The Lion and the Jewel

Sidi is still engrossed with her pictures in the magazine spread. She is torn away from admiring herself by a furtive Sadiku, who enters the scene with a bundle. Sidi watches in amazement as Sadiku reveals a statue, a naked figure of the Bale. Sadiku begins mocking the Bale, explaining how she and the other wives have managed to take away his virility, just as they did to previous Bales. Sadiku mocks his power over women and says the village women will continue to usurp the power of the Bales in this way. Sadiku is startled to see Sidi, and though she has been sworn to secrecy, implores Sidi to dance with her, as the Bale’s virility has been taken and he is impotent. Sidi rejoices at the news and joins Sadiku in her victory dance.

Lakunle interrupts the victory dance and Sadiku warns him not to involve himself with the affairs of women. Lakunle makes snide comments about women being mad, while Sadiku pokes fun at him and emasculates him, telling him he can stay and watch because he is not a man after all. As Lakunle attempts to figure out what the two women are so excited about, Sidi comes up with a plan to go and make fun of the Bale without him realizing that she knows he is impotent. Lakunle thinks it is a bad idea, citing how cunning the Bale is. He will most certainly realize the cause of her taunts and, if he becomes angered, might harm Sidi. Sadiku also warns Sidi about taunting the Bale. He is clever, and it will take a lot of cunning on Sidi’s part to outmaneuver him. Sidi is not dissuaded, however. She will pretend to be sorry for turning the Bale’s requests down and ask to have a month to think about his proposal, all the while poking fun at his inability to have sex. Both Lakunle and Sadiku warn her again, but Sidi is ecstatic at her plan and rushes off to enact it.

Lakunle is angry at Sadiku, and the two argue about his intentions. He admits that he wants Sidi as his own, but when Sadiku presses him about the bride-price and the fact that he refuses to do what tradition demands, Lakunle’s anger intensifies. He admits that he wants the village of Ilujinle to become modernized like Lagos and other cities. He berates the primitive ways of Sadiku, belittling her and causing her to cower in terror. He refuses to pay a bride-price, reiterating that it is representative of backward thinking. He is angry at Sadiku for collecting brides for Baroka and for sending Sidi to her possible shame.

Sidi arrives at the Bale’s residence and watches him wrestle. Though she is supposed to be careful of her words and actions as she enacts her plan of taunting the Bale, Sidi is impressed with the Bale’s physical strength. Moreover, the Bale seems uninterested in Sidi as he wrestles. His disinterest angers and frustrates Sidi, and she forgets at first what she has come to do. She toys with the Bale as he speaks, making thinly veiled references to his impotence. When he finally begins to realize the source of her jibes, he picks up the man he is wrestling and throws him in a fit of anger. Sidi is shocked and impressed, and enters a game of careful wording and insinuations with the Bale.

The Bale guesses that Sidi has spoken with Sadiku, but Sidi assures him that Sadiku only mentioned he wanted her hand in marriage. Sidi continues to taunt the Bale, and he admits that he is burdened. Baroka admits that he once thought Sidi immature and childish but that she now seems to him wise beyond her years. He then shows Sidi a stamp, and indicates that though her beauty has been captured in the magazine, it should really be captured on a stamp. Though the Bale’s words seem like Lakunle’s, and Sidi mentions this to the Bale, she is overcome by the prospect of her beauty being even more recognized by the world. The Bale’s words are fatherly, wise, and seemingly altruistic. He mentions that he hates for people to think of Ilujinle as backwards. If they place her face on stamps and produce them, the world will see the beauty of Ilujinle. He implores Sidi to consider his offer, though Sidi has already seen the advantage of the stamp. Baroka tells her that though the villagers may think him solely content in seeking pleasure, the burden of a Bale is a heavy one. Sidi rests her head upon the Bale’s shoulder. As the scene ends, a group of dancers appears. The group is comprised of female dancers pursuing a masked male dancer.

The scene reopens at the village square. Lakunle and Sadiku still wait for Sidi. Lakunle is overcome with worry, imagining that the Bale has killed Sidi for her insolence. Every time Lakunle hears a footstep, he looks up in hopes that it is Sidi. When whispers and noises approach them, Sadiku informs him that the “mummers” are probably spreading news. Lakunle guesses that Sadiku has indeed told everyone about the Bale’s impotence, and that this is the news that the mummers are spreading around. The mummers appear and a dance is enacted in which Baroka is “scotched,” meaning his virility is taken from him. Though the mummers eventually leave, Sadiku continues the dance, elated. Lakunle tells Sadiku that he hopes Baroka punishes her severely for her actions.

Sidi bursts onto the scene, crying. Lakunle and Sadiku attempt to console her and learn what has happened, while Sidi pushes them both away. She finally admits that the Bale’s impotence is a lie, and that he had planned their entire meeting. He knew that Sadiku could not keep her mouth shut and would talk about his supposed impotence. He had planned the entire thing to have his way with Sidi. Lakunle is shocked, and is even more angered when he finds out that Sidi has been tricked into sleeping with Baroka. Sadiku tries to comfort Sidi, rationalizing that things like this happen to everyone. Lakunle is angered and wants revenge, though he tells Sidi that he will still marry her despite that she is no longer a virgin. He will not, however, pay a bride-price, as her “value” as a virgin bride is no longer valid.

Sidi seems shocked and overjoyed that Lakunle will still marry her even though she is disgraced. She rushes off to her home and begins packing. Her suddenness throws Lakunle off. He wants time to prepare for his life of marriage. Soon revelers arrive and Lakunle wonders how they knew about the forthcoming nuptials. Sidi reappears in her bridal clothes after attempting to tear up the magazine. Sidi tells Lakunle that he can come as well, confusing him. When Lakunle says that he will obviously attend, as he is the one marrying Sidi, Sidi bursts into laughter. She reveals that she is marrying Bale Baroka, not Lakunle. She says that she has finally realized how manly and full of vigor the Bale is after being with him for one night. Lakunle tries to stop her from going, but she pushes him down and belittles him. She calls Lakunle an impotent man while Baroka in his old age is both potent and knowledgeable. Sadiku blesses the marriage and the villagers, including Lakunle, leave for the marriage festivities.