• MARK IGHILE

  Author

The oral poet, Egogo Alagiebo, the blind minstrel of Benin City, Nigeria,
whose portrait forms the basis of this paper, clearly represents a creative phenomenon
which is of immense relevance to both the past and the present, with striking
implications for the future. His songs, most of which are embellished by proverbial
and philosophical expressions, continuously strike the reflective and critical
consciousness of not only the customers of the Airport Road Post Office, but indeed
the entire Benin community. This paper examines the artistic personality of Egogo
Alagiebo, within the conceptual framework of oral literature and cultural studies, and
submits that the poet, x-rayed in terms of his mien, career, popularity, attitude to life
and living, is indicative of a certain level of uniqueness -- in relevance and intensity--
that makes him truly influential.

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