Indigenous tradition in soyinka's death and the king's horseman

Wole Soyinka is a renowned Nigerian dramatist, who was awarded Nobel Prize in 1986, for his accomplishment in the field of literature. He is a prolific writer and versatile genius of African continent. His works are based on Yoruban society, culture, tradition and politics of Africa. The dramatic environment that Soyinka creates has been enriched with variegated realistic scenes portraying African life very exactly and fashions and characters holding a mirror up to nature and presenting life as it is.

His play Death and the King's Horseman treats the metaphysical issue death and transition. Death, which occurs by the ritual of sacrifice, is considered as a rejuvenating power or life to the livings. Such sacrifice is intruded by a British officer, Pilkings and his retinue. The protagonist's procrastination and love for physical world lead him to face the tragedy. Apart from that, the white's ideology of survival and the philosophy of the native people are explicated through the rituals of Yoruba.