Conduct Unbecoming

by T.M. Aluko

Paperback

About the author

Timothy Mofolorunso Aluko was a Nigerian writer.

A Yoruba, Aluko was born in Ilesha in Nigeria and studied at Government College, Ibadan, and Higher College, Yaba, in Lagos. He then studied civil engineering and town planning at the University of London. He held a number of administrative posts in his home country, including Director of Public Works in Western Nigeria. He departed from civil service in 1966 and from then until his retirement in 1978 he pursued a career as an academic, earning a doctorate in municipal engineering in 1976. He received several awards and honours including Officer Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1963 and Officer Order of the Niger (OON) in 1964.

His novels, including One Man, One Wife (1959), One Man, One Matchet (1964), Chief the Honourable Minister (1970) and His Worshipful Majesty (1973), are satirical in tone, and deal with the clash of new and old values in a changing Africa.

In 1994, he published his autobiography, My Years of Service, an account of his activities as an engineer and university teacher.

His most current autobiography, The Story of My Life, expounds on the story of his childhood and his work as a civil servant. Published in 2007, this expanded autobiography provides a more in depth look at his life.

T.M. Aluko died on 1 May 2010 in Lagos, aged 91.

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Corruption ... Corruption ... CORRUPTION Another fine work of fiction by the late TM Aluko, long famed and respected for his brilliant novels; that the author was also an astute civil servant for years on end complements his forte as it were. Aluko also condemned corruption in his works, including this one.

Incidentally the country here, Equatoria, is very much Nigeria as we can see from the plethora of Yoruba/Nigerian names, together with requisite proverbs and other aphorisms. Anyway, in this country corruption holds sway! This can be seen everywhere, though the main focus (apart from our narrator-protagonist William) is on a coterie of powerful figures; mainly the just departed politician, Sylvester Domingo, and Abel Abegunde bastion of immorality.

We quickly learn that Sylvester, and of course Abegunde are bywords for corruption and other disgusting practices; "(Sylvester) regularly beat up his wives... moreover he was known to keep a number of mistresses..."

And the dramatic Abegunde: "The one official cord that once bound me to Abel Abegunde had snapped seven years before when Alice Abegunde, my elder sister had died at child birth. Since then he had replaced the dead Alice not with one wife but with three other wives. And indications were that the replacement exercise was going to be a continuing process..."

But our narrator is tainted himself character-wise, despite his constant attempts to distance himself from corruption and other sharp practices. We are surprised to learn e.g, early on that he is lusting after Dora, one of the widows of the late Sylvester and sleeping with her. And the lady herself consorts with other powerful men... At least in the end there is condemnation of sorts of the widespread corrupt practices.

[KUNLE AWONIYI · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two intriguing ladies in this book, in essence: Beatrice and Dora. Beatrice is the wife of the protagonist, Will, here. As for Dora she is the bewitching wife of the late powerful individual, Sylvester Domingo here.

Beatrice is never really praised by her husband, but we get the picture that she is a very attractive lady. We hear the testimony of other men - one of them quite important - about how admirable and charming Beatrice is. It is strongly suggested that other men find her very attractive too.

Beatrice in fact is a go ahead lady and has an eye for the main opportunity, to advance herself and her family. She is not presented as a sort of seducer or vamp, just a woman determined to try to do the best for her family.

Dora is also a very attractive woman, and from the way the narrator goes about her from the very beginning, he is besotted with her and desires her physically; never minding that her husband has just died. Dora herself explains quite flippantly that her husband impregnated her from a very young age (she was in Standard 1V in school then)

She is a worldly wise woman and has quite a number of men eating out of her hands. She is seductive but the author glosses over what many readers would have found fascinating. Even the narrator is very jealous whilst thinking about her, imagining her in the hands of other men, in intimate rooms and settings.

But as one has said, the author never goes into what might have been sexy or prurient details. One can imagine what African writers like Mbella Sonne Dipoko or Cyprian Ekwensi would have done with the creation of a woman like Dora, or even Beatrice!

Ekwensi, of course since many decades ago wrote his early masterpiece, Jagua Nana, the story of a prostitute who enjoyed using her body to entice men. On his own part, Dipoko wrote books like Because of Women which emphasised and detailed the physical "sweetness and joy" of women.


T.M Aluko was obviously not the type of writer to revel in details of sex and seduction - he is more subtle. But make no mistake about it, the narrator of this book certainly enjoys women and their allure!

[Lupna Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written story, but at least one aspect here I found disturbing.

It is irritating that the narrator here, Willie, sort of blames his wife (Beatrice) and even his mistress (Dora) for what happens to him, his Inquiry etc. There is nothing here to show that his wife betrayed him, or was not loyal to him. But the man seems to genuinely dislike her, and is even shocked when the Head of Service - who is his boss - sings her praises, even referring to her as "excellent". Willie ponders:

"I had chuckled at the adjective. He had described her (his wife) as excellent... How true it is that outward appearances are deceptive. People...felt that we were an ideal couple. How little they knew..."

But his superior went on: '"I have always admired your wife, Willie. And I'm sure I am not alone in this regard "'

But of course the man does not appreciate his own wife. He is so full of himself and sanctimonious.