We will be looking at the Character Analysis of Sadiku in The Lion and The Jewel, the role and function of Sadiku in The Lion and The Jewel, and also answer the most asked questions about Sadiku.
Sadiku is one of the main characters in Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel. The playwright makes use of her character as well as Sidi to depict the position of women in a male-dominated society. The role she plays in the play is a contributing factor in no small part to the development of the plot of the play. The big question is:
Who is Sadiku in The Lion and the Jewel?
Sadiku is the oldest wife of Baroka who is the head of the village of Ilujinle. She was inherited by Baroka from her late husband Baale. She also serves as a naive intermediary for Baroka and helps him show his affection to ladies in who he is interested.
She tries to persuade the ladies to get married to Baroka and gives a number of benefits they can benefit from if they agree. In the instance of Sidi, Sadiku tries to convince her to be Baroka’s wife by bringing to her attention her possibility to be the bride of Baroka’s first Baale as in her (Sadiku) situation with Baroka.
She is a bit of a slob and, in a real sense, she is inept at keeping secrets. Knowing of her vulnerability, Baroka would later manipulate her in order to accomplish his aim. She is engrossed in the customary marriage rituals and one ceremony she performed at the end of the play in order to introduce Sidi as the newest member of Baroka’s family of wives. She invokes the gods of fertility.
Her appearance in the play shows the degree of literacy in Ilujinle. Her lack of understanding of Lakunle is a sign of his incomprehensibility.
Read Also:
How does Sadiku contribute to the plot development of the play?