FEMINISM IN BOSEDE ADEMILUA-AFOLAYAN'S "ONCE UPON AN ELEPHANT"

INTRODUCTION 
              The portrayal of female characters as "servile-beings" in novels and drama texts written by men brought up the theoretical idea of "Feminism". Many of the African female writers therefore write to correct the ugly pictures of women drawn by men in the literary canon into right posture. The case is not different in Nigerian literature. One of the most popular novels, "Things Fall Apart", is evenly regarded by the Feminists as a product of a masculine society. The relationship between Ezinma(Ekwefi's daughter) and Okonkwo is a suitable example for this notion. "Feminism" as a concept has been in existence since the days of Virginia Woolf in the 18th and 19th century. Feminists fights for the equality of right and opportunity for men and women. It undermines the "marriage-plot" where women are subjected to men by marrying them. Feminists correct the maltreatment and the restricted lifestyles of women in the society. This paper therefore do a clean examination on the concept of "Feminism" in Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan's "Once Upon An Elephant".

FEMINISM IN "ONCE UPON AN ELEPHANT"

           In the play, some female characters like Iya Agba, Omoyeni and Desolate are not presented in a good light. Afolayan dramatically expresses the frustrations faced by women in the society.
         The instances by which female characters are portrayed as mere instruments for attaining men's pleasure and that of the society are enumerated below. At first, seven female virgins must be sexually assulted and sacrifice their lives for Ajanaku to be immortal. The virgins that fall victims will not even die immediately, they will pass through months of agony and pain. Ajanaku, being in a position of authority, forcefully marries Omoyeni as a wife without her consent and he only sees her as a carrier of "another elephant that sired from his loins"(page 61). It's Agna is lied against and accused of being an adulterer. Serubawon later changes her name to "a mad woman" to cover up his atrocities. Female characters in the play are not given voices in the governing of the land, therefore men manipulate and direct autocratically.
           In her bid to correct this anomalies in the land, Afolayan eventually elevates the female characters to bring them into a limelight. She fights for the freedom of the female characters and exposes the foolishness of honourable male characters in the play through "Iya Agba"(a female character in the play). She redefines the image of "Iya Agba" in the land. "Iya Agba" is sought after to provide solutions to the problems in the land. The treacherous "Serubawon"(the king's medicine man) becomes dejected at his exposition as a plotter and kills himself. Sedona regains her life back from the tyrant Ajanaku and Ajanaku dies a shameful death. Omoyeni eventually marries Delani(her choice) and leaves Ajanaku whom she is forced to marry.
          However, in the play, Afolayan speaks on the odds of a masculine society by expressing the inappropriateness in the administration by men and the frustrations faced by women in the society. People believe "Iya Agba" is really mad because of their trust in "Serubawon". Afokayan further argues that men cannot be perfect in a society by killing the idea of making Ajanaku immortal.