is a renowned play by Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian author Wole Soyinka . First published in 1975, it is based on a real historical incident that occurred in the ancient Yoruba city of Oyo, Nigeria, in 1946. The drama centers on the ritual suicide required of the king’s chief horseman, Elesin Oba, following the death of the king, and the catastrophic consequences that arise when colonial authorities intervene . Plot Summary
The play unfolds in five scenes that take place over a single night. Death and the King's Horseman: A Play: Soyinka, Wole Death and the King's Horseman: A Play