The Man Died: Prison Notes of Wole Soyinka By Wole Soyinka

After an exceptionally successful career as a butcher; Alaba, the protagonist of this play decided that he deserves a life of quite retirement. Unfortunately beneath the rock on which he has chosen to make his abode are precious mineral deposits. Soon, both Alaba and the rock become a place of more than passing interest to everyone – from the lowly, to denizens of power: The outcome of this rollicking drama is more than anyone, least of all, Alaba himself, bargained for:

Wole Soyinka’s latest play, is a powerful satire of the idiosyncrasies and excesses of our contemporary Nigeria society; the corruption of power; opportunism and cultural alienation.

During the rainy season of 1995, in the bustling town of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, one family’s life is disrupted by the sudden disappearance of seventeen-year-old Paul Utu, beloved brother and son. As they grapple with the sudden loss of their darling boy, they embark on a painful and moving journey of immense power which changes their lives forever and shatters the fragile ecosystem of their once ordered family. Ajie, the youngest sibling, is burdened with the guilt of having seen Paul last and convinced that his vanished brother was betrayed long ago. But his search for the truth uncovers hidden family secrets and reawakens old, long forgotten ghosts as rumours of police brutality, oil shortages, and frenzied student protests serve as a backdrop to his pursuit.

In a tale that moves seamlessly back and forth through time, Ajie relives a trip to the family’s ancestral village where, together, he and his family listen to the myths of how their people settled there, while the villagers argue over the mysterious Company, who found oil on their land and will do anything to guarantee support. As the story builds towards its stunning conclusion, it becomes clear that only once past and present come to a crossroads will Ajie and his family finally find the answers they have been searching for.

And After Many Days introduces Ile’s spellbinding ability to tightly weave together personal and political loss until, inevitably, the two threads become nearly indistinguishable. It is a masterful story of childhood, of the delicate, complex balance between the powerful and the powerless, and a searing portrait of a community as the old order gives way to the new.