Untitled - Memorial University of Newfoundland

Having heard about their predicament, upon arrival in the town, he was responsible
for organizing fighters and defeating the people of Ikolu and seizing their lands. As a
result. Odewale says. "they [the people of Kutuje] broke tradition and made me, I
unasked, I King of Kutuje- (7) . They broke the tradition of giving the throne to
Aderopo, the only known son of the king, and gave it to the supposed stranger.
Ironically, far from being a stranger. Odewale is the most eligible man for the throne;
choosing the older of the two sons, the people of Kutuje did not break: their tradition
at all. In an interview with Onuora. Ossie Eaekwe , Rotimi answers the question of
whether the people of Kucuje caused their tragedy by making Odewale king contrary
to tradition:
No. As a matter of fact, I do not think the people are guilty in that
respect . They needed someone to give them succour in the face of
persistent aggression and devastation from a neighbouring tribe. They
needed some leader to help mobilize them , to help galvanize their
morale, and, by extension, to help forge them into a solid group against
those invaders. Odewale arrived at the right moment to give them the
needed boost in spirit against the people of Ikolu whom they eventually
defeated (38).
Although Rotimi 's drama is the tragedy of Odewa1e, because of the cultural and sodo-
economic situation in Africa, which is rooted in the extended family system , one
man's tragedy is usually seen to affect the whole community. Rotimi demonstrates this
in the final stage directions as Odewale and his children maketheir journey through
the Kutuje Townspeople who "kneel or crouch in final deference to the man whose
tragedy is also their tragedy" (72).
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