Entering a new year feels like entering another phase of life where I have to read more books so as to widen my experiences and views about life. Reading so many books is part of my goals for the year and I have unleashed that by reading a book titled Death And The King’s Horseman by author Wole Soyinka.
This story revolves around the Elesin known as the King’s horseman who was supposed to be buried alive alongside the late King which serves as a ritual in the Yoruba land. The Elesin won’t be the only one to be buried alive alongside the late King but includes the King’s horse and dog. If that doesn’t happen, the spirit of the King will wander about and harm the members of the village.
Sadly, this didn’t happen. The Elesin had so much fun because he knew he was going to die by being buried alive beside the late King. He accepts his fate and decides to marry a new wife and get her pregnant at that night when he was going to be killed.
I will have to stop here to avoid book spoiler. What do you think was going to happen? Will he truly be killed so that he will continue to be best of friends with the King in heaven?
This book portrays a typical African society and it’s culture. A book like this led me to making my research. Cases like this happened in the 19th and still occurred in the 20th century. In a typical African Yoruba land, when the King dies, he has to be buried with his Elesin alive.
It is believed that by burying the Elesin beside the King, the King will not have to feel lonely in his coffin or heaven. The King will still have someone who can run errands for him.
That’s the belief and in some parts of African, this is still done. What a culture!
The book was divided into two parts. In the best part of the book, the process of Elesin’s ritual was documented including his final day celebration, his final request before going to meet his ancestors including his wedding ceremony with a new wife just that night when the ritual was going on.
The second part was when the white colonists came to arrest the Elesin for volunteering his life to be with the King in heaven. This documents when the whites tried hard to make sure the Elesin does not die for the King.
The characters in the book were so complete and I liked the words of each of them. While reading the book, the words used will show you how everyone of them meant what they said.
The Iyaloja has an outstanding performance out of every other person.
In the book, it feels she is the only one who has the right to talk calmly to the Elesin and even yell at him if he doesn’t do the right thing. Yeah, she wasn’t the King but she possess so much power which is as great as the Elesin’s.
I love the way the book is divided into two parts. It gives us the time to assimilate and understand what we have read. I also love how the book turned out to be a great one and an ending no one ever expected which is why you all should read this book.
Dear friends, this is my little opinion about the book. I highly recommend it to you all and especially to those who wish to know more about the African culture and how it used to be back in those days.
It is a very good book.
Thank you for reading to the end. Hope to see you again!