It is a
thing of joy when ancestral iconic African figures (personalities) have their
life and times depicted in print; be it biographies, poetry or drama. The
legend (and factual reality) of Chaka (Shaka) the Zulu is arguably the most
patent example in Africa, with surfeit
of major books comprising prose, poetry and drama published on this personality
- and world class pertinent films to boot! The story of an exceedingly
powerful, awe-inspiring, legendary woman like Efunsetan Aniwura, erstwhile
"Iyalode of Ibadan" is one rather familiar to those of Yoruba
extraction, a ruthless woman who held sway at a time when women were supposed
to play second/third fiddle in old Africa! The author, Akinwunmi Isola by
writing this drama on the woman (Efunsetan Aniwura) has done much to focus the spotlight
on this protagonist over the decades, with spin-off tv dramas, movies et al
based on his work flourishing over the decades, and taking hold of the popular
imagination. Yet the author has admitted that he might have misrepresented this
legendary woman in his work, which was after all written when the author was
very much a young man, and a student; and going through this work, it is discernible
that the playwright embarks on a lot of artistic licence. Yet, salient history
shows that Efunsetan did exist, was feared far and wide, and renowned for her
exceeding transcendent cruelty. It might well have been because she found it
difficult to conceive or bear children - male children in any event - which
"pushed her over the edge" . Or probably she was just evil and
tyrannical by nature with faustian overtones - a theory which I personally
would concur with. But no matter - suffice it to state (as we learn from this
work and its flamboyant, colourful language) that the woman's notoriety was such
that the powers-that-be had to do something to nip her atrocities in the bud.
Which they do. Whether in the original Yoruba or its English translation, this
is a gripping work on an intriguing, larger than life woman
No comments:
Post a Comment