ń so̩ p’áwo̩n ò kó̩’lé
È̩ bá bèèrè pé kí l’akin wo̩n rí mú bò̩ látìta
Ènìà tó ń J’Ákínye̩mí
Ó ń dára rè̩ nínú dùn ni
E̩ni tó lówó lohun gbogbo ye̩ 
Kín l’Akin jé̩ b’ákin ò ló̩lá
Kín l’Akin jé̩ bákin ò níyì
Akin tí ò ló̩lá, Akin tí ò débìkan ni
Oun l’e̩ni tó bá gbó̩n fií so̩mo̩ lórúko̩ tó dára 
Nwo̩n á so̩mo̩ l’Ákíntó̩lá, Akino̩lá, Akínbò̩bó̩lá
Akin-mi-bò̩-bó̩lá
O̩lá mi y’akin àbí kò yakin? O̩láyakin.

Iya Ile Ori:  keep silent and let me have peace.
Do not allow me say negative words to you
Who is the dog bearing Akínkúnmi?
If you hear people calling Akin at the front
If you hear people calling Akin at the back 
One has to be wary in dealing with Akin
Average Akínwùnmí is not reliable 
You need to rely on such persons like Akíndúrotini.
If you have a child, do not name him Akínwùnmí
Naming a child Akínkúnmi is wishful thinking and 
pleading.
It is vain love for valour, but wanting 
in the substance of a man of valour                                                                                                                                           
Whoever gives a child Akinlabi is only publicizing 
valour

Akíndélé amounts to complaining 
Akínye̩lé̩ is tantamount to grumbling
And lamentation of lack of household 
Ask, what profit has their valour brought for them?
Whoever bears Akínyemí only wallows in self 
consolation
Whoever has money has answer to everything 
What is Akin without wealth?
What is Akin without fame? 
We add valour to our wealth
Valour without wealth is useless
That is why a wise person gives his child good names
Does my wealth accrue valour or not? 
O̩láyakin, wealth that has real valour added to it.

Here, Fálétí played upon the name Akin 
for creation of humour in the excerpt above. He 
lampooned the essence of the name Akínkúnmi 
through the use of rhetorical questions. Such 
statements as,  ta l’ajá tíí j’Ákínkúnmi? (who is 
the dog bearing Akínkúnmi?), kín l’akin jé̩ b’ákin 
ò níyì? (what is Akin without fame?) etc., are 
used to cast aspersion on the essence of bearing 
the name Akínkúnmi. Fálétí deftly interrogates 
the significance of the name Akin in such a way 
that the hidden meanings of each of the names 
mentioned in the excerpt are clearly manifested. 
We are also made to believe that some Akin names 
are more important and valuable than others. The 
essence of this wordplay is to ridicule and condemn 
Akínkúnmi, who is in love with Àgbò̩nyín. As 
a matter of fact, the question in  ta l’ajá tó ń jé̩ 
Akínkúnmi? Confirmed the condemnation of the 
character called Akínkúmi. He is ridiculed and 
portrayed as a worthless person.  This is a type of 
humour in which happenings are unconsciously 
presented in an illogical manner to task the brain 
of the listener.  Although, Akín is a name that 
conveys valour, but what is the use of valour 
without wealth? In the situation described in the 
excerpt above, the character of the Akinkunmi 
in question is synonymous with poverty because 
his valour does not go with “wealth”.  The use of 
juxtaposition of different meanings of the names 
of those personalities whose “valour” (Akin) goes 
with “wealth” and who should be considered as the 
real Akin brings out humour in illogicality which 
further accentuates the intention of the author.

Scenes or Cinematography 
Scenes or Cinematography is another strategy 

of humour in Fálétí’s writing. Olatunji (1982:64) 
observes that this technique is used to portray 


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vividness and clarity of events in the minds of the 
readers. Fálétí admits that he utilises this technique 
to accentuate the Yoruba narrative tradition where 
events are not merely talked about but the readers 
are made to see them happening. To achieve 
humorous effect, Fálétí created scenes with clear 
visual and auditory effect spiced with abundant use 
of dialogue. The essence of this is to enable the 
reader to participate through processing of mental 
picture of all that is happening before him. This 
cinematographic effect is helped mostly by the 
way language is used to present the images to us as 
well as make some events humorous and scenically 
memorable. The use of the technique enables the 
readers to see and hear the events in writings 
as they happened. For instance, Fálétí utilises 
cinematography to unfold the array of musical 
instrument and performers engaged to entertain in 
the event that took place in Àkàndé’s house:

Alágbe ńké, oní rárà ńsò̩
Àwo̩n oní-dùndún pàá pàá kò dáké̩
Aro ńdún kíkan kíkan
Nwó̩n ńlu s̩è̩kè̩rè̩ bíi má-lù-mó̩
Nwó̩n tún ńko̩rin t’ó lárinrin
                       (Ìgbéyàwó Kan Ní Ìletò Wa, II 114-118)

Minstrels were intoning eulogy, 
Troubadour were busy chanting heroic deeds
Dùndún drums sound unabated 
Gongs resound noisily
The S̩è̩kè̩rè̩ calabash rattles ceaselessly.                                                                                                                                  
Melodious songs rend the air.

The excerpt above brings to our mind the 
ensemble of the various performers and the arrays 
of fitting instruments on display. Their activities 
appeal to the sense of hearing and also exert 
euphonic effect on the mind generally. Althoug the 
excerpt above may not be humorous but it provides 
the background for the exposition of Akande’s 
goitre in the excerpt below in a humorously manner.      

L’Àkàndé bá pòyì ràn-ìn, ló wó̩n’s̩o̩ ló̩rùn bóróbó
Ni ó ta pe̩re̩ bó̩ s’ínú agbo 
B’Ákàndé bá na o̩rùn síwájú, a tún na o̩rùn s’é̩hìn.
Bó bá rin àrìnjó títí
A yo̩’rí síwájú, a yo̩’rí sé̩hìn, bí Ògòǹgò baba e̩ye̩
B’ípàkó̩ ti ńfi dùgbè̩ lé̩yìn
Òrúbandú tí ḿbe̩ ló̩rùn a sì yo̩ síwájú bo̩bo̩bo̩
                             (Ìgbéyàwó Kan Ní Ìletò Wa II.179-188)

Then Àkàndé gyrated, pranced around and remove the 
cloth smartly from his neck.
As he swaggered into the dance floor 
Àkàndé shot his neck forward and backwards,

After gyrating in dancing gait,
He would shoot his head forth and back like an ostrich
As his occiput dangled backwards,
The bulge round his neck shot menacingly forward.

The excerpt above is an example of an 
isolated scene that Fálétí presents vividly to us 
through visual and auditory imagery. The above 
italicized words such as wó̩n’s̩o̩ ló̩rùn bóróbó 
(smartly removed the cloth from his neck), ta 
pe̩e̩re̩ (swaggered into), ńfì dùgbè̩ lé̩yìn (dangling 
massively at the back), síwájú bo̩bo̩bo̩ (shot 
menacingly forward) are “idiophones” and words 
like Òrúbandú (bulge round his neck), bí Ògòǹgò 
baba e̩ye̩ (like an ostrich the king of birds) are 
descriptive metaphor and simile respectively. The 
descriptive words enact humour in the excerpt and 
also enable the readers to forge a mental picture of 
the happenings. The essence of this humour is to 
create atmosphere of intensity of action, immediacy 
of scenery and memory processing to bring about 
desired communication. 

The use of imagery by Fálétí induces 
participatory relationship between the reader and 
the characters in his story and, this elicits laughter, 
humour and entertainment. For example, Faleti 
vividly described the morbid reaction of Adédigba, 
Alágbára-Ilé after he witnessed an extraordinary 
incidence in the house of one of his rural dwelling 
friends in the excerpt below:

B’Álágbára-Ilé ti tún rí kàyééfì yìí
Ó s̩e bí e̩ni fé̩ tò̩ l’é̩hìnkùnlé
Ó yára gbé̩s̩in rè̩ kó̩rùn 
Ó ń sálo̩ bé̩è̩ ni kò dè̩’rìn, ó ní
‘’Alágbára-Oko ju Alágbára-Ilé lo̩.
                                 (Alágbára-Ilé àti Alágbára-Oko II)  

As Alágbára-Ilé stumble upon this terror
He devised as if he wanted to urinate at the back of the 
house
He quickly placed his horse across his neck
He took to his heel and quickened his pace
He remarked that ‘’Alágbára-Oko” is superior to 
“Alágbára-Ilé.

It is so amusing that a man who regards himself 
as the most powerful around the neighbourhood 
should run from the presence of another man. 
Here, the phrases that signal humour are ‘sálo̩ bé̩è̩ 
ni kò dè̩hìn’ (took to his heel and quicken his pace). 
The use of the Yoruba second person pronoun ‘o’ 
with the various verbs like ‘s̩e’ (did), ‘yára’ (quick) 
and ‘ń sálo̩’ (was running away) together with 
the simile ‘bí e̩ni fé̩ tò̩ lé̩hìnkùlé’ (as if he wanted 


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207

In Wó̩n Rò Pé Wèrè Ni, by Adebayo Faleti, 
idiomatic expression is employed as strategy for 
humour especially, in the conversation between 
Àrè̩mú and Bàbá Rámó̩ on how they are going to 
give maximum support to O̩mó̩mo̩s̩é̩:

Àrè̩mú : Bàbá Rámó̩, pa wó̩n tì, jé̩ kí wó̩n máa lérí 
kiri

Bàbá Rámó̩ : O ò gbó̩ nǹkan! “pa wó̩n tì,”  n kò pa wó̩n 
tì
Ohun tí ó mú wo̩n máa rí ènìyàn fín náà 
nù-un.
Èmi ti so̩ f’Ó̩mó̩mo̩s̩é̩, ló̩tunla, gbogbo ìlù 
tí ó bá
mò̩ ó̩n lù yóò lù ú l’Ó̩jà O̩ba. Bí e̩nìkan bá 
sì gbágbèéré, 
n ó jé̩ kí olúwarè̩, mu gaàrí fún os̩ù mé̩ta.

Aremu : Bàbá Rámó̩, don’t be mindful of them, let 
them boast around.

Baba Ramo : Hear that! ‘’Forget about them?’’ I cannot 
forget about them, 
This allows them to show disrespect to 
people. I had told Omomose, 
That come next tomorrow, he must display 
all temerity at Oja-Oba 
If anyone misbehaves, I will ensure that 
such felon drinks gàrí for three months.

In the excerpt above, Bàbá-Rámó̩ expressed 
himself in emphatic manner to indicate an 
unalloyed support in such way that it ignited 
humour. The expression ‘mu gàrí fún os̩ù mé̩ta’ 
(drink gàrí for three months) has two meanings. 
(1) it means to be starved for three months and 
(2), to sleep in detention for three months. Such 
expressions are naturally humorous and can only 
be deciphered through proper interpretation of 
idiomatic expressions. 

Finally, utilizing the theory of incongruity, the 
analysis of humour in Adébáyo ̣̀  Àkàndé Fálétí’s 
writings established that there are several sources 
of humour in the text and they all play significant 
roles in underscoring the concerns of the text, 
particularly entertainment, checkmating human 
excesses and chastising societal ills. It is shown that 
humour is reflected through labelling, puns, irony 
of situations, comparisons and satire, etc. Use of 
these means above brings about many instances of 
humour that have both congruent and incongruent 
rudiments. Attaching the above to several instances 
of the text brings about humour which succeeded 
in eliciting quiet laughter, self-discovery and 
entertainment in a reader.

to urinate at the back of the house), bring to the 
fore self-discovery and the precautions taken by 
Alágbára-Ilé to escape a looming waterloo. This 
is the type of humour where self-discovery during 
the time of trouble or oppression brings about self-
awareness in the limitation of human power and 
placing too much of hope in physical acquisition 
which are mostly ephemeral. The kind of laughter 
that it elicits emphasizes the hopelessness of being 
vainglorious and wallowing in transient ways 
of life. The use of imagery in the excerpt above 
enables the readers to glean all the actions being 
performed.

Idiomatic Expressions 
Apart from all the strategies of humour earlier 

discussed, Fálétí also procures humour through the 
use of idiomatic expression. For example, in O̩mo̩ 
Olókùn E̩s̩in, Fálétí humorously present Àjàyí’s 
lamentation over the foolishness of his people 
through idiomatic expression:

Bá a bá gbó̩n ni, à bá gba ara wa kalè̩
A kúkú pò̩ ju Òkò lo̩ ní ìló̩po-ìló̩po
S̩ùgbó̩n o̩gbó̩n wé̩ré̩ wé̩ré̩ ará Òkò pò̩
O̩gbó̩n wé̩wé̩ náà ni wó̩n fi ń kó wa sìn 
Àwa gò̩ ní tiwa. Bí a ti pò̩ tó bé̩è̩ la gò̩ t’á a lè
mú ò̩gè̩dè̩ nínú o̩s̩ó̩. E̩nu ni a fi ń ho̩ra

If we had been wise, we would have liberated ourselves. 
After all, we outnumbered Òkò people beyond count. 
But Òkò people are too shrewd and diplomatic. 
They employ subtlety to perpetually enslave us.
Despite our strength of population we are yet foolish.
We can attempt to take banana from the trap
We scratch our body with our own mouth.

Here, humour is reflected through the use of 
idiomatic expressions in italics above. The imprint 
of humour here is ignited by sheer self admission of 
stupidity and the use of plural pronoun “we” which 
shows   collective stupidity - àwa gò̩ ní tiwa (we 
are foolish) and the poetic expression - bí a ti pò̩ 
tó… gò̩ tó. (Despite our strength of population we 
are yet foolish).This sense of collective stupidity is 
also reflected in the song below;

Gò̩ǹgòs̩ú, 
Èdìdàré̩
Bó o s̩e gbó̩n tó náà lo o gò̩ tó

Nincompoop,
Zombie  
Your foolishness surpassed your wisdom


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IV. CONCLUSION
This paper has been able to discuss in detail 

humour strategies in Adébáyo ̣̀  Àkàndé Fálétí’s 
writings. It has also established that humour exists 
in every part of human endeavour to douse tension. 
This is because, among the living things, only 
human beings laugh. It has also been emphasized 
that humour excites laughter but not every humour 
leads to laughter. It is established that, for humour 
to be effectively and positively appreciated, it must 
be sufficiently and properly situated in its social 
context. Consequently, it can be said that Faleti has 
succeeded in using humour to entertain, checkmate 
human excesses and chastise societal ills in his 
society. 

Utilizing the theory of incongruity this write-
up’s analysis of humour in Adebayo Faleti’s 
writings establishes that there are several sources 

of humour in the text and they all play significant 
roles in underscoring the concerns of the text;  
checkmating human excesses and chastisement 
of societal ills. The interplay of several instances 
of humour in the text succeeded in eliciting 
the desired smirk, chuckle, or quiet laughter in 
a reader, although, beneath the laughter is the 
concealed meanings with serious socio-political 
misdemeanours and angst.

It should be noted that humour is not a 
literary genre but the framework on which other 
literary genres and sub-literary genres like comedy, 
satire, tragic-comedy, farce and burlesque are 
knitted to achieve peaceful cohabitation and 
phatic communion. It can be deduced from the 
foregoing that through the strategies of humour, 
Adébáyo ̣̀  Àkàndé Fálétí has been able to teach us 
various methods of coping with serious and tense 
situations.

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