THE SYNOPTIC REVIEW OF S. OLA AJIMISAN'S CASTLE BUILT WITH SPITTLE BY SEGUN OMOSULE, PHD.

Castle Built with Spittle: a book of poetry is a beautifully penned collection by S. Ola Ajimisan. Divided into into 50 poems, with each poem standing as a page of Nigerian and global history, Ajimisan delves into every aspect of what it means to be born a Nigerian and the consequences of surviving the system. In simple and clear diction, the poet attempts to maintain a foot in the past while keeping eyes on and ears open to the future by combining precolonial era of governance and reward system with the present century democracy that lacks nectars of good governance let alone dividends of same. In a loud and clear tone, he describes the forceful birth of a nation whose guardian angels, though embittered with the incompatible nature and characters of the make-up, however, worn an ambivalent look bought over by the euphoria of self-control after centuries of being slaves to a foreigners in on an indigenous land. He x-rays the struggle for relevance among different characters that were forcefully conscripted into the building or the eponymous castle and how this translates to a bigger domestic colonisation with the attendant consequences on the lives of innocent citizens who are at the receiving end. The buoyant economy of the United States of America after decades of struggle, rekindles the hope of the author that with the rich natural resources the nation is blessed with, the balance will no doubt be struck following the continual toggle for a Messiah.

The poet notes that humanity, irrespective of colour, race, region, creed, nationality or location is one, with one colour, just as the sky is indivisible. Stressing further, he opines that the differences we see around is as a result of man's tendentious attempt to dominate fellow man thereby leading him to distinguish between himself and still himself using classes which eventually falls under the same roof of classless mother nature. He notes further that no one is to be treated as a sacred cow in the present state of the State while asking for undivided imput at correcting the aberration in a nation where rascals are honoured and charlatans/mediocres, celebrated unchallenged thereby desecrating the deities of chastity. He describes not just as an aberration but a sacrilege, a nation where defenseless citizens are daily abused unabated before the hallucinating eyes of their lovers owing to the fact that some Kings and Queens profit from the returns of the oppression.

Alluding to June 12 annulment, the poer noted that six years after the show of shame, an accomplice replaced Pharaoh and since then, what is sauce for the goose is no longer sauce for the gander as there exists a separate law for the rulers and the subjects. All we now see play out in our supposedly holy chambers is 'improper fraction' and while the paradise became lost, everyone begins the search for unity because we are all are guilty.....

While in search of unity, citizens cry of burning fire all over the nation. They accuse the kings and queens of cluelessness and insensitivity, but unknown to them that the wry look the kings and queens wear around is as a result of the scorch of the sun these ones get in return as they profit from the tears of defenseless citizens. 

He loves to see Nigerians shine in all ramifications. My favorite poem in Castle Built with Spittle is perhaps one of the briefests and is titled “The Beauty of my Scars.” It reads in part: "if you are scared of a scar, aspire not to be a star. For those who have the sea to sail must not fear the Whale. I am not ashamed of my story, for it is the ovum of my glory....." It is true indeed that a few words can say a lot, and “The Beauty of my Scar” certainly does.

According to the poet, they claim to make the search for unity a priority while their half-baked youths remain idle at home with their strength. They drew their scales of preferences neglecting knowledge economy as their education is starved to death. Who will tell these ones? Who will deliver our sermons to the Pharaohs and their allies in power?  This collection of poetry is instrumental in this regard.

Succinctly put, Ajimisan's pen has permanently inscribed in us, a poignant and thought-provoking piece of work, Castle Built with Spittle, which is a fascinating glimpse into the existential experience of a talented Nigerian. In this piece, he leaves nothing out and lays bare his soul, drawing from personal experiences to craft some mesmerizing verses that stay in your mind even long after you have finished reading. Some poems are believed to be traditionally structured, while others are experimental and post-modern in their in form, contents and structure.They are exemplifications of the poet's tendentious rebellion against normal conventional style of writing poetry with a view to evolving a revolutionary style using transgressive motif and characteristically typical of quotidian and colloquial conversations. Ajimisan's work speaks of lost love, tradition, value, nation and systemic racism which are very much prevalent in contemporary Nigerian society and the global space, painting a vivid picture that compels the Independence in a democracy we seem to have lost. The poem explores other global thematic tropes which makes the collection an encylopaedia of global experiences. The represents the trenchant and  strident voice and contributions of promising global poet to the discourse in World Literature in English. If you are a poetry lover, who appreciates well-incorporated social commentary, you should not miss out on this gem and the mines of his mind.