Meet the Cast
Elesin Oba
When the play opens, we learn that our protagonist is a dead man walking. According to tradition, as the late king's horseman, Elesin must now commit suicide to join his king. The entire play revol...
Simon Pilkings
Simon Pilkings is a local District Officer in Nigeria. Apparently part of his job is maintaining (British) law and order, which means interfering with Elesin's plan to commit ritual suicide.God Sav...
Jane Pilkings
Jane is married to Simon Pilkings, the District Manager in the area where the play takes place. Like her husband, she is well meaning but more than a little clueless about the culture and customs o...
Olunde
Olunde is Elesin's eldest son. Although he 's left home to pursue his medical studies in England, he returns when he hears that the king has died, since he knows this means his father must die, too...
Iyaloja
She is known as the "Mother of the Market" and, as such, seems to be the leader of the market women. She starts out being pretty deferential to Elesin and his needs as he prepares to make the ultim...
Minor Characters
Sergeant AmusaA member of the "native police," Amusa is the one who comes to Simon to alert him that Elesin is going to commit suicide as part of a Yoruba ritual. Although he has converted to Islam...