About the Playwright
Raymond Caleb Ayodele, alias “Dele”, born in Freetown on March 27, 1948 Freetown. Charley was a Sierra Leonean writer and playwright in English and Krio language.
He studied in Freetown and London and worked for the Ministry of Education. He was also a playwright and director. Co-founder of the Tabule Theatre.
Dele died on 8 May 1993 in Freetown, Sierra Leonean.
THE PLOT
The very incident of colonialism, greed and selfishness in Africa is exemplified in this drama, Blood of a Stranger, in the light if a village named Mando. Maligu, the Chief Adviser to King Santigi Mando V of Mando land, receives a letter from his brother in the town that informs him that a Whiteman – whitehead – is coming to Mando land to mine diamonds in the disguise of farming tobacco. Unfortunately, strangers are not allowed in Mando land anymore since the communal war ended. This is a warning from the gods which if violated will bring calamite to the land. However, to carry out his task, Maligu went to Soko, The Chief priest of Mando land, and blackmailed him to prophesy that a stranger is coming to the land and should be welcomed.
Soko, reveals the fake prophesy to Mando people. Since he is the eye of the gods and the intermediary between the living and the ancestors, the people believe his revelation expect Kindo who is the Prince and the Chief Warrior of the Land. Kindo is suspicious of Soko’s prophesy because he knows that Soko do compromise in his duty as a priest. On arrival, Mr. Whiteheads tells Maligu his full plan. He intends to have the people mine and bring the diamond to him by falsely telling them that the stone is an evil stone. Meanwhile, Whitehead has lied to the King that he came to help the people of Mando land. To begin hais plan, Whitehead, through the help of Maligu, gave hard drugs and alcohol to the king and they became intoxicated them.
In order to conclude their plans, Maligu and Whitehead sends Parker to kill Soko. Kindo then kills Parker for killing Soko. As such Maligu and Whitehead persuaded the king to banish Kindo for killing someone during peace time. The King banishes Kindo, but, before Kindo left, he kills Whitehead.
The drama is a tragedy and it is open ended.
SETTING
The drama is set in a village called Mando in old Sierra Leone, during the colonial era.
CAST
Kindo — Prince and Chief Warrior of Mando land
Maligu — Chief Adviser to the King
Santigi — King of Mando land
Sima — Palace guard
Soko — Chief Priest of Mando land
Wara — Kindo’s secret Lover
Whitehead — White stranger that came to Mando land.
Do you think that Whitehead would have built the school if he was alive to lay hands on the diamond?
Litionary 