SUMMARY,

THEMES AND
UGWU LAWRENCE ENENCHE
{M.A literature}
ANALYSIS
OF
Let Me Die Alone
by John Kolosa Kargbo
FEMALE CHIEFS IN AFRICA
UGWU LAWRENCE ENENCHE
{M.A literature}
 LEARNING PREVIEW:
Characters and
characterization in
the text Answer questions

feminism and its

STOP
types Background/Summary
of the text

Themes in the play

UGWU LAWRENCE ENENCHE

{M.A literature}
 Background of the text
The text is based on the times of Madam Yoko, a legendary
monarch of the people of the Mende people. At a time
when feminism is gaining prominence in Africa, it is
sacrosanct we consider a text that lends a voice to gender
struggles and a woman who experienced similar
struggles to become the first notable female Paramount
Chief over the Mende people in the Southern Province of
Sierra Leone. Throughout her reign, her femaleness
remained at the core of many crises within and without
her chiefdom.
 Background of the text…
In this play, John Kolosa Kargbo depicts the life of
this celebrated female ruler in Let Me Die Alone as a
beautiful, ambitious and courageous woman who joins
an all-male secret society (the feared Poro Society) and
consequently loses her right to motherhood though not
to her sexuality. In becoming a male-female, Yoko is
much feared by her male contemporaries, envied by
women in her constituency, and doubly pliable in the
hands of the British rulers.
 Summary of the text (Act 1)
The text is divided into three Acts. In the
first act, Yoko is raped by her husband Chief
Gbanya. Later on, Chief Gbanya receives news
of the Governor’s visit. This fear also leads to
rethinking his decision to hand over the
throne to his wife Yoko. Eventually,
conspirators succeed in killing Chief Gbanya
but not without him making Yoko the Chief.
 Summary of the text (Act 2)
For the second act, we have Ndapi, son of
Chief Gbanya strategies on how to stop Chief
Yoko from embarking on a war. Jilo, the
unfaithful wife of Ndapi aids this plan.
Eventually, Chief Yoko expands the territory but
still lives in fear and misses motherhood. Jilo’s
acts catches up with her and her lover is
exposed. Afterwards, Jeneba, Jilo’s daughter is
kidnapped and later killed.
 Summary of the text (Act 3)
In act three, Chief Yoko had to answer the Governor’s
call. This leads to handing the throne to her enemies;
Musa and Lamboi. They plot against her before she
returns. She suffers great humiliation for she is accused
of burying Jeneba alive for spiritual powers. Later,
Jeneba’s body is found and the secret is revealed. In the
Poro bush, Queen Yoko feels used by the Governor
because he sends a message instructing her to reduce
her territorial control. As a result of the feeling of being
used by the Governor , she decides to die alone by taking
poison.
 Themes in the play
There are several themes in the play. Some of them are:
(1) Intrigue and Murder: the quest for political power in the
play stimulates high level of intrigues culminating into
murder and broken relationships. Jeneba, an innocent girl
is killed by Lamboi and Musa in an attempt to tarnish the
image of Yoko and remove her from the throne. Also,
Lamboi, aided by Musa, poisoned Gbanya to death. The
death of Yoko was indirectly caused by the duo too.
 (2) Imposition and Resistance
Gbanya tries to impose Ndapi on the
throne, Yoko resists and eventually got the
nod of her husband because of the treachery
of Lamboi and Musa. Lamboi and Musa also
try to impose themselves on the throne of
Senehun but Poro, the peoples oracle resists.
Governor Rowe imposes taxes on the people
but they also resist the imposition.
 (3) Betrayal
Gbanya trusts his medicine man, Musa and Lamboi
one of his trusted warriors and brother to his wife, Yoko.
These two unfortunately betrayed this trust. It is in their
hands he dies. Musa poisons Gbanya under the pretence
that he is administering pain relief medicine to him.
Similarly, Governor Rowe betrays Yoko’s loyalty by
devolving her powers to humiliate her. Lansana also
betrays his friend, Ndapi by seducing and sleeping with
his wife, Jilo.
(4) Modern Feminist Concern
The play is a feminist critique of a masculinist culture, at a time
when feminism as a theme was still unpopular and rare among the
male playwrights in Africa. Kargbo deals with wife beating, male
prejudice against female leadership, the problem of loveless
marriages, and the tendency to measure masculine virility and
sexual dominance against female oppression and sexual
dominance it also considers relations between husbands and
wives, women forced into loveless marriages, brutal husbands,
women forced into stereotype roles, and the right of women to
determine whether their femininity should consist solely in their
ability to bear children.
(5) Bargain for Power and Dominance
Conflicts and struggles within that traditional society
itself was laced with various elements of jockey and
bargain for power and dominance. Yoko bargained for
power from her husband and got it. She goes to
expansionist wars to extend and expand her power base.
When Rowe tries to reduce her territorial control and
dominance, she feels insulted, humiliated and
consequently commits suicide. Lamboi her brother also
bargained for power using intrigue, blackmail and murder
but fails woefully.
 The Major Characters’ Review
1) Chief Gbanya
2) Chief Madam Yoko
3) Lamboi
4) Musa (8) Governor Samuel Rowel
5) Ndapi (9) Jeneba
6) Lansana (10) Lavalie
7) Jilo
 The Minor Characters’ Review
1) Musu (7) The Colonial Soldiers
2) Fanneh (8) Girl
3) Kpako (A Guard)
4) The Messengers
5) Sande Dancers:
6) John Caulker and George Caulker
 Class Activity
1) Let Me Die Alone raises some concerns about women
and leadership. What are these issues and the women’s
response to them?
2) Can men and women have equal rights in African
society? Write out your opinion in the context of Let Me
Die by J. Kolosa Kagbo.
 About The Writer
• “Mr. Ugwu Lawrence Enenche (M.A, B.A {literature}, PGDE, DL, DC) is an organized
professional lecturer/teacher with strong subject knowledge and practical
experience, providing high quality lessons delivery to students and furthering
the cause of education by implementing successful teaching practices
learned over the years of working as a school teacher, university lecturer and
facilitator with students of different backgrounds and cultures. He is a prolific
writer and reputable researcher on African literature and folklore. His poems,
articles, research works, short stories and novels have won several awards.
His recent novels are Just After Dawn, A Talking Dream, Gone With Love and
Concrete Shadows.”
• Contact: ennywall1234@gmail.com