Comment on E.M. McClelland's “The Experiment in Communal Living at Aiyetoro”

Abstract

Dr. McClelland's account of the communal settlement of fishermen at Aiyetoro, with its moving tribute to “the strength of purpose” and “fortitude”of “simple uneducated men”, brings to mind some lines by the Nigerianpoet, Gabriel Okara, in which he attempts to show something of the religious force behindan older group of African Christians on the West African coast, members of what is now known generally as the “Aladura” movement, the praying people, with their emphasis on the Holy Spirit:They pray, the Aladuras prayto what only hearts can see while deadfisherman long dead with bones rollingnibbled clean by nibbling fishes, followfour dead cowries shining like starsinto deep sea where fishes sit in judgment;and living fishermen in dark hutssit round dim lights with Babalawothrowing their souls in four cowrieson sand, trying to see to-morrow.Still they pray, the Aladuras prayto what only hearts can see behindthe curling waves and the sea, the starsand the subduing unanimity of the skyand their white bones beneath the sand.And standing dead on dead sandsI felt my knees touch living sands -but the rushing wind killed the budding words.