Translation and Analysis of Shaykh Ibrāhīm al - Nufawī al - Qādirī (1918 -1982)’s Elegy on Shaykh Aḥmad Rufai Inda Salātī (1895-1966)

Elegy is one of the earliest popular lyric poem in all cultures that traditionally focused on themes of death, loss, pain and sorrow, following the death of a beloved individual in the society or forfeit of valuable items. It is also considered the most significant and sincere form of poetry due to its emotional intensity, genuineness of experience, and precise depiction. From pre-Islamic times, elegy has occupied a significant position in Arabic literature in its homeland, and in Sudanic Africa, especially among the Yoruba (Southwest Nigeria) since the introduction of Arabic culture into the region. This essay is a translation and analysis of an elegy by Shaykh Ibrāhīm al-Nufawī on Shaykh Aḥmad al-Rufai (1895-1966) popularly called Alufa Inda-Salātī. The descriptive analytical method is employed to give a background to the poet and the subject of the elegy, translate the piece, and conduct a fairly detailed examination of its form and content, in the context of the conventional literary devices employed by the author in representing actions, feelings, thoughts and ideas, to enrich the readers’ knowledge of the significance of elegy genre in this part of West Africa.