Amos Tutuola's life and work present a fascinating study in contrasts and unexpected achievements. Despite a limited education and humble beginnings, he became a pioneer in African literature, known for his unique storytelling style. His literary journey, marked by both admiration and criticism, left an indelible mark on global literary circles.

Early Life and Background

Born in 1920 in Abeokuta, Western Nigeria, Amos Tutuola belonged to the Yoruba ethnic group. Though his family spoke Yoruba, Tutuola chose to write in English, creating stories that drew upon Yoruba myths and folk traditions. His familial background was Christian, with his father, Charles, working as a cocoa farmer, and his mother named Esther. Interestingly, the world learned only after his passing that "Tutuola" was not his family name; it was actually his father's first name, with "Odegbami" being the true family surname.

Educational Challenges

Tutuola’s education was sporadic and totaled less than six years, as he frequently changed schools due to familial and financial difficulties. Despite these obstacles, he demonstrated a natural aptitude for learning, often skipping grades and excelling academically. Bernth Lindfors, a noted scholar, observed that, given Tutuola's cultural milieu, limited schooling, and lack of formal literary training, it was remarkable that he chose to write, and even more so that he opted to use English as his literary language.

Career and Personal Life

During World War II, from 1943 to 1945, Tutuola served in the Royal Air Force. After the war, in 1947, he married Victoria Alake, but would eventually have a total of four wives and eleven children. He pursued various occupations throughout his life, including training as a coppersmith, working as a messenger for the Nigerian Government Labor Department, and taking up roles at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation.

Literary Beginnings

Amos Tutuola began crafting his stories from the Yoruba oral tradition to alleviate boredom during work. He initially penned these tales on scrap paper, and his first manuscript was handwritten when sent to a London publisher. The publication of his debut novel, The Palm-Wine Drinkard, in 1952, garnered immediate acclaim in Britain and the United States.

Reception and Criticism

While Western audiences lauded Tutuola's work, hailing him as a groundbreaking writer, African intellectuals viewed his success with skepticism. They criticized his "bad" grammar and unrefined narrative style, fearing that it played into colonialist stereotypes of Africa and Africans as primitive. His second novel, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1954), received a similar reception abroad but remained contentious in Africa.

Shifting Perceptions

As time went on, Western readers began to lose interest in Tutuola’s unique literary style, while African critics gradually came to recognize his significance as a pioneering figure in African literature. Despite initial resistance, he was acknowledged as an important writer by the time of his death. Over his lifetime, Tutuola completed nine novels and two collections of short stories, including The Village Witch Doctor and Other Stories in 1990.

Later Years and Legacy

Despite his achievements, Amos Tutuola passed away on June 8, 1997, suffering from diabetes and hypertension without access to adequate medical care. Initially, both African and Western literary communities were slow to acknowledge his contributions, but his legacy eventually secured recognition as the first internationally renowned African author. Oyekan Owomoyela aptly summarized Tutuola's life, stating that he "died as he had lived, among uncertainties, contradictions, and controversy."