The Lion and the Jewel - Wole Soyinka (African Drama)

 AFRICAN DRAMA

The Lion and the Jewel

-Wole Soyinka

 

 

Brief Background of the Playwright

 

             Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka is a playwright, poet, and essayist born in Isara, Ijebu, Ogun State, Nigeria in 1934.  He attended Government College, Ibadan for his secondary education, and the University of Ibadan and Leeds for his doctorate degree programs. After studying in Nigeria and the UK, he worked with the Royal Court Theatre in London.  His plays were produced and acted in both countries.

             Soyinka won Nobel Prize for literature in 1986 as the first African to win the prestigious award.  He had also lectured comparative literature at Obafemi Awolowo University, Cornell University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, etc, Some of his other books include The Trials of Brother Jero (1960), A Dance of the Forest (1963), Death and the King’s  Horseman (1970), etc.

 

The setting of the play: Impact of Setting on Character’s Growth in the Play

 

             The play (comedy) is set in a remote fictitious village of IIujunle where the old culture is represented by the uneducated people of llunjunle led by Baroka, Sidi, Sidiku, and the rest.  Clashes with the new culture led by Lakunle who is educated by profession are influenced by western ways. As a village teacher, Lakunle is poor but still upholds civilization and modernity.  He believes strongly and firmly in westernization.  His domicile in a rural area (llunjunle) does not becloud or hinder his new beliefs and ways of life, but Sidi, the village belle, and Baroka have been able to withstand Lakunle’s opposition to their union.  Also, the setting of the play contributes to the growth of some characters such as Sidi and Baroka because they have been residing in llunjunle.  They have learned the culture and values which demand the payment of bride price and also welcome polygamous marriage because the absence of bride price means that the bride to be is defied (no longer a virgin).

              However, Lakunle could not survive the love between him and Sidi or his rival.  Baroka because of the cultural influence in the land and also owing to the fact that the play was written in an era (1950) when African culture was still fresh, pure, and uncontaminated by western values, civilization and that is why Sidi considered Lakunle’s the idea of forfeiting bride price to be vague, arrange, taboo and esoteric.

             In the same vein, Soyinka presents two opposing views quite clearly in the guise of Baroka and Lakunle to show that both can work together to bring about change in twentieth-century society.  In this way, “the old versus new’ is symbolic of tradition versus modernity.  The dominant culture is the African tradition.  The need for the two men to work together to highlight and bring out the best in the two cultures is the focus of the play in what is known as acculturation or cultural syncretism, meaning an act of amalgamating or merging of the positive side of two cultural thoughts or beliefs.  

 

Plot Summary (Synopsis)

 

             The play, The Lion and the Jewel depict post-colonial Africa. where modernity and tradition are in constant conflict as represented by Baroka, Sidi, the beauty belle, the llunjunle Chief, and Lakunle, the village school teacher.  Thus, the playwright creates those characters who challenge themselves in an atmosphere marked with those defending modernity (Lakunle) in one camp and those (Baroka), Sidi and Sadiku who are deeply rooted in the tradition and customs on the other side.  The conflict exists between Lakunle who is influenced by western culture and Baroka who is uneducated and represents the traditional one.  The play which has a chronological casual plot starts in the morning and ends at night.

             The play begins in the morning scene at the outskirts of the market square, outside the school building.  Sidi, the belle is dressed in her traditional apparel, exposing her shoulder and carrying a pail of water on her head, Lakunle the village school teacher is dressed in an old English suit and white tennis shoes, comes in and ridicules Sidi in order to discourage her from carrying the load the way she does.  “I have told you not to carry loads on your head. But you are as stubborn as an illiterate goat.  It is bad for your spine, you will have no neck at all.  Do you wish to look squashed like my pupils drawing” (2) Lakunle also rebukes Sidi for exposing her body to people.  A grown-up girl must cover up her… shoulder” lest “good-for-nothing shameless man cast their lustful eyes where they have no business”

(3) Sidi defends herself when she discloses to Lakunle that she is uncomfortable with the dress.

             Their arguments also cut across other things like women as the weaker sex and modernity championed by Lakunle.  According to Lakunle, the custom will be replaced by modern machines to take over most of the work women do express bending all day to plant millet with a child strapped to her back.  “In a year or two, you will have machines which will do your pounding, which will grind your pepper without it getting in your eyes”  (5) Lakunle brags.  His transformation will begin in the village of llnujunle.  But Sidi sees his views on their tradition and custom as madness.  Lakunle then proposes to marry Sidi but insists that the customary bride price will not be paid “Swear you will be my wife and I will stand against the earth, heaven and the nine… “

Sidi insists that she will only marry him if he is ready to settle the full bride price to affirm her virginity and pride since it is a symbol of purity and undefiled status in African culture. “I shall marry you today, next week or any day you name.  But my bride price must first be paid… I must have the full bride price… will you make me a laughing-stock?  But Sidi will not make herself a cheap bowl for the vulture spit… They will say, I was no virgin, that I was forced to sell my shame and marry you without a price. (7) Sidi bellows, she does not want to be an object of scorn or bring shame to her family and the entire village Lakunle on the other hand considers such idea or custom of bride price payment as being not only “barbaric, archaic, retrogressive, unpalatable, but also savage and ignoble.  Sidi sees Lakunle’s modern project as a pipe dream (a plan or hope that is impossible to achieve or not practical).  For Lakunle, “to pay the bride price would be to buy a heifer off the market stall”  (8).  It means that it will amount to the purchase of a young female cow in the market like mere property.  He goes further to idolize Sidi and promises to spoil her with love to change the African perspective.  “Sidi, I want to wed because of love… I seek a life companion… I seek a friend in need”(8)

             In the same scene, a group of two girls brings in the news of a stranger who fell in the river for Sidi.  The stranger who is described as the man outside the world brings the book which contains the pictures of Sidi. The photographer visited llunjunle. in the past to snap photographs of Sidi.  The first girl hints that Bale is jealous, but pretends to be proud of her especially when the photographer tells Baroka how famous she is in the capital. Baroka also features in the magazine but little attention is given to him as he is seen near the village latrine, and he does not like the unimportant attention given to him.  Sidi is full of herself because of her prominent appearance in the magazine.  She ridicules Buroka and Lakunle.  “I am more esteemed than Bale, Baroka, and the lion of llunjunle.  This means I am greater than… Sidi is more important than the bale.  The living god among men” (11) Sidi opines as she also calls Lakunle “A mere village school teacher as she looks down on him.

             At the height of Sidi’s excitement about her acclaimed beauty, she suggests that they should dance ”the dance of the lost traveler.  Sidi selects the people to play different roles.  She first picks out four girls to dance the devil horse.  The play-with-in-a play is dramatized to lampoon the lost traveler which is a flashback.  The audience is able to gain insight into the ordeal of the Lagos visitor during his first visit.  He has a problem with his car and has to abandon it to continue his journey on tour on foot.

             Baroka, a sixty-two years village chief enters at the height of the ‘Dance of the lost traveler’.  Everyone prostrates to salute Baroka except Lakunle and the play stops and Lakunle opts to leave before and Baroka intervenes and he says he does not want to be called chief Baseje, that is, a spoiler of fun. Baroka leaves immediately after he admires Sidi’s pictures.

             At the road by the market, Sadiku, Baroka’s head wife visits Sidi. Baroka has sent her to woo her for marriage. She intimates her of Baroka’s intention to marry her.  “Baroka wants you for a wife”.  Sidi discountenances and frowns at an offer of marriage because Baroka is old and she doesn’t want him to put an end to her growing fame and stardom.  Lakunle then dissuades Sidi from accepting such an offer of marriage.  “Listen not to the voice of this infidel” (20)

             Sadiku goes further to convince Sidi to marry Baroka as Sidi continues to praise and adore herself even as her “fame has spread to Lagos and beyond the seas”.  Sadiku discloses to Sidi that being the Bale’s last wife is an honor because when the present Bale dies, she would be the first wife to the new Bale with the privilege of living in the outhouse.  In the same vein, Sidi argues further that every woman who has come in contact with Baroka with one night “becomes his wife or concubine the next”.  Sidiku urges Sidi to visit Baroka at night for supper even if she does not want to be his wife. “There is a small feast in your honor. 

He wishes to tell you how happy he is that the great capital city has done so much honor to a daughter of llujunle” (23). Sadiku cunningly informs Sidi.  Lakunle who is trying hard to discourage Sidi from accepting such an invitation discloses to Sadiku and Sidi how Baroka ruined public work attempt to build the railway through llunjunle and the story was related to his late father before he died.

              Sadika meets Baroka to give him a report about her meeting with Sidi and Baroka feels disappointed at the position of things and he shocks Sadiku about his failing manhood.  “I am no man Sadiku, my manhood ended near a week ago… with a virgin young and hot within my failing strength would rise and save my pride” (29) Baroka drops the bombshell.

             At night in the village center, Sadiku unveils an object which turns out to be a carved figure of the Bale’s nakedness and in full detail as Sidi is also standing by the schoolroom window admiring her own pictures.  Sadiku praises herself on how past exploits and how women can help their men. Sidi is therefore carried away by the melodious music as she dances to it with Sadiku, they are unaware of Lakunle’s presence who appears on the scene.  Sidi then volunteers to visit Baroka at his palace for the supper he had earlier promised her, to seek forgiveness for refusing to marry Baroka in the first place.  “Let me to the palace for this supper he promised me.  Sadiku what a way to mock the devil, I shall ask forgiveness for my hasty words” (34) Sadiku welcomes the idea, while Lakunle tries to stop her from falling into the trick.

             Finally, Sidi pays a courtesy visit to Baroka in his bedroom to mock him on his impotence.  Unfortunately, Sidi discovers that she has been pranked and tricked.  She is left with no other option but to marry Baroka since she is no longer a virgin as she is widely acclaimed to be.

 

 

ACTS AND SCENES SUMMARY

     Though the play is divided into three parts morning, noon and night, the different scenes and actions are visible as they project the main incidents in the play.

 

 

Lakunle meets Sidi and initiates a discussion with her (1-10)

 

             The play opens in the morning, near the village center on the edge of the market.  The ‘bush’ school, that is, the village school Lakunle, the school teacher is nearly twenty-three years old, dressed in an “old style and worn-out English suit, rough but not ragged, but clearly “a size or two too small” (p.1).  Sidi carried a pail of water on her head and Lakunle complains bitterly about such an act because she is at risk of shortening her neck and also because she has exposed her shoulders for everyone in the village to feast his lustful eyes on. 

Sidi defends such action when he says that she decides to fold the wrapper high so that she can breathe, and Lakunle insists that she could have worn something on top as “most modest women do”  (3) Sidi becomes furious and reprimands Lakunle to desist from being a village gossip and also calls him “the mad man/of llunjunle. because of his meaningless words, but Lakunle is undaunted because he feels that women's brain is naturally small, women are the weaker sex, only weaker breeds pound yams, bend to plant millet.  He foresees that one, two years to come when machines will do those things and he also hints at his intention to turn llunjunle around for good.  Sidi becomes fed up with the meaningless dialogue and demands her pail back angrily but debunks the payment of bride price.

 

 

Lakunle Woos Sidi for marriage

 

              Part of Lakunle’s meeting with Sidi is to make known his intention to marry her and she insists that her bride price must be paid according to their custom and tradition and that marrying him without a price would make people think that she is no virgin and that would bring shame to her family.

 But Lakunle resists the idea and describes it as “A savage custom” that is barbaric and ‘uncivilized’.  He goes further to educate Sidi on the implication of payment of bride price and his plan.  Lakunle calls Sidi a bush and uncivilized girl who does not want to appreciate and accept civilized romance and ideology.

             The introductory part of this play between Sidi and Lakunle shows the cultural gap versus modernity.

 

The return of the strange visitor from Lagos

 

             As the youth interrupts Lakunle and Sidi’s colleagues, Lakunle announces the return of the Lagos stranger (photographer) who had earlier paid a sunrise visit to llunjunle.  This second visit is significant because he comes with a magazine bearing the portraits of Sidi and the Bale.  The third girl informs Sidi that “the book is with Bale Baroka who is still looking at the images, First girl then says that Bale is jealous, although he pretends to be proud of Sidi.  On account of this, Sidi begins to imagine herself as being more important than everyone else

“I am more external / than Bole Baroka/ The Lion of llunjunle/ This means that I am greater than/the fox of the undergrowth (II).  Though Baroka’s image is at the corner of the magazine and even that corner he shares with one of the village latrines (II) Baroka’s admiration for Sidi’s pictures continues to grow naturally and also increase his desire and determination to marry her.  Sidi then drops a hint as she suddenly finds herself too good to marry Lakunle and that he might break his heart.

 

The dance of the last traveler and its symbolic meaning

 

             As Sidi continues to be excited about her new dance (beauty), she suggests to the people that they should ‘dance the dance of the lost traveler’ This is meant to portray the experience of the stranger (photojournalist) from Lagos during his first visit to llunjunle.. Sisi selects the people to play different roles.   The four girls will ‘dance the devil-horse which symbolizes the motion of the motor car.  The youth will ‘dance the snake while Lakunle will play the lost traveler which is very difficult and he is supposed to walk like a drunk on the stage.  He argues that he has never been drunk all his life and even lies to the people that it is time for him to take primary four Geography, but he is compelled to take the role. “All right! I’ll do it”, he concurs.  All other characters assume their roles amidst with a great shout and clap of drums.  As Sidi runs across the stage and returns, the villager who came to see the strange visitor pounce on Lakunle and they drag him to the center of the village in spite of his protestation.  At this point, Bale Baroka enters and the play ends.

             However, the dance of the lost traveler is a flashback and a play-within-a-play dramatized to relate the story of the lost traveler, as this helps the audience to understand the ordeal of the Lagos visitor during his first visit who encounter serious problems and he has to abandon his car to continue his journey on foot.  He faces a lot of problems which makes him console himself with drink until he gets drunk.  He falls into the river while trying to snap the camera and he lost everything except his camera.  He is about to be mobbed in the village center before Baroka’s entry saves him. This is also symbolic of Lakunle’s character.

 

Baroka make a first triumphant entry

 

             Bale Baroka enters during the play-within-a-play and the play stops, and all prostrate to salute him except Lakunle.  Bale orders the play to continue and he does not want to be called “Chief Baseje” meaning “a spoiler of fun”.  Lakunle demands to know his offense.  “You tried to steal our village maiden hand/have you forgotten” (16) Baroka replies and he also asks some of his men to administer a slap on him “to wake his brain (17).  Lakunle, out of fear resumes his role before Baroka sympathizes with the lost traveler and stops the play.

             Sidi is quite impressed with Lakunle’s performance “What did I say/you played him to the home/  A court jester would have been the life for you/instead of school (17) Lakunle takes to his heels as the woman gives him a hot chase and Baroka brings out his copy of the magazine and admires the photographs of Sidi with a nod.

 

Dramatic Significance of the first meeting between Lakunle and Baroka in the play

              Lakunle and Baroka’s meeting at the end of the performance of “Dance of the lost traveler reveal the conflicts and impending clash between the forces of modernization and traditionalism.  It also foreshadows the future rivalry between the two characters.  It also reveals their hostile relationship towards each other and the main conflict which is Sidi.

            The scene also predicts the defeat of Lakunle, who represents modernization towards the end of the play.

              The scene also highlights the dominance of traditionalism over modernization because Baroka gains everyone’s attention.  It shows the strong influence of Baroka over Sidi and thus prepares us for the seduction scene later in the play.  There is also an instance of dramatic irony since the audience seems to know a lot about Baroka’s action towards Lakunle.

 

Noon

Baroka sends Sadiku to Woo Sidi

 

              The second point of the play takes place at noon, as Sadiku meets Sidi and Lakunle along the road by the market, Sidi is engrossed in the photographs of herself in the magazine while Lakunle is carrying a bundle of firewood.  Sadika is not particularly interested in the photographs because she has seen them before.  Her mission is to deliver Baroka’s message to Sidi.  She attempts to pull Sidi aside to keep Lakunle out of the discussion, but Sidi says it is of no consequence.

  “Pay no more heed to that/ than you would a eunuch (19) Sadiku delivers her message in clear words “Baroka wants you for a wife” (19) Lakunle’s reaction who tries to eavesdrop know no limits the same token, Sidi rejects Baroka’s marriage proposal on account of his age and the prospect of being the last wife.  When Sadiku sees that Sidi does not want to respond to marriage overture, she charges her tactics by inviting Sidi to a special royal feast in honor of Sidi’s newfound fame which has almost got into her head.

 

 

How Baroka ruin the singular attempt to build a railway line through llunjunle

 

             Lakunle relates this old incident to the people to vindictively ruin Baroka’s attempt to woo Sidi.  In the story, Baroka was said to have foiled the attempt by the public works department to build a rail line across, llunjunle, and then bring civilization to the village.  Sadiku attributes that to be hearsay while Lakunle insists and affirms that the story is true and he got it from his own father before he died.  That is illustrated through mime and the characters involved are the prisoners brought by warders to clear the bush; Baroka himself with his attendants and a young girl bearing a calabash bowl. As the work progresses, a bullroarer appears reviewing the arrival of a dressed traditional cult called ‘oro’ cult. The workers take to their heels before Baroka enters a few moments later with a lady with a bowl containing money and Baroka hands it over to the surveyor and he shows signs of dissatisfaction before Baroka adds more money.

             This incident is another example of play-within-the-play as Baroka is portrayed as a corrupt and selfish ruler who does not like progress and civilization as he exploits and tramples on the villagers’ fortunes.

 

Baroka Announces the Loss of his manhood to deceive  sadiku and Sidi

 

             Baroka is relaxing in his rich bedroom after announcing to his wife his intention to take a new wife and Sadiku enters with a message from Sidi whom she has gone to woo on behalf of Baroka.  But Baroka is told that Sidi says she won’t marry him. “She says you’re much too old” (27). Sadiku feels that she is really crazy.  Baroka springs from his feet angrily as he feels rejected.  Suddenly, Baroka decides to feign impotence in order to lure Sidi into his trap before she realizes it.  He announces to Sadiku with a show of remorse “Time has come when I can fool myself no more, I am no man.  My manhood ended near a week ago” (29).  Baroka sincerely hopes that Sidi may be able to revive him as a young virgin.  Sadika is shocked to receive such news but Baroka warns her not to disclose it to anyone and she should keep it a secret.

 

Baroka’s supposed impotence is revealed to Sidi

 

            Sadiku enters with a carved figure of the Bale’s nakedness in full detail which she places in front of Oden tree in the village center.  She looks at it and begins to laugh before he goes into a long soliloquy to provide an insight into the historical past, as she recalls the bitter experience of Baroka’s own father, the great Okiriki who finds it difficult to perform his duty as a husband on his wedding night with Sadiku, his new wife.  Sadiku who is beaming with fear that Baroka has suffered the same fate attributes that to be double victory, that is, the victory of womanhood over Baroka’s manhood, as Sidi soon gets to know this.  Sadiku then whispers to Sidi’s ear that Baroka hopes to revive his manhood with Sidi’s virginity “and she laughs it off” Haha! Some hope indeed.  Oh, Sadiku/suddenly am glad to be a woman” (33).

Sidi mischievously nurses an idea to honor Baroka’s earlier invitation to supper as an opportunity with a view to mocking his impotence.  Sadiku on the other hand is worried that it might amount to betrayal if Baroka finds out that the secret is communicated to Sidi but Sidi promises to handle it with care, while Lakunle warns Sidi for going to visit Bale to torment him, for he might resort to violence “He is a savage thing, degenerate/He would beat a hopeless woman if he could”… (28)

 

Lakunle blasts Sadiku for revealing Baroka’s secret

 

             Lakunle condemns Sadiku for revealing the secret of Baroka’s claimed impotence as Sidi runs off on her mocking visit to Baroka.  Sadiku begins to make jest of Lakunle as she reveals that his betrothed (Sidi) is having an affair with the Bale.  Lakunle then clears the air that they are not really betrothed as yet.  This also brings us to the issue of the bride price that he is yet to pay.  Sadiku maintains that his refusal is on the grounds of his inability to pay Lakunle insists that it is one of the processes of transforming this village into a modern city.

 

Sidi visits Baroka to mock his Supposed Impotence

 

              This scene takes place inside Baroka’s bedroom during his wrestling practice with his official wrestler.  The contest is still underway when Sidi enters.  Baroka feigns surprise and unease with the sudden intrusion of his privacy by “unwanted strangers”.  Baroka is not particularly happy as a result of his favorite wife, Ailatu’s attitude.

             Sidi suddenly apologizes to Baroka for turning down his initial marriage overtures.  “I have come, Bale, as a repented child” (40) Baroka pretends that Sadiku has yet to inform him about Sidi’s reply.  At this point Sidi’s secretly goes to Baroka’s back to perform the mock gesture, Baroka soon learns of Sidi’s intention or purpose of her visit as Baroka discovers that he has been betrayed by Sadiku Sidi feels embarrassed to have gone too far to betray knowledge of the secret of Baroka’s claimed impotence.  Baroka is seen seated on his bed as Sidi looks at him with suspicious eyes.

             In the same vein, the incident in the scene is a good example of dramatic and verbal irony.  Sidi walks straight into Baroka’s set trap without realizing it because Baroka and the audience know much than she thinks and she ends up becoming an object of scorn and ridicule to Baroka.  Sidi soon realizes that Baroka is not actually impotent.

 

Final Seduction: Baroka seduces Sidi

 

             The action continues in the scene as the wrestler goes to fetch palm wine as Sidi and the Bale engage in a conversation.  Baroka asks Sidi to guess why he has asked her out for supper and she says “Sadiku told her nothing” (48)

Baroka brings out the familiar magazine containing his photograph and  Sidi’s and an addressed envelope which draws Sidi’s attention.  Baroka also shows her stamp-making machine.  Sidi admits that she has never seen it before.  Baroka explains that it was made by palace blacksmiths and it is not functional at the moment.  Baroka who is now alone in the room with Sidi moves closer to her until he bends over her and then sits beside her on the bed.  He continues his long speech by unfolding his plans for the progress of the village.  “I do not hate progress”  he mutters while Sidi is now completely seduced with soothing words and caress and the final light fades as they continue in their romantic evening.

              Finally, Baroka’s profound wisdom and cunning pay off as he plays on Sidi’s pride and fame.  He takes advantage of her desire and hunger for the fame of subscribing to modernization, an idea that Lakunle initially exploited to won her,  In the end.  “The Lion” has finally caught his jewel of prey Lakunle is a loser of everything.

 

Lakunle awaits Sidi’s return from her visit to Baroka

 

            As Sadiku and Lakunle continue to wait for Sidi’s arrival in the evening.  Lakunle feels tense up as many thoughts run through her mind ranging from whether something negative must have happened to her” or whether the ‘lion’ has finally possessed her? But Sadiku shows no sign of tension but only laughs at Lakunle’s stupidity and ignorance.  This Lakunle’s singular act of desperation to have Sidi back from Baroka’s palace demonstrates his love and affection for Sidi is not in any danger after all.  But rather it is Lakunle’s chance of not marrying Sidi that is the major problem.  At this point, mummers (mine performance) enter from the stage which provides a diversion temporarily. The appearance of the mummers also shows that Baroka’s assumed impotence is now public news and gossip.

 

Baroka is being ridiculed with the dance of Virility

 

             This part of the play is another play-within-a-play and it happens as soon as Sidi is deflowered at Bakoks’s palace.  A crowd of dancers burst in comprises a group of female dancers pursuing a masked male.  So the dance of virility is of course traces Baroka’s history from virility to impotence as it covers different stages of Baroka’s life.  The masked male is the one playing. ‘Baroka’ while the female dancer pursuing his wives. Baroka is portrayed as a comic figure. Sadiku who has been making some dance movements while watching the show is invited to the stage. After much insistence, she joins them, showing surprising agility of her age.  After the mummers leave, Sadiku dances for a while with eyes closed, unaware of their departure until the drumming becomes more distant. 

At this point, Sidi enters and throws herself on the ground; for she has been running all the way from the palace. Note that both the dance of the traveler and the dance of virility are meant to entertain characters in the play and this scene is another dramatic irony because while the women are rejoicing over the downfall of Baroka’s manhood, he is exercising his manliness on Sidi in the palace.

 

Sidi returns from the palace heartbroken with Baroka

 

             Sidi returns from the palace shortly after her dance of virility.  Sidi who has been running away from the palace after her encounter meets Lakunle and Sadiku.  She throws herself on the ground and all attempts for Lakunle and Sadiku to ascertain the cause of her bitterness are in vain.  Lakunle feels that Baroka must have done something to her.  He decides that Baroka must pay for this.  “I’ll teach him /to beat defenseless women” (59).  Sadiku soon discovers to her dismay that Baroka has played a dirty trick on her and Sidi has paid the ultimate price for her curiosity and inquisitiveness… Oh, how I hate him!  How I loathe / and long to kill the man (59).  Sidi laments painfully because the jewel of llunjunle is no more a maid.  Lakunle on his part is foolishly relieved because he feels that since Sidi is no more a virgin, his marriage to Sidi is secured, but the bride-pride must be totally forgotten; for Sidi has a different agenda.  This is another instance of dramatic irony.

 

Sidi finally dumps Lakunle and marries Baroka instead

 

             Sadika has just arrived from Sidi’s house to inform Lakunle that Sidi is arranging her bridal things to marry Baroka. Lakunle condemns such an idea and also expresses his desire to take things slowly.  “A man must have time to prepare / to learn to like / I must think of my pupils and not in hast” (64), The entrance of singers and drummers compounds Lakunle’s anxiety and confusion. Sidi who is dressed for a wedding, holding a copy of a magazine containing her picture, evokes the admiration of everyone.

  Lakunle just could not stop Sidi from marrying Baroka as Sidi finally kneels at Sadiku’s feet to receive her blessing.  In the meantime, the celebration begins as drummers and singers beat their drums with all ecstasy.  Sidi tries to dance with Lakunle but makes way into the crowd.