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Sidi
Lakunle is the young schoolteacher in Ilujinle. He was educated in Lagos, presumably in a British school, which results in Lakunle's overblown sense of his grasp of English. He wishes to modernize the village and wants Sidi to marry him and be a "modern wife." In keeping with his values, Lakunle refuses to pay Sidi's bride price and instead tries to woo her with flowery language and biblical references. Lakunle speaks about village life and customs as though he finds them abhorrent, though he does seem to enjoy the village’s dance performances.
Lakunle Quotes in The Lion and the Jewel
The The Lion and the Jewel quotes below are all either spoken by Lakunle or refer to Lakunle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Morning Quotes
Lakunle: You could wear something.
Most modest women do. But you, no.
You must run around naked in the streets.
Does it not worry you... the bad names,
The lewd jokes, the tongue-licking noises
Which girls, uncovered like you,
Draw after them?
Sidi: ...Is it Sidi who makes the men choke
In their cups, or you, with your big loud words
And no meaning?
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Explanation and Analysis:
Lakunle is chastising Sidi for wearing traditional Yoruba clothing, which exposes her shoulders and is therefore immodest in Lakunle's eyes. This illustrates that Lakunle, though presumably a native of Ilujinle, has a very different idea of what is appropriate than the rest of the village does. He wants Sidi to dress a certain way—a way that is not how the rest of the village dresses. Notably, this passage shows that Lakunle’s association with modern norms does not necessarily mean that he believes that women should have more options available to them. Here, Lakunle’s ideal is more restrictive to women than Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. M
For that, what is a jewel to pigs?
If now I am misunderstood by you
And your race of savages, I rise above taunts
And remain unruffled.
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Lakunle responds to Sidi's assertion that the village views Lakunle as a madman because of his education and his love of progress and modernity. Here, he deems his education the "jewel." This shows how much he values a modern, British, Western conception of education and learning. In contrast, the villagers are the "pigs" who, in Lakunle's eyes, simply don't understand why education is so important. It’s significant that he uses the word “jewel” to describe his education, since Sidi is the “jewel of Ilujinle.” That Lakunle repurposes her epithet to glorify himself hints at the fact that he sees Sidi Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt.
Well go there. Go to these places where
Women would understand you
If you told them of your plans with which
You oppress me daily.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Lakunle has just described the wonders of the modern city of Lagos, where modernity and Western ideals are widely accepted. In her reply, Sidi indicates that she feels oppressed by Lakunle's insistence on modern ways of life. This is important, since throughout the play Lakunle characterizes modernity as something that would offer Sidi freedom, while demonizing traditional customs and calling them barbaric. Sidi's language, as well as the outcome of the play, however, show that Lakunle's idea of modernity is indeed oppressive when it's forced upon a person or a village, while tradition can bring types of freedom that Lakunle Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea s
Wasted! Wasted! Sidi, my heart
Bursts into flowers with my love.
But you, you and the dead of this village
Trample it with feet of ignorance.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Lakunle attempts to convince Sidi to marry him by promising to "open her mind" and using flowery and poetic language. Sidi deems Lakunle's use of language nonsense, which illustrates the unfortunate fact that Lakunle is very out of touch with the village and the village's beliefs and customs. Lakunle's language is therefore ineffective in wooing Sidi, a traditional village girl. Further, he isn't just ineffective; he insults Sidi and the rest of the village by referring to them as "the dead" and calling them out on their "ignorance." All of this begins to develop Lakunle's character as someone who cares Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque
A savage custom, barbaric, out-dated,
Rejected, denounced, accursed,
Excommunicated, archaic, degrading,
Humiliating, unspeakable, redundant.
Retrogressive, remarkable, unpalatable.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Sidi reminds Lakunle that she'd be happy to marry him if he pays the bride price as is required by local custom, and Lakunle immediately and loudly launches into this string of words to describe the custom. His choice of words makes it obvious to any English speaker that Lakunle himself doesn't have a full grasp of the English language—"excommunicated" makes absolutely no sense in this context, and "remarkable" makes it seem as though he has some respect for the custom, which is the opposite of what he’s trying to convey. Lakunle's use of language again makes him look foolish. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possim
Ignorant girl, can you not understand?
To pay the price would be
To buy a heifer off the market stall.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Lakunle continues to speak negatively about the tradition of paying a bride price. What he says here is ironic in the context of other things he has said about the kind of marriage he wants and the kind of wife he wants Sidi to be. While he doesn't want Sidi to work for him in the same way that tradition would ask of her, what he wants would put Sidi in a similar position. Though Sidi wouldn't have to perform as much manual labor, what Lakunle wants is a wife to show off and perform the part of the perfect Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio
It's never any use.
Bush-girl you are, bush-girl you'll always be.
Uncivilized and primitive—bush-girl!
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Explanation and Analysis:
Sidi refuses to marry Lakunle without a bride price and she is offended when Lakunle kisses her. Lakunle sees kissing as a proper Western custom, while Sidi sees it as rude and unclean. This sets up several conflicts. First, it pits Lakunle, who represents progress and the Western world, against the traditional customs of the village. Then, Lakunle's language shows how ineffectively he communicates with the object of his affection. Though he'd previously raised Sidi up above the other villagers by insisting that she understands him, with this he insults both Sidi and the rest of the village. This makes Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam con
You are dressed like him
You look like him
You speak his tongue
You think like him
You're just as clumsy
In your Lagos ways—
You'll do for him!
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Explanation and Analysis:
Sidi and other villagers surround Lakunle and chant this at him to try to convince him to act the part of the stranger in the dance of the lost traveler. With their chant, the villagers turn Lakunle fully into an outsider. It's obvious that, though he exists among the villagers, they see him as a foreigner and not one of them. This begins to create the sense that modernity (as represented by Lakunle) and tradition (as represented by Baroka and the village) are in direct opposition to each other. Furthermore, the estrangement between Lakunle and the village in this passage Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus temp
Noon Quotes
My name is Sidi, and I am beautiful.
The stranger took my beauty
And placed it in my hands.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Sadiku has just asked Sidi if she'd agree to marry Baroka, and Lakunle angrily responded by referring to Sidi by Biblical names. In her reply, Sidi insists that Lakunle use her real name, which shows that the photograph has given her a sense of autonomy and the power to assert her personhood. Sidi places her beauty, as revealed to her by the stranger, above both Western ideals (the Bible) and traditional images of power (Baroka). While this is definitely an empowering moment for Sidi, it's important to note that Sidi has this reaction to the magazine and the photographs because Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delect
Voluptuous beast! He loves this life too well
To bear to part from it. And motor roads
And railways would do just that, forcing
Civilization at his door.
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Lakunle described how Baroka paid off a surveyor to reroute a railroad away from Ilujinle. When Lakunle speaks about Baroka, he turns Baroka into a caricature of the greedy African chief, intent on keeping his traditional way of life and securing his wives by rejecting modernity outright. Lakunle, in other words, is suggesting that Baroka is denying the villagers something essential in order to secure his own personal gain. This passage doesn’t reveal much about Baroka, though—when Lakunle speaks like this he only gives the sense that he himself is someone who is so caught up in pushing modernity that Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciun
Night Quotes
For though you're nearly seventy,
Your mind is simple and unformed.
Have you no shame that at your age,
You neither read nor write nor think?
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Lakunle berates Sadiku for doing nothing with her life besides being Baroka's wife and chief matchmaker. Once again, Lakunle either refuses to see or is genuinely unable to understand that Sadiku enjoys a great deal of power in her position as head wife. She likely wouldn't possess that much power in the modern system that Lakunle advocates, mostly because the polygamous system enables her to act as a matchmaker and control whom Baroka weds, while a monogamous system would deny her that ability. Lakunle also continues to place a great deal of importance on Western modes of learning and education. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum
Ah, I forget. This is the price I pay
Once every week, for being progressive.
Prompted by the school teacher, my servants
Were prevailed upon to form something they call
The Palace Workers' Union. And in keeping
With the habits—I am told—of modern towns,
This is their day off.
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Sidi enters Baroka's house unannounced because it's the servants' day off. Though Lakunle has consistently described Baroka as being in direct opposition to modernity and progress, in this passage Baroka doesn't seem angry at having to comply with his servants' demands to unionize and have days off. Instead, he seems merely resigned, though possibly annoyed. However, the fact that Baroka isn't angry or upset that he's being forced to accept this facet of modernity indicates that Baroka isn't the enemy of modernity. This moment begins to develop the plausibility of Baroka's belief that modernity isn’t always a bad thing. Instead Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. O
The old must flow into the new, Sidi,
Not blind itself or stand foolishly
Apart. A girl like you must inherit
Miracles which age alone reveals.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Baroka explains to Sidi that he and Lakunle have a lot to learn from each other, and that progress and modernity must coexist in order for society to experience success. With this, Baroka shows that he's not the backwards, selfish man that Lakunle thought he was. Baroka is actually interested in helping his people and embracing modernity where he sees an actual benefit to doing so. He also makes an underhanded jab at Lakunle with this, as Lakunle certainly both blinds himself to the positive aspects of tradition and stands apart from it. Finally, this is also dripping with sexual Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati
Dear Sidi, we shall forget the past.
This great misfortune touches not
The treasury of my love.
But you will agree, it is only fair
That we forget the bride-price totally
Since you no longer can be called a maid.
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Sidi has just revealed to Sadiku and Lakunle that Baroka raped her and she's no longer a virgin. Lakunle makes it very clear that he doesn't value Sidi for any of the reasons she values herself. For him, the fact that she's no longer a virgin simply makes his goals easier to accomplish, as that gets rid of the need for either the bride price or convincing Sidi to marry him without one. It shows that he views the fight for Sidi's hand in marriage as a purely logistical one. This also shows how self-centered Lakunle is. It never even Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut ali
A present from Sidi.
I tried to tear it up
But my fingers were too frail.
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When Sidi returns to the village square after preparing herself for her wedding, she offers Lakunle a copy of the magazine as a gift. Sidi indicates that she wasn't physically strong enough to destroy the magazine and the photographs of herself in it. The fact that Sidi couldn't tear it up is a metaphor for the fact that Sidi ended up being unable to control her image—in fact, others were able to use it to control her. Even though the photographs made Sidi feel beautiful and powerful when she first saw them, they ultimately took her power away by opening Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitat
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Lakunle Character Timeline in The Lion and the Jewel
The timeline below shows where the character Lakunle appears in The Lion and the Jewel. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Morning
...near Ilujinle's schoolhouse. Students in the school recite the multiplication table as the young schoolteacher, Lakunle, notices Sidi and comes outside. He's dressed in a too-small western suit and tennis shoes.
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Lakunle tries to take the pail of water from Sidi and spills water on himself in...
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Lakunle changes the subject. Motioning at Sidi's breasts and bare shoulders, he tells her that a...
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After a moment, Lakunle recovers himself and declares that he will rise above the taunts from the "savages" of...
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Sidi throws Lakunle off of her and asks if women who pound yams and plant crops with babies...
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Sidi asks Lakunle where his crazy thoughts come from. He describes the city of Lagos, where ideas like...
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Sidi declares that she endured enough of Lakunle's nonsense the day before. Lakunle loudly takes offense to having his ideas called nonsense. He...
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Angry again, Sidi tells Lakunle that his words sound the same but mean nothing. She reminds him that she'd be...
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Sidi tells Lakunle to pay the price, and Lakunle again shouts more words to describe the tradition of...
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...with disgust, Sidi states that she hates kissing. She deems it unclean and asks if Lakunle is being rude to her by making the kissing sound. Lakunle sadly tells Sidi that...
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Sidi and Lakunle hear people coming. Sidi asks for her pail of water so the villagers won't tease...
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Sidi declares that the images of her mean that she's more powerful than Baroka. Lakunle petulantly declares Baroka a "devil among women" and deems it divine justice that a woman...
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...find someone who will be able to appropriately play the drunk stranger. She turns to Lakunle and assigns him the part, which Lakunle refuses by saying he's never been drunk. Sidi...
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The group drags Lakunle towards the center of the clearing as he states that the dance is idiotic and...
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Lakunle enthusiastically positions the cast throughout the clearing as parts of the jungle. He directs the...
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Lakunle as the stranger hears a woman singing and in his drunken state, thinks he has...
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Baroka enters and the dance abruptly stops as everyone kneels and respectfully greets him. Lakunle tries to sneak off, but Baroka calls him out. Lakunle greets Baroka with "good morning,"...
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Baroka suggests that they resume the dance and commands his attendants to seize Lakunle. Lakunle is perplexed, but Baroka accuses him of stealing the "village maidenhead." Lakunle nods and...
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Lakunle returns and Sidi happily tells him that he was a perfect stranger and should've been...
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Noon
Sidi walks down the road followed by Lakunle, who is carrying firewood for her. Sidi is engrossed in the photographs of herself in...
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Lakunle drops the wood and begins calling Baroka greedy and a trickster. Sidi asks Lakunle to...
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...tells Sadiku that she won't fall prey to Baroka now that she's famous, which makes Lakunle smile. Sadiku tells Sidi that Baroka has promised that Sidi will be his last wife....
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...of Ilujinle." Sadiku is bewildered and asks Sidi if she's sick. Sadiku turns suddenly to Lakunle and accuses him of driving Sidi mad. Lakunle runs a little ways away and calls...
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...that she never noticed how smooth her skin is, and nobody ever complimented her breasts. Lakunle tells Sidi that he would've, but it wasn't proper. Sidi ignores him and continues to...
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Lakunle asserts himself again and says that Baroka is called "the Fox" for a reason. Though...
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Lakunle gestures towards where the track was supposed to be constructed. Prisoners enter to cut through...
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Lakunle shakes his fist and declares that Baroka loves his life too much to allow the...
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Night
Lakunle enters the village center, watches Sidi and Sadiku for a moment, and then declares that...
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...use her "bashful looks." Sadiku suggests she go with Sidi, but Sidi brushes her off. Lakunle, looking horrified, begs Sidi not to go. He says that Baroka will see right through...
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Lakunle calls Sidi foolish and reprimands Sadiku for not being able to keep a secret, insulting...
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Sadiku tells Lakunle that his betrothed is currently eating with Baroka. Lakunle seems pleased that Sadiku called Sidi...
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Lakunle again tells Sadiku to leave him alone. Sadiku laughs and says that it's true then...
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Sadiku, looking terrified, tries to walk away, but Lakunle follows her and continues his tirade. He tells Sadiku that she needs to come to...
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...Sidi if she knows what the stamp is. Sidi says she does and shares that Lakunle gets letters from Lagos with stamps. Baroka looks disappointed that Sidi knows and asks her...
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...idea, but Sidi slowly says that she can barely understand as his words sound like Lakunle's. She wonders if she's as dumb as Lakunle tells her she is and looks miserable.
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...assures Sidi that she's not dumb, just "straight and truthful." He says that he and Lakunle are really very alike and must learn from each other. Baroka says that "the old...
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...man cross the room twice to the sound of drumming and shouting. Later that evening, Lakunle and Sadiku stand in the market waiting for Sidi, watching vendors hawk their wares. Lakunle...
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As people pass, Lakunle continues to search the crowd for Sidi. When the wrestler passes, Sadiku greets him. After...
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Sadiku seems unconcerned and reaches her hand into Lakunle's pocket, asking if he has money. He jumps away from her, but she insists he...
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...of Baroka. When the story is finished, the dancers dance away while Sadiku continues alone. Lakunle enjoyed the dance despite his annoyance. Sadiku walks happily back towards Lakunle, who tries to...
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...Sadiku kneels next to her and asks Sidi what's wrong, but Sidi pushes her away. Lakunle, looking triumphant, tries to take Sadiku's place. He offers to kiss Sidi's tears away but...
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Looking up, Sidi calls Sadiku and Lakunle fools and says that Baroka lied to Sadiku about his manhood. She says that he...
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Lakunle asks the heavens to strike him dead and insists he no longer wants to live....
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Sadiku wonders what Sidi's doing. Lakunle, looking after Sidi, says that she's going home and asks Sadiku to follow and find...
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Sadiku returns to Lakunle and says that Sidi is packing her things and oiling herself like a bride. Alarmed,...
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Lakunle insists that he can't be single one day and married the next with no time...
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...and the magazine. The crowd goes silent in awe of her beauty as she approaches Lakunle and hands him the magazine. She says her fingers weren't strong enough to tear the...
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Sidi looks surprised and asks if Lakunle really thought she'd marry him after sleeping with Baroka. She asks how she could possibly...
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