BN Book Review: A Tray of Locust Beans by Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi | Review by The BookLady NG

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When you enter the home of a Yoruba woman preparing the famous rice and ata dindin stew, and the distinctive aroma of iru doesn’t greet your nostrils, something is undeniably amiss. Iru, also called locust beans, undergoes a laborious fermentation process before it can be used, distinguishing it as a resilient delicacy. By choosing this title, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi immediately seeps her narrative into the Nigerian experience, particularly through the lens of women and girls. We are quickly pulled into the lines, verses, sentences and paragraphs that make up the entirety of this collection. Immersed in the experiences of these women and girls, we are swept by a tidal wave of anger, sorrow and delirious faith in womankind, all at once.

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi diverges from her usual style to present an anthology of short stories and poems, offering a refreshing and deeply engaging exploration of complex societal issues. “A Tray of Locust Beans” is a testament to her versatility as a writer and her profound understanding of the human experience. It explores womanhood, identity, and resilience within Nigerian culture and beyond. As an acclaimed feminist and activist, Adeleye-Fayemi’s narrative is rich with the authenticity of personal experience, cultural depth, and political awareness. 

At the heart of “A Tray of Locust Beans” lies a powerful feminist message. Adeleye-Fayemi uses her narrative to spotlight the struggles and triumphs of women in Nigeria and across Africa. She addresses issues such as gender inequality, societal expectations, and the pervasive impact of patriarchal structures. She does not shy away from depicting women’s harsh realities but emphasises their strength and resilience. 

The anthology masterfully captures a wide spectrum of emotions, from passion and pain to inspiration and hope. Adeleye-Fayemi’s writing is evocative and powerful, eliciting strong emotional responses from the reader. The stories and poems move seamlessly between moments of laughter and tears, reflecting the complexities of life and human emotions. “There Are No Strangers Here” shows us how similar women are even if their experiences differ. “Did you hear a pregnant woman died yesterday? No cash and network for the POS.” “Please Help Us Beg Them” takes us back to 2020 in the heat of End SARS and how pregnant women became collateral damage. This emotional depth is a hallmark of Adeleye-Fayemi’s writing.

“A Tray of Locust Beans” features diverse voices and perspectives, reflecting the varied experiences of women and girls. From the high-flying lawyer, Sharon, to the locust beans seller, Mabel. This diversity is one of the anthology’s strengths, providing a comprehensive view of the societal issues it addresses. By including different perspectives, Adeleye-Fayemi highlights the interconnectedness of women’s experiences and the collective struggle for equality and justice. “Our Girls Now Wear Spanx to School” is a deeply affecting poem that explores how rape has become a sport in places of formal education. In recent times when stories of rape are now used to score cheap points and placed on a scale to weigh the depth of the brutality of each woman’s story, this poem is important. 

It is also refreshing to see some of Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi’s influences through the pages of this anthology. When a writer writes about another writer like Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi wrote about Toni Morrison in this collection, it shows that the admiration runs deep. She writes Ms Kudirat Abiola as someone “who made it possible yesterday for us to have a today and tomorrow.” It signifies the depth of the sacrifices of the women before us who crawled so we could stand tall and walk. Some of these women are prominent, and their names are written boldly in history books, but some are not. This does not diminish the extent of their sacrifices, which is what this anthology reinstates.

“A Tray of Locust Beans” could be a metaphor for women’s collective experiences. Just as a tray holds numerous individual beans, the anthology holds multiple stories of womanhood, each contributing to a broader picture of gender and social dynamics. The tray provides a unifying motif that ties together the various narrative threads. Just as a tray gathers and holds the beans, the book collects and presents diverse stories and experiences. This symbolism aligns with the feminist concerns of the book, where Adeleye-Fayemi highlights the interconnectedness of women’s lives and the shared struggles against patriarchal constraints. This unity reinforces the book’s overarching message about the importance of community, shared history, and the collective memory of women. It serves as a reminder that individual stories, when brought together, create a powerful and cohesive narrative about resilience, empowerment, and cultural pride.

Women across diverse backgrounds and experiences share common threads that bind their stories together. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to document these experiences in literature. When we fail to tell our own stories, we relinquish the power to shape our narrative, allowing others to define us. There is no one better equipped to tell these stories than women themselves. 

In poetry, we distill the essence of our experiences into a single, powerful thought. In prose, we carefully construct our narrative, hoping the reader understands the depth of our message before the final sentence. By sharing our stories, we create a strong web of voices that reflect the richness of our lives and the diversity of our experiences. This literary endeavour not only empowers us but also paves the way for future generations to find strength and solidarity in our words. This is what Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is doing with her works. She is not only telling these stories, she’s showing us that there is strength in knowing that we are never alone in our experiences.