SOURCE: Ojaide, Tanure. “Poetic Viewpoint: Okot p'Bitek and his Personae.” Callaloo, no. 27 (spring 1986): 371-83.

In the following essay, Ojaide examines the personae of Song of Lawino, Song of Ocol, and Song of a Prisoner and the way they function thematically and stylistically; and from this examination, he proposes p'Bitek's viewpoint.

Okot p'Bitek, who died in 1983, is one of the best known African poets. After the long domination of the African literary scene by West Africans, p'Bitek stormed the “literary desert of East Africa” with Song of Lawino in 1966. This was followed by Song of Ocol (1970) and Song of a Prisoner (1971). His poems, “songs,” are apparently very close to traditional African poetry. The Ugandan poet makes use of personae to express his views on the modern African socio-political scene. His Song of Lawino, Song of Ocol, and Song of a Prisoner are some of the best known personae in...