Comprehensive Analysis of ‘Once Upon an Elephant’ by Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan. Full text summary for both Literature students and teachers.

Background of the Play

The play “Once Upon An Elephant” explores the challenges associated with leadership in Nigeria and broader African society. Leadership has long been a problem in Nigeria due to dictatorial tendencies.

The play highlights the desperate pursuit of power and the need for collective efforts to restore democracy in a dictatorial nation. It dramatizes the evils of dictatorial rule, including intrigue, secrecy, and diabolic dimensions.

Ultimately, characters like Iya Agba, Desola, Odekunle, and Delani unite to resist the tyrant elephant, Ajanaku, who sits on the throne.

Setting of the Play

“Once Upon an Elephant” is set in an unnamed traditional African village with Yoruba origins. The village remains untouched by foreign culture, emphasizing its Nigerian and African political context.
Plot Summary

The play unfolds in fourteen acts without distinct scenes. It begins in media res, with King Akinjiobi on his deathbed. A plot emerges regarding the succession to the throne.

Ajanaku and Serubawon conspire to make Ajanaku king, with Serubawon as the kingmaker. Elders like Odejimi and Ogundele are present during the rites performed by Serubawon.

Ajanaku becomes king after King Akinjiobi’s death, but concerns arise among the elders.

At the palace, Ajanaku’s tyranny becomes evident as he settles a land dispute and takes over fertile land. Iya Agba, the late king’s wife, accuses him of wrongdoing. Ajanaku’s actions escalate, including raping Serubawon’s daughter, Desola, as part of a dark ritual.

The revelation that Serubawon is Ajanaku’s real father adds complexity. Iya Agba’s intervention disrupts the IJEDODO ritual, allowing Desola to reclaim her life. The JOBELE ceremony becomes a turning point, as Ajanaku’s immortality quest faces resistance.

MAJOR INCIDENTS AND DEVELOPMENTs IN THE PLAY

Serubawon performs some rites on Ajanaku but some elders were not in support of Ajanaku taking the throne.
Serubawon and Ajanaku bribe Odejimi and Ogundele with gifts.
Desola and her lover Odekunle meet secretly in the bush.
Ajanaku is crowned king at the village square.
Iyale, Odejimi’s wife advises him to stop worrying about the new king.
Odejimi believes that Iya Agba is insane.
Iya Agba accuses Ajanaku of taking what doesn’t belong to him.
Iya Agba accuses Omoyeni of leaving Delani to marry Ajanaku and also that she was carrying a bastard.
Iya Agba hints that Serubawon might be Ajanaku’s real father.
One of the men of Oguno who brought a complaint before stabs himself.
Ajanaku rapes Desola.
Desola tells her father Serubawon what Ajanaku did to her.
Serubawon goes to the palace and almost choked Ajanaku to death.
Omoyeni reveals to Iya Agba that Delani is the father of her child and not Ajanaku.
Iyale leads Demoke and others ask Iya Agba for help, Desola could neither sit nor talk.
Serubawon confessed his crimes and also revealed he was Ajanaku’s father.
Iya Agba leads Desola and others to the palace where Desola hugs Ajanaku in order to break the IJEDODO ritual and regain her life back.
Odekunle places a charm on Ajanaku’s neck and he falls to the ground dead.
Desola regains herself and Serubawon commits suicide.
Omoyeni goes into labor.

CHARACTERS/CHARACTERIZATION

Ajanaku/Olaniyonu; He is the protagonist of the play. A tyrant king and Serubawon’s real son. He was thirsty for power and plotted with Serubawon to make him king even though he wasn’t the first son of king Akinjiobi. He forcefully took people’s lands and also married Omoyeni against her will. Ajanaku ended up raping his half-sister Desola in order to complete the IJEDODO ritual. Through the help of Iya Agba, he was killed on the day he was going to complete the ritual and become immortal.

Serubawon; An elder under the kingship of King Akinjiobi, a seer and medicine man. It was he who caused the death of the king and also helped Ajanaku ascend the throne. He later revealed that he was the real father of Ajanaku, he had an affair with the King’s younger wife Adebisi and they both connived to lie against Iya Agba because she had seen them having sex. Ajanaku ended up raping his daughter Desola so Serubawon had no choice but to confess his crimes and due to shame, he committed suicide by hanging himself on an iroko tree.

Iya Agba; The former, falsely accused and disgraced wife of King Akinjiobi. She was falsely accused by Serubawon and Adebisi because she caught them having sex. It was she who led the victims of Ajanaku to ritually reclaim their rights and lives from him. She was never in support of Ajanaku being crowned king.

Omoyeni; The wife to Ajanaku. She agreed to marry Ajanaku because he threatened to destroy her family if she didn’t accept his proposal. Ajanaku also threatened to kill Delani, her lover. She later revealed to Iya Agba that Delani was that father of her child and not Ajanaku. She went into labor at the end of the play after she and Delani got back together.

Other characters in the play includes;

Odejimi, Ogundele & Odegbami; The Elders in the village.

Iyale; Odejimi’s wife.

Odekunle; Odejimi’s son and Desola’s lover.

Desola; Serubawon’s daughter.

Demoke; Serubawon’s wife.

Delani; Omoyeni’s lover.

Yele, Lere, Dele; Odekunle’s friends.

Yosola; Desola’s friend.

King Akinjiobi; The late king.

MAJOR THEMES IN THE PLAY

Here are some of the major themes in the play:

Betrayal: Betrayal is a discernible theme. Serubawon betrays his close friend, King Oba Akinjobi, through an adulterous affair with Adebisi, the king’s wife. This betrayal disrupts the tradition of succession, impacting Ajanaku’s claim to the throne.
Triumph of Good Over Evil: The play dramatizes the struggle between good and evil. It portrays the excesses of dictatorial rulers and the fight against tyranny, emphasizing the triumph of justice and morality.
Adultery: The adulterous affair between Serubawon and Adebisi plays a central role in the plot, affecting the fate of the characters and the kingdom
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STYLE AND TECHNIQUE/LITERAY DEVICES

Diction/language; The play is written in simple and transparent English. The playwright also made use of indigenous words drawn from the Yoruba language and culture. For example; “Ajanaku” is a Yoruba word for an elephant or a strong person. But in the play, it also serves as a metaphor for and oppressor or a dictator. “Baale” is a Yoruba word/expression which means “my husband or my lord”. The expression was used by Iyale to refer to Odejimi her husband.
Foreshadowing; This is when an event is revealed to the reader earlier in the novel, and the event comes to pass later in the novel. When Ogundele (a hunter) was invited by Serubawon to the secret meeting, he said “….until we know why Serubawon suddenly wants our values twisted, we are clutching at nothing” (pg. 19). These words foreshadow the revelation later in the play by Iya Agba that Ajanaku was Serubawon’s son.
The Use of Innuendo; Innuendo is an indirect and usually a malicious implication. Iya Agba uses innuendo to speak most times throughout the play. An instance was when Ajanaku called her mad and she replied saying that “the lizard may resemble a crocodile, but they are certainly different” (pg. 36). This innuendo referred to Ajanaku and it meant that he was not the biological son of Akinjiobi, and therefore not fit to be king.
Dramatic Irony: This occurs when the audience possesses knowledge or understanding that the characters do not. In “Once Upon an Elephant,” a prime example is when Ajanaku boasts about being responsible for Omoyeni’s pregnancy, while the audience knows that the child actually belongs to Delani.
Situational Irony: Situational irony arises when the outcome of a situation or event diverges from what is expected. In the play, Serubawon’s wickedness ultimately rebounds on him and his family. This leads to the tragic events, including the rape of his daughter Desola and his own suicide. Similarly, Ajanaku also faces an unexpected fate, losing his life by the play’s end.

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