Title: Legend Of The Kings.

Dramatist: Prince Ib’ Oriaku

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Kraft Books Limited

Pages: 187.

Published: 2014

Reviewer: ‘Debayo Coker and Olutayo Irantiola

It is very important to have a new dimension to the creative industry. We were challenged by the quality of work done by Oriaku in the way he fuses poetic conversation into a play and he was able to open up the dramaturgy of the Niger-Delta region of the country.  The story started with narrations from three troubadours before the entrance of a high priest, Talebearer, who laid a somewhat opening into the main drama.

We would want to sum up the play in a few sentences. Boka is the reigning King of Kirikese Kingdom, who received the announcement of the birth of a set of twins with so much melancholy. One would have thought that he should be happy for the eventual safe delivery of his sons through the help of a midwife after some days in labour by the Queen. A high level of anxiety was raised through the dramatic element of suspicion when it was not clear why the boys, their mother, and the attendants to the Queen, who included a white Midwife, were all damned to be killed as pronounced by the gods through their mouthpiece, Ikaki, the priest.

One would have thought it was an era where twins were referred to as strange births and therefore should be killed but far from that school of thought as the drama later unfold at the climax that King Boka had in his hey days eloped with the bride of a water spirit, Efereya, who was obviously angry and subsequently placed a curse on Boka which made him impotent and Boka to prove his virility to his subjects had deceitfully employed one of his maids to impregnate his wife which further put him under friction with the forces of the gods. The boys were separated through some mischief. One grew up in the palace, Fibika, and the other, Ekwenji, grew up in the creeks and became a pirate. Forces of nature brought them together and their eventual doom was brought to the fore as already proclaimed by the gods. A tragedy of note.

A lot of symbolism was employed in the drama. Boka symbolises a proud and deceitful leader who knows what the exact problem was, but rather than address the issues, imbibe some rigmaroles; more often than not, our leaders know the major issues affecting the lives of their subjects or citizenry, but rather than address the issues, they engage in some politicking at the detriment of the masses. Captain Allen symbolises a typical businessman whose primary interest is his profit; such merchants go about festering confusion amongst the people, even to the point that the more the bloodshed, the greater their profits. Such a deal in ammunitions and the best way for an arms dealer to profit is when there is a war. Ekwenji symbolises some people we consider as social misfits; most often than not, we fail to realise that some of those people are victims of circumstances. Ekwenji is a strong character, a great lover, a human right activist. Ere symbolises true love that readily withstands all weather, rain or shine, even unto death.

The setting of the drama is the Ijo wetlands of the early 18th century precolonial Niger-Delta, as the different wars, businesses, and costumes sufficiently point to that. The two kingdoms that are ascribed to in the play are Kirikese and Okoloma kingdoms. The folkloric tradition of the two(Riverine ) kingdoms is richly exlored that hardly did any passese pass without being interspersed by different traditional songs of the locals. The palaces of the two kings, Boka and Okparanjali, are built to reflect the grandeur of the royals in traditional African setting. This book can be said to be a furtherance of the great works written by Professor John Pepper Clark-Berekedemo and other prominent writers from the region.

Some of the book’s thematic tilts include deceit, greed, chivalry, betrayal, oppression, love, good leadership, and neighbourliness. The story is written with sublime expressions graced with poetic artistry and delivered with an exceptional theatrical tone.

It is an exhilarating drama with each moment furthering a heightened curiosity and demanding foreclosures on seemingly loose ends. It is an excellent recommendation for every lover of good drama. In addition, every drama has songs infused into it, and Oriaku has taken time to add 21 songs and the interpretation in English. As such, even when the drama is being performed by Niger-Deltans, the songs can be interpreted by the Director for adaptation into the new language community.

Some of the defects found in the text include very long scenes, the “Queen’s English” spoken by the locals, and the whites speaking about the “gods.” Oriaku has done the Niger Delta proud with this publication, and hopefully, this will not be his last contribution to the body of literature from the Niger Delta.