Òrisa je n’pe meji… Ribaldry, rhythms and rivalry in Kengbe bridal performance of the Ilorin people

Abstract

The patriarchal structure of most African societies demands that women should be only seen and not heard. However, from time immemorial, African women have devised creative means to express themselves via oral traditions. In Nigeria, bridal performances are theatrical in nature, incorporating performative arts such as singing, chanting, dancing, and mimesis. The Kengbe bridal performance is a crucial aspect of wedding ceremonies among the Ilorin people of Kwara State, Nigeria. Beyond the aim of spicing up the entire wedding ceremony, the artistic elements embedded in Kengbe performance serve as viable means of expressing the culture, traditions and social values of the Ilorin people, particularly from the perspective of the typical Ilorin woman. It is observed that the emotions which typify the life of an average Ilorin female, as she negotiates her diverse roles in her immediate society finds expression in the Kengbe performance. Using the “Orisa je n’pe meji…” Yoruba maxim and the African womanism theory as searchlight, therefore, this paper examines the dynamics in the relationships between co-wives, mothers-in-law and the husband as expressed in the Kengbe bridal performance. Questions which are raised around the layers of the Kengbe bridal performance are: what is the structure of the performance? What are the subtexts in the performance? What does the performance seek to achieve? This paper finds that the Kengbe bridal performance explores salient themes such as love, sisterhood, rivalry, sexuality, fertility, and religion within the Ilorin worldview. It concludes that the performance derives greatly from the socio-cultural realities of the Ilorin women, and gives them a voice hard to ignore.