30 Wole Soyinka, Kongi’s Harvest
Prof. Ipshita Chanda
Coontent
- African Theatre
- Brief History of Nigeria
- Introduction of the Playwright
- Short Bio
- List of Plays and Themes
- Overview
- Characters in the play
- Oba Danlola
- Daodu
- Secretary
- Kongi
- Segi
- Others
- About the play Structure of the play
- Hemlock
- First Part
- Second Part
- Hangover
- Interpretation of the Play
- Comic Tragedy
- Political Satire
- Myth Orientation
- Film Adaptation
1. African theatre & Drama
Besides providing entertainment, drama in Africa serves many purposes socially, politically and aesthetically. Africa has many indigenous performance traditions which have become an integrated component of their drama. Modern African drama seeks to combine indigenous elements such as oral narration, mime, music, and dance with the western form and content. This combination gives rise to a new kind of drama which is unique in its composition.
2. Brief History of Nigeria
British influence in Nigeria began in early nineteenth century and the period 1800-1960 is regarded as the British or colonial period in Nigerian history. Nigeria became an independent country on October 1, 1960 and a Republic on October 1, 1963. After 1965, the country went through a period of political turmoil with several coups, counter-coups, and failed coups. From 1967-70, the country was ravaged by a civil war, known as the Biafra War, which resulted in nearly three million civilian casualties.
INTERESTING FACT -Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups Map of Africa and Nigeria
INTERESTING FACT –Nigeria is the twelfth largest producer of crude oil. INTERESTING FACT –Christianity and Islam are the two major religions
- Introduction of the playwright Wole Soyinka
Bio Note
Akinwande Olu Wole Soyinka was born on July 13, 1934, in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He is popularly called Wole Soyinka. He belonged to the Yoruba tribe. After graduating in 1958 he founded an acting company. Soyinka directs his own plays in performance. His decades of political activism included periods of imprisonment and exile. Soyinka was the first African writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. In all he has published 27 plays, 2 novels, 3 short story collections, 5 memoirs, 12 anthologies of essays, 3 screen plays, and 2 translations. His plays are called ‘protest plays’ since they oppose autocratic power of all kinds.
List of Plays and Themes
Theme: Nigerian Independence
- A Dance of the Forests (produced 1960; published 1963) Theme: Making fun of pompous, westernized Intellectuals
- The Lion and the Jewel (first performed in 1959; published 1963) Theme: Mocking the preachers
- The Trials of Brother Jero (performed in 1960; published 1963)
- Jero’s Metamorphosis (1973)
- Theme: Opposition to African Authoritarian Leadership and Disillusionment with Nigerian Society
- The Strong Breed (1963)
- Kongi’s Harvest (opened the first Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, 1966; published 1967)
- The Road (1965)
- From Zia, with Love (1992)
- King Baabu (performed 2001; published 2002)
Other plays
- Madmen and Specialists (performed 1970; published 1971)
- Death and the King’s Horseman (1975)
- The Beatification of Area Boy (1995)
OverviewIn 1986, Wole Soyinka became the first African writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Although Soyinka has written poetry, fiction, non-fictional prose, he is best known for his plays. His plays can be seen as ‘protest plays’. Taking a critical look at Nigerian independence; exposing the pompous, westernized intellectuals; mocking the religious impostors; opposing authoritarian leadership; and expressing disillusionment with post- independence developments in Nigeria are some of the major themes of Wole Soyinka’s plays.
His play Kongi’s Harvest (1965) is set in post-independent Nigeria. It revolves around the character of Kongi a modern dictator of an imaginary African country called Isma. Kongi has usurped the power of the traditional ruler, Oba Danlola, who along with his wives and advisors is imprisoned. Kongi tries to use the traditional harvest festival to establish the legitimacy of his rule. However, his attempt ends in chaos and the play ends with everyone fleeing the country fearing the reprisal of the dictator. Although Kongi’s character is said to have been inspired by two African politicians of the time, Soyinka’s satire on modern dictators has a much wider relevance.
5. Characters in the play
Oba Danlola: The traditional ruler of the Republic of Isma. He is a man who is imprisoned by the dictator Kongi in an attempt to overthrow him.
Daodu: Son to Sarumi, and heir to Danlola’s throne. He is sought by the secretary to mediate with Kongi, on behalf of Oba Danlola.
- Secretary: Kongi’s man, who organises the Harvest Festival. He represents
- Kongi: The dictator of the Republic of Isma, who is very obsessed with his image. He wants the traditional ruler to peacefully pass on the baton of the Republic of Isma into his hands.
- Segi: She owns a club, a strong woman, is the daughter of Oba Danlola’s
Others
- Sarumi – A younger Oba – Father of Daodu, a loyal friend to the traditional ruler. Wuraola – Oba Danlola’s favourite wife.
- Ogbo Aweri – Head of a conclave of elders. Dende – Oba Danlola’s servant.
- Superintendent – The jail superintendent, where the traditional ruler is imprisoned. Members of the Old Aweri – Six members who form the conclave of elders Members of Kongi’s Aweri – Six members who form Reformed Aweri Fraternity.
6. About the play
The new dictator of the Republic of Isma Kongi has taken over power by force from the traditional ruler and has imprisoned him. The traditional rulers though critical of Kongi’s rule are not in a position to retaliate. The people of Isma have a tradition of celebrating a harvest festival at which the best yam produced by the farmers is awarded a prize. The prize yam is then offered to the king in a show of acceptance of his rule. Kongi now plans to use this traditional festival to establish his rule. He wants the traditional ruler, Oba, to hand over the prize yam to him to symbolize as a peaceful transition from a traditional ruler to a modern one. What happens to this plan forms the plot of the play.
Structure of the play
The play has four sections, Hemlock, the First Part, the Second Part, and Hangover.
Hemlock
This is the opening scene of this play. It starts with the rolling of drums and the playing of national anthem, prompting the audience to stand up. When the curtain goes up the audience sees the traditional ruler Oba Danlola and his people with a retinue of musicians in a jail. They now sing the parody of the national anthem. The juxtaposition of the national anthem of a new nation and the traditional ruler in jail sets the tone of the play.
Hemlock is a poisonous conifer. The scene in front of the audience is far from poisonous. It is of a group of people who are singing and dancing to the music. They are showing their dissent to the governance of the present dictator through a song. The group is reprimanded by the jail superintendent. Oba Danlola continues singing supported by Sarumi, the younger Oba. The songs are a satire on the political situation of Nigeria. For example:
The ill effects of amassing wealth of the dictators
The pot that will eat fat
Its bottom must be scorched
Exploitation of natural resources by force
The sweetest wine has flowed down
The tapper’s shattered shins
One-way discourse of the government which is insensitive to people’s response
With government rediffusion sets
Which talk and talk and never
Take a lone word in reply
The superintendent finds the Nigerian national flag wrapped around Oba Danlola and quickly pulls it away in horror. Oba Danlola being the traditional elder of the clan and the superintendent being a younger man makes fun of him in a genial way. The jail superintendent respects the Oba but has to obey the dictator Kongi. The elders through their dialogue with the superintendent inform the audience about the harmony their order has with nature. The true essence of a symbiosis between the traditional rule and nature, as opposed to the exploitative policies of the colonial power, is reminded to the viewers.
Sarumi says
We lift the King’s umbrella
Higher than men
But it never pushes
The sun in the face
This part of the play ends with a clear depiction of the colonial power and the host country as a child and a mother respectively.
Soon the head swelled
Too big for pillow
And it swelled too big
For the mothers back
And soon the mothers head
Was nowhere to be seen
And the child’s slight belly
Was strangely distended
First Part
The first part opens in Kongi’s palace, a ‘retreat in the mountains’ with his own Aweri, who unlike the traditional king’s advisors are now fashionably called Reformed Aweri Fraternity. The dialogues of the second part start with “We need an image” which is repeated five times. All of them accept the statement at its face value and try their best to come up with an answer. They neither question nor debate the need for an image. They try to create an image of Kongi which makes him more acceptable to the people.
One interesting option is that of an idyllic image of a youthful leader: “…children handing the patriarch his pipe at evening, crouching at his feet to sip raindrops of wisdom”. The discussion ends almost nonsensically, “If the square of XQY (2ab) equals QA into the square root of X, then the progressive forces must prevail over the reactionary in the span of .32 of a single generation.”
They define the aim of organising the harvest festival as,“To replace the old superstitious festival by a state ceremony governed by the principle of enlightened ritualism.” The scene now shifts to the club owned by Segi. Daodu and Segi are dancing when Kongi’s Secretary and his spies enter the club. Kongi’s Secretary befriends Daodu, and tries to pry information out of him about his uncle, the imprisoned traditional ruler. The secretary wants to tie up all loose ends so that the harvest festival he is organising should go on smoothly. In spite of the secretary’s repeated requests through all possible channels, including through Daodu, the secretary is not sure that Oba Danlola will surrender amicably before Kongi.
The scene moves to Kongi and his Aweri, who along with him are fasting before the festival. The feverish discussions about the upcoming harvest festival continue. The secretary is bribed by Kongi’s Aweri into bringing them food. In return, they suggest a way out of the standoff between Kongi and Oba Danlola. Kongi is to be persuaded to issue the release of all the political prisoners if the Oba and his loyalists agree to surrender before him the next day at the festival. Kongi agrees to the plan.
Meanwhile news comes that one of the imprisoned men has died by hanging himself and another man, who is Segi’s father, has escaped from the prison. Kongi becomes infuriated and calls back the release of the prisoners.
Second Part
The day of the harvest festival, Oba Danlola comes back to his palace and is very excited to dress up for the festival. We now understand that the remaining three prisoners were released as an agreement to surrender before Kongi. Danlola demands a new robe, a head gear and a sword. Dende, Oba Danlola’s servant, runs all the errands the king demands. Daodu is to represent Oba Danlola and his Aweri and handover the yam to Kongi as a token of appreciation for the release of prisoners. Daodu, asks Oba Danlola not to come to the festival, fearing the disruption of peace. Oba Danlola insists on his presence. Daodu is then told that a search is going on for the escaped prisoner, Segi’s father, to bring him back dead or alive.
The much discussed and planned harvest festival begins. The secretary, who knows that Segi has been Kongi’s lover once, is shocked to find her as a part of the dance group. He does not want anything to disturb the proceedings. He wants her to leave, but, she doesn’t. Dende, Oba Danlola’s servant joins the carpenter brigade. Kongi, being the carpenter of the country and the brigade are those who will help him with this mission.
During the dance, loud gunfire is heard. An assassination attempt is made by Segi’s father, the escaped prisoner, on Kongi. Daodu and Segi learn that Segi’s father is hunted and killed. They learn about it under the watchful eye of Kongi, who is waiting to see Segi, his former lover, break down. Segi does not show emotion, whispers to Daodu, walks away from the dance to return with her dead father’s head and present it to Kongi as a new yam. Kongi is shocked and terrified on seeing the decapitated head of an elder in front of the whole crowd gathered there. A traditional symbol of offering the best yam to the clan leader in a show of harmony is now turned into a cannibalistic symbol, when instead of yam, Segi’s father’s head is offered on a copper salver.
Hangover
The last part of the play opens at Kongi Square, littered with debris from the harvest festival and the panic that followed. The secretary and Dende can be seen on the stage, both of them weary and looking lost. The secretary uses his authority to take away some of Dende’s things. Oba Danlola walks upon them, carrying his possessions, ready to leave the place. The civil unrest upsets Kongi’s plans to take over the Republic of Isma in harmony from the old order.
The sufferers are all the three sects, the traditional rulers, common people and Kongi’s staff. The last scene has all of them fleeing the country hinting at an alliance against Kongi in another country. Soyinka offers no easy solutions to the problems created by colonialism and continuing in the neo-colonial state.
5. Interpretations of the play
Comic Tragedy
The play starts on a comic note with harmless exchange of dialogue between the imprisoned clan of elders, Oba Danlola and his Aweri. Kongi’s search for an image too sounds illogical and comic. The ideas of the Reformed Aweri Fraternity also make the audience smile. The comic tone is a disguise for more serious issues that follow. The suicide of an imprisoned Aweri member pulls us out of the comic mood. The forced fasting of Kongi’s Reformed Aweri Fraternity hints at the violence Kongi is capable of. The killing of Segi’s father is the ultimate act of violence and tragedy in the play.
Political Satire
In traditional African cultures, The king…was always looked upon as a saviour, the symbol of communal health and its active defender and promoter. As a result the slightest blemish or weakness in the king was regarded as disastrous to the land and its people”
…a high spiritual status was afforded to the sacrificial victim for the reason that he was the one chosen to represent the community to the high gods. His status was that of a hero”.
These traditional values turn Kongi’s plans upside down. Using the symbols of the king, Kongi wanted to rule the Republic of Isma. The events at the harvest festival end up unsettling Kongi’s composure in front of people and showing him as a weak king. All the political manoeuvres of Kongi to legitimize his power are undone with Segi’s father becoming the sacrificial victim, and thus earning the highest status of a hero. Kongi in spite of all the power in his hands still cannot achieve his political goals.
Myth
The use of myth, an integral part of Yoruba tribe, is used extensively by Soyinka. According to the Yoruba beliefs, the fertility of the land and the prosperity of the people are deeply connected to the virility of the king, who is a divine incarnation. In the opening scene ‘Hemlock’, when Oba teasingly tries to prostate before the jail superintendent, he is horrified. The yam festival, against the backdrop of which the play is set is also a myth they strongly believe in. Kongi, through the harvest festival, chooses to claim the title of the king.
Through his fast on the mountain, Kongi tries to evoke Christian images of a fasting Christ, the last supper with Daodu referring to Kongi as a ‘Messiah of Pain’. Kongi posing extravagantly to the photographer who is helping with the image reminds us of God-like postures.
Finally, references to Segi have mythical overtones. Segi is called,
The being of Segi
Swirls the night
In potions round my head
Your eyes were bathed
In tender waters
Milk of all mothers
Flowed through your fingers
A coiled snake
Is beautiful asleep
A velvet bolster
Laid on flowers
All these images interspersed through the text help us understand the mythical aspect of the play.
8. Media Adaptation – Film
Produced in colour by Calpenny-Nigeria Films Ltd, directed by Ossie Davis, this film was released in Nigeria in 1970 and had a running time of 85 minutes.
8 – The movie poster
The cast includes, Wole Soyinka as Kongi, Rashidi Onikoyi as Oba Danlola, Banjo Solaru as Sarumi, Dapo Adelugba as Daodu, Femi Johnson as the organising secretary and Nina Baden-Semper as Segi.
This film is considered important because it was a committed attempt to adapt a play by Soyinka to the screen. The film made some changes to the original play because the medium had a lot of potential to explore. The additions to the film are the visuals of the fictional republic of Isma shot at Ibadan with market and street scenes, a scene of Kongi’s military boisterously drinking and singing, Daodu and Segi’s visit to a shrine and the last supper of Kongi with his Aweri of twelve people.
INTERESTING FACT – The Nigerian Film Industry is called Nollywood
The film has a different ending from the play. The play ends with the killing of Segi’s father, creating a shocking end, creating chaos and the hope for a new order. The image of the head on the copper salver stays with the audience for long. The film on the other hand has Segi’s father replacing Kongi as a dictator. Instead of a new order, an old order continues with a new leader.
Soyinka did not approve of this change and distanced himself from the movie, though he has written the screenplay for the movie and acted as the dictator Kongi. One of the biggest criticisms the movie faced was that it was tailored to suit the sensibilities of the American audience. The film at Nigeria was edited differently from the film played in America.
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