In early August 2022, Biyi Bándélé discussed his novel, Yorùbá Boy Running, with his editor, Hannah Chukwu. The next day, the 54-year-old filmmaker, playwright, and novelist took his own life, leaving a remarkable and diverse body of work that includes the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, stage adaptations of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Aphra Behn’s Oroonoko, and Lorca’s Yerma, as well as poetry, screenplays, and novels like Burma Boy, which recounts his father’s traumatic experiences in World War II. Bándélé’s creativity transcended genre, medium, geography, and time.
Yorùbá Boy Running narrates the life of Samuel Àjàyí Crowther, whose 19th-century journey included abduction, enslavement, and eventual rise to become the first black bishop ordained by the Anglican Church. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, who wrote the foreword, praises Bándélé’s vivid storytelling, noting that his style diverges from traditional slave narratives, creating an intimate understanding of capture and displacement intertwined with colonialism in West Africa.
Actor and novelist Paterson Joseph first met Bándélé while playing Busi in the 1993 television play Not Even God Is Wise Enough, directed by Danny Boyle. He describes Busi as a character reminiscent of “Billy Liar,” grappling with absurdities and seeking his identity, amidst a backdrop where few black protagonists were portrayed on British television. Joseph recalls the distinctiveness of Bándélé’s writing, which respected and broke conventions, leading to a fresh narrative style.
Bándélé’s daughter, Temi, now an artist, shares fond memories of her father’s encouragement of her creativity from a young age. She recalls an exhibition of Benin bronzes when her father provided her with paper and pencils to draw. Calderwood mentions Bándélé’s expansive life, reflecting a multitude of identities that he wished to pass on to Temi.
Kwame Kwei-Armah, Bándélé’s friend and the Young Vic’s outgoing artistic director, reflects on Bándélé’s unique global perspective as both Nigerian and British, and his profound insight into the human experience. Chiwetel Ejiofor, who starred in Half of a Yellow Sun and narrates Yorùbá Boy Running, speaks about Bándélé’s ability to blend melodrama with humor while exploring the philosophical nuances of pre-civil war Nigeria.
Temi believes her father would have been proud of his completed novel, stating he understood its significance as his final work. She hopes it sparks dialogue, saying he was ready to share his last story with the world. Calderwood adds that after four decades of storytelling, Bándélé aimed to initiate meaningful conversations through his work.
Yorùbá Boy Running by Biyi Bándélé is published by Hamish Hamilton (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, you can order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at freephone 116 123, or via email at jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, chat at 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 for crisis support. In Australia, Lifeline can be contacted at 13 11 14. Other international helplines are available at befrienders.org.
