‘Sex Is A Journey’: An Examination of Disability, Sex and Character Development in Isidore Okpewho’s The Last Duty

Abstract

This paper examines the intersections between disability, sex and character development in Isidore Okpewho’s The Last Duty. Specifically, the paper focuses on Odibo’s sexual journey in order to show how the transformation the disabled character goes through in the area of his sexual life is critical to plot and character development in Okpewho’s novel. The study reveals that Odibo grows from being a seemingly asexual character to an individual who asserts his sexuality even in the face of challenges. Odibo’s sexual growth reaches its climax when he finally engages in sexual intercourse with Aku, an experience that helps him to embrace his masculinity. This study adds to the discussions on the intersections between sex and disability in the African literary texts by revealing how sex plays a key role in the development of the disabled character. The stages of sexual development presented in the paper also offer a way of understanding how the sexual life of Odibo contributes to the plot development of Okpewho’s novel.