SECTIONA (AFRICAN DRAMA) WOLE SOYINKA: The Lion and The Jewel
Why does Lakunle lose Sidi to Baroka?
Explanation
The play is about conflict between tradition and modernity. Payment of the bride price is strictly attached to traditional marriage. Lakunle refuses to pay the traditional bride price for Sidi, losing her to Baroka.
Lakunle is a 'half-baked' educated young village teacher who places western values above traditional customs, including the payment of bride price. Sidi is the village beauty, she is simple, naive and has an overblown image of herself. She is the Jewel' of lujinle. She represents African traditional values. Baroka is the traditional ruler of lujinle and is 62 years. He upholds customs and employs wit and cunning to lure Sidi to join his many wives. He is the Lion of lujinle
Sadiku is the oldest wife of Baroka whom he inherited from the late chief, Okiki.She is simple- minded and used by Baroka to find other women to be his wives.
Lakunle's approach Sidi and criticizes traditional background, uneducated and uncultured.
Baroka sends Sadiku to Sidi with his proposal, Sadiku promises Sidi wealth, honour and prestige he sees Sidi as ignorant, if married to Baroka also praises Sidi's beauty and invites her to supper with Baroka at the palace and Baroka wins Sidi's love and later shares the secret of his impotence with Sadiku and Sadiku breaks the secret to Sidi, she goes to mock Baroka at his palace, Baroka lured Sidi to bed and she was shocked to discover the truth; Baroka is not impotent then Sidi snobs Lakunle for Baroka.