It’s a fable, Fagunwa, didn’t disappear into river – Wife

Widow of renowned Yoruba writer, the late D. O. Fagunwa, Elizabeth, has debunked the age-long rumour that the writer mysteriously disappeared into a river.


The 81-year-old woman cleared the air in Akure, Ondo State, on Saturday, at a conference that marked the 50th anniversary of Fagunwa’s death.

Based on the mystical aura that surrounded many of his characters and settings of his novels, as well as the circumstances that surrounded his death, several myths had been built around his passage.

Among other theories, it was said he deliberately disappeared into the river, never to be seen again.

At the conference, organised by the Fagunwa Study Group, which attracted scholars from different parts of the world, his wife, however, said such ideas were rumours and unreal.

According to her, Fagunwa was buried in his hometown, Okeigbo, Ondo State.

She said, “I am happy I am here today. It is good that we straighten the records when I am alive; when the children too are still alive. I was with him in Ibadan, where we lived, when he travelled in November 1963 to the northern Nigeria to publicise Henemann books, because he was a manager with the company.

“On his way back, on Saturday December 12, 1963, he slept in Bida. His plan was to leave Bida early, so that he could get to Ibadan on time. He did not want to travel in the night.”

Fagunwa added that there was no bridge on the River Niger as at the time. Like every other person, she noted, the writer had crossed the river in a canoe. According to her, Fagunwa and the driver that took him got to the river an hour earlier than 6am, when the canoe operators resumed work.

“So, my husband decided to while away the time. He alighted from the car. He left the manuscript of a book he was writing then – Ero Nla Olodumare – in the car. He had his chewing stick in his hand. He decided to walk by the bank of the river. Unfortunately, the ground gave way under his feet and he fell into the river. He was a great swimmer, but he sank because a canoe by the river also fell and collapsed on him.”