Character Analysis in Once Upon an Elephant by Bosede Afolayan – Ajanaku, Iya Agba, and Other Key Figures

Characterisation

Ajanaku (The Elephant / The Usurper King):

Ajanaku is the main antagonist and also the embodiment of tyranny in the play. The name Ajanaku means “Elephant”, this portrays the meticulous nature of Bosede in picking out names for characters. As the name Elephant shows the nature of Ajanaku, being an usurper king who goes against the customs and brings about tyranny over the people of the society. On the death of King Akinjobi, Ajanaku goes on a bid to ascend the throne knowing well that is illegitimate of the ascension. He was helped by corrupt kingmakers, such as Serubawon who assisted in the manipulation of customs in order to uphold Ajanaku’s ambition. Once in power, Ajanaku displays arrogance, greed and an insatiable appetite for control. He extorts the poor, seizes farmlands and perverts the customs and tradition. His character has an ironic touch as he was to be a custodian of the tradition, but instead, he is the destroyer and he stands at the pinnacle of social and moral decadence. Throughout the play, Bosede uses Ajanaku to portray the tragic results of allowing unworthy men to ascend the throne, and taste from the “gourd of power”, in which he is prone to “power drunkeness”.

Iya Agba (Custodian of Memory):

Iya Agba serves as the mouthpiece of the oppressed subjects in the unnamed Yoruba society. She is also an embodiment of resistance and revolution to the tyrannical government. This is evident in her unfaltering and fearless speeches she makes against the tyrannical government, despite the threats and sanctions she recieved from above. Iya Agba is the former wife of the late king (King Kinjobi). Her agae does not weakens her influence, instead it strengthens it, as she now embodies the customs and serves as the memory for the people. Her being the memory makes her  understand the customs more and this enables the adequate differentiation of the right and perveted governance. She provides comfort to the oppressed and consistently urging the community to reclaim its values.

Serubawon:

Serubawon is a kingmaker and a priest in the unnamed Yoruba Land. He assists Ajanaku on a bid to ascend the throne, The rituals to get the king are tweaked by him. He does all in his power to get Ajanaku ascend the throne, all for personal gains as it is said that he approaches Ajanaku and offers his help. His character shows the desperation of humans in acquiring their ambitions, despite shortcomings and challanges. He also serves as the embodiment of the theme of Complicity, as he is the one who assists Ajanaku in act that is unlawful and morally wrong. The guilt gets to Serubawon after Ajanaku’s oppression reign begins as he is responsible for allowing a tyrannical and ruthless ruler govern the land. The guilt-ridden Serubawon ends up commiting suicide by hanging himself to an Iroko tree. This was a result to the unbearable guilt he bears in him.

King Akinjobi:

King Akinjobi is the king of the unnamed Yoruba land. Despite him being a character who has little screen time, he is considered a major character as his illness sparks the conflict or rather the contest for power. And that is the true essence of the play, his illness triggers chaos among different successors and this empowers Ajanaku the thought of ascending the throne, knowing fully that he is illegimate to rule. His Illness is symbollic, as there would have been no development to the plot if he was never ill or if he didnt die. His death allows for a tyrant to rule the land and oppres the subjects.

Desola:

Desola is a young maiden, who is affected by the perveted and corrupted ritual practice of Ajanaku. The “Ijedodo ritual” affects her, as the ritual allows the king to have intercourse with virgins to check if he is worthy of being king. Ajanaku, with the help of Serubawon corrups the ritual, and this leads to the horrific scenery of raping of young virgins. Desola, despite being the daughter of Serubawon, who is the orchestrator of the ascension, happens to be a victim of the perveted ritual, and her virtues were violated in a bid to affirm the leadership of a tyrant and illegitimate government. This shows the extremist degree of Serubawon in acuiring his ambition, and also the events that leads to him breaking till he commits suicide. She speaks her plight alogside Iya Agba and this leads to the collective action against the tyrannical government of Ajanaku. She embodies the symbol of a hurt virtue and she portrays the true virtue in speaking out against immoral acts, urging girls that are violated to “Speak Out” and justice shal be found.

Odejimi:

Odejimi is a member of the hunter’s guild, the group that is responsible for the appointing a new king according to customs and traditions. He rejects Serubawon’s attempt to install Ajanaku as the successor to the throne. He also refuses to take bribes offered to him by these masterminds. He along with his friend Odegbami upholds the symbol of resistance to infringement in the customs, but their acts were futile as Ajanaku still emerges as the successor to the throne.

Odegbami:

Odegbami is also a member of the hunter’s guild, so he is also tasked with appointing a new king according to the customs. He and his friend Odejimi oppose Serubawon’s attemp in making Ajanaku the king, for they sense danger and also Ajanaku is illegimate in succeeding the throne. They both stand for the “Conservative Ideology”, as they wish to preserve the existing customs and traditions in the appointment of a successor to the throne.

Odekunle:

This is the fiancee of Desola, he was beaten by Ajanaku’s men as they capture Desola in a bid to make her part of the Ijedodo Ritual, where she was raped and she loses her virtue. This incident declines his marriage to Desola. Odekunle is the son of Odejimi. Odekunle assists in the resistance as he was instructed by Iya Agba to wrap a red cloth around Ajanaku’s neck and this restores Desola from the brink of death and in turn, incapacitate Ajanaku.

Demoke:

Demoke is the wife of Serubawon and also the mother of Desola. She also upholds the theme of Complicity as she is complicit with the slandering of Iya Agba. She falsely testify against Iya Agba, and her false witness leads to the banishment of the woman from the palace. This complicit act by Demoke strains the act of Revolution against tyrannical governance. As Iya Agba banishment allows for the revolution to be delayed.

Iyale:

Iyale is Odejimi’s wife and Odekunle’s mother. Unlike everyone, she is friendly to Iya Agba and confides in her. She is the one who brings the matter of Desola failing health after the ritual to Iya Agba. This act by Iyale, to confide in Iya agba is unusual as most people do not relate with her. And she also plays a major role in the revolution. Through the information she gave on Desola’s failing health which lead to Iya Agba instructing Odekunle to wrap a red cloth around Ajanaku’s neck, and this render him incapacitated.

Delani:

He is Omoyeni’s former lover. Ajanaku snatches Omoyeni from him, he takes her as his wife and it is later discovered that he is responsible for Omoyeni’s pregnancy.