Kongi’s Harvest, published in 1967, is a dramatic African play

written by Wole Soyinka. In Kongi's Harvest, Soyinka strongly

depicts the various aspects of African life and tradition. The theme of
conflict between tradition and modernity is heavily emphasized
throughout the play. It can be said that it is a political satire of African
leadership in general and a mockery of Nkrumah’s rule in particular.
In Kongi’s Harvest, the land of Isma is ruled by Kongi. Kongi
parodies modern obsessive politicians who are addicted to the
irresistible taste of power. He is a powerful ambitious person who has
seized power with force. Kongi is very keen on public support of
his leadership and wants to brand himself as the protector and
spiritual leader. Oba Danlola, the traditional king poses a threat to
Kongi’s throne and is thus put behind bars to submit himself to
him as the supreme authority in the land of Isma. Oba Danlola,
mirrors the old order, the traditional system of ruler ship. His speech
is often characterised by traditional elements like proverbs,
illustrations and allusions to Yoruba myths and this portray him as a
traditionalist. He is a custodian of the traditional-political institution;
hence he refuses to surrender his powers to Kongi who is a modernist.
He sees progress in tradition because it is jointly operated by all
members of the society as opposed to Kongi's dictatorship. Danlola on
the traditional political institution says “We drew the poison from the
root”. The poison here is the strength, the support of the members of
the community. It is obvious that he does not want to give in to
Kongi's ruler ship. Kongi is a tough and uncompromising character as
he attempts to reverse the old order where the new yam should be
eaten first by the Oba. Soyinka shows the tyranny and dictatorship
behind Kongi’s intentions through Kongi’s demanding attitude about
the festival and tyrannical nature towards others. The dictator Kongi
is expected to rule the country with new and better policies, but he
sticks on the old corrupt rich negative legacy left by the westerns.
Kongi would have been abandoned to die in his youth. The Ogbo
Aweri's speech tells us that it was the mercy had on him by his
community that he wasn't destroyed. The monster child now grows
into a terrorist ordering to those who spared his life. “The monster
child was born, Opele taught us to abandon him ...but the mother said,
oh no, A child is still a child”. It is obvious that Kongi is an absolute
dictator and a tyrant. His head has swelled ''too big for pillow''. Kongi
being a modernist is also vainglorious. He is glorified in being raised
to the status of Christ and is immediately interested in the Secretary's
plans of having his name affixed to all dates in Isma as “Before
Kongi's Harvest and “After Kongi's Harvest.” Kongi cares more
about his power as opposed to the lives of the people and democracy.
Daodu, heir to Danlola and the son of the junior Oba, Sarumi, stands
for the emerging generation, which is oppressed by the political
domination of Kongi. Thus, through this play Soyinka was giving
vent to his hatred of the whole system in Africa. Soyinka makes
Kongi represent the current politics where the corrupt leaders do
anything in order to stay in power. To conclude, throughout this play,
the clash between tradition and modernity is clearly seen through
Kongi and Danlola and how the emerging generation gets suppressed
by this conflict.