Afolayan, Kayode Niyi2021-06-172021-06-172015Afolayan, K.N. (2015): Folklore and Social Mediation in Olu Obafemi’s Illuminations: Songs Dance from the Belly of Time. JALAL: A Journal of Languages and Literatures. 6 (2); 137- 161, Published by Department of Modern European Languages and Linguistics, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.https://uilspace.unilorin.edu.ng/handle/20.500.12484/6121No history of the evolution of literary forms in all cultures is complete without recourse to folklore. For Africa, the navigation of folklore into written forms has created a dual challenge which, on the one hand, has to do with the laundering of aesthetics, and on the other hand, the deployment of folklore in the interrogation of the dilemmas in the African space. This paper, using Olu Obafemi's poetry demonstrates that in seeking for a rebirth of the African folklore, writers must continue to exhibit its relevance in the contemporary space.enfolkloreaestheticssocial mediationArticle