Introduction
Characters are the voice of the author in any works of art. In plays, they come alive and may take different forms depending on the director of the play. In the play Inheritance, David Mulwa creates vivid characters some of whom we may have encountered in real life. For instance, Lacuna Kasoo is a clear mirror of our current Kenyan politicians. He is as greedy as he is detached from the problems facing his people. As we explore characters we need to look at them as people who may have or do exist in real life. A character like Judah Zen Meloh represents a confusion of sorts. The Judah we know in the Bible betrayed Jesus while our Judah in the play does not want to betray his blood brother. Although, we need to tell the difference between Judah and Judas. Talking about Judah, he was the son of Jacob in the Old Testament of the Bible. He is the man who came up with the brilliant idea of selling Joseph Ishmaelites.
Our Judah, on the other hand is neither Judas nor Judah the brother of Joseph. He is the brother of Romanus Bengo and the man who tries in vein to redeem his name after he refused Lacuna Kasoo’s directive of eliminating the stubborn Romanus Bengo.
Other characters like Tamina, Malipoa and Chipande play mute to all the atrocities being committed in Kutula as long as they get by.
In plays, characters play different roles so as to bring out the playwright’s message. In the play Inheritance, David Mulwa creates colonial and post-colonial characters who shape the direction of the play and the ripples of their decisions are felt in the present day Kutula.
Bishop Menninger sets in motion neocolonialism by his plans to assassinate the arrogant King Kutula XV. On the other hand, King Kutula plants a seed of hope in princess Sangoi which manifests itself when princess Sangoi now reverend leads a bloodless revolution that ousts Lacuna Kasoo from power effectively ending the colonial grasp over Kutula.
CHARACTER AND CHARACTERIZATION
LULU ZEN MELO
She is the daughter of Tamina and Judah Zen Melo. Romanus Bengo, the activist is her uncle. Lulu has two brothers both of whom are mentioned but do not play an active role in the play. However, they are pivotal in bringing down Lacuna Kasoo’s leadership.
Lulu is an outstanding student at a local government institution. She has dreams of studying up to university level and becoming a doctor. However, with recession in Kutula, her mother has no money for her university entrance exam.
Lulu gets upset with the complacency of her mother especially when her future is in jeopardy. Her mother’s piety disgusts her. She wants her mother to stop her religious myopism and protest against the dictatorial leadership of Lacuna Kasoo. Nevertheless, it is not just religion that has created fear among the people, Lulu’s mother included, but the fear for the repercussions like those meted on Lulu’s father.
Lulu displays a rather peculiar personality. On the one hand, she is a naive, innocent and easily trusting girl. That is one of the reason she plays a pivotal role in the commemoration of King Kutula’s death. On the other hand, she is a defiant follower of Romanus Bengo and a fearless critic of the gospel of mindless obedience and fear. Her outspokenness and outgoing nature makes her mingle with Robert Rollerston- a key investor in Kutula. Out of politeness, Lacuna does not get to spend the night with Lulu as had been planned. Lacuna is incensed by Lulu’s behaviour but according to Malipoa, the ritual can be performed at a later date.
She, however, stands for the voice of the oppressed young women who are put down by oppressive leadership and backward traditional practices meant to prey on the weak and the vulnerable. Her triumph after Lacuna’s fall is the win for women who have forever been yoked by a retogressive society.
CHARACTER TRAITS
Intelligent/radical/resilient
Lulu is top of her class and an active participant in many of her school’s activities. She nurtures a dream of becoming a doctor. This drives her to join the radicalized in her society. In her struggle she is displays a not-giving-up attitude despite the financial constraints in the familyand the fluctuating Kutula economy.
Rebellious/persistent/insistent/vocal
Lulu is rebels against religious and moral standards of her society. It is not really being rebellious but she speaks defiantly against her mother’s religious and moral beliefs which she alludes to their current state. Her scathing remarks against Bishop Menninger’s religion makes her earn stern discipline from her mother. However, this does not stop her from speaking but marks a journey towards activism which ends up with her interacting with Robert Rollerstone.
Social/outgoing/vibrant
She is a free spirit a character that earns her a leading role in the commemoration ceremony. Her vibrant soul makes her meet and spend the night with Robert Rollerstone. Although, she was supposed to entertain Lacuna Kasoo, she more than engaged with a like-minded individual and young investor Robert Rollestone
Naive/Easily Trusting/vulnerable/weak/Pure
One of the reasons as to why Lulu was chosen is because of her purity. I should point out that the word Lulu is Swahili for Gold. Therefore, Lulu was as pure as gold. However, her naivete landed her in a hot mess when she learned about the true intention of her being invited in the royal palace. Although, she was driven by the desire to find someone who would finance her education, her vulnerability could be hereditary own undoing.
Demanding/Insensitive/provocative/forceful
Lulu is tired of pretending and demands action from her mother. She is insensitive to her parents struggles against the biting poverty and demands that something should be done for her education. Her painful stand makes her appear as a spoilt brat to her mother.
LACUNA KASOO
He is the son of the former King Kutula XVI. He becomes the first leader of the independent Kutula state. As the head of state, Lacuna Kasoo uses his powers to intimidate the people and gain personal wealth as he runs the economy of Kutula down.
Despite the skyrocketing inflation and donors withholding funding, Lacuna is oblivious of the suffering of the masses. He continues to impose stricter rules on the people demanding more concessions on the citizenry. In the silver mines, despite the rickety machines, he demands for more output. This leads to the death of Judah Zen Melo. Around the state, there is massive land grabbing by state to satisfy multinational conglomerate while displacing the poor commofolk.
As can be seen in the play, Lacuna leads his tribesmen and those loyal to him in grabbing state resources. For instance, Lacuna controls the silver mines while Councillor Chipande has large tracts of land in the village from which Lulu resides. Moreover, he rewards those loyal to him with lucrative jobs. He also tortures and fires those who cannot do what has been asked of them.
However, towards the middle of the play, he changes tact. Firstly, he releasedpolitical prisoners including Romanus Bengo. Secondly, he appoints Rev. Sangoi into senior position. Lastly, he reaches out to elders from Bukelenge Basin in order to discuss evacuation plans. Nevertheless, Lacuna’s olive beach was just a veil to get his way. But he was wrong this time. The elders were tired of being manipulated and refused to convince the people to evacuate.
Lacuna represents the voice and puppet of the former colonial masters. Instead of serving his people, he is much more interested in serving two industrialists who control his pocket money. When he fails to pay the industrialists their loans, he realises how vulnerable his position is. Although, he tries to exercise his sovereign power, it is too late because on both sides he has been rejected.
He also represents a class of political elites who believe in the inferiority of their own people. In this regard , they outsource everything subjecting the masses to foreign exploitation. As can be seen in the play, the silver mines and cash crop farming are encouraged over other basic production. In fact, the evacuation from Bukelenge plains is meant for further foreign investment.
CHARACTER TRAITS
Greedy/Corrupt/impatient/
Lacuna Kasoo participates in the execution of his father in order to rise to power. While in power, he uses his position and authority to enrich himself. According to Rollerstone, Lacuna has millions of shillings in foreign accounts. Besides, the loans he takes do not go to economic development as seen in the old machines used by miners in the silver mines. Most of the money is either used for his entertainment or banked for him and his henchmen.
Stupid/Ignorant/Reckless
Lacuna finds pride in associating with internationally financiers whom he believes have his interests at heart. He believes that since he conspired with former colonial masters to end his father, then they owe him. However, when he fails to pay the loans, he realised that business does not have a human face.
Although he is advised by Chipande not to detain the foreigners, he ignores the plea. He also strongly believes in his military despite the growing opposition in the country. That’s one of the reasons he is removed from office.
His ignorance makes him believe Malipoa’s predictions and prophecies when the only thing needed was to listen to his people.
Superstitious/pretender/ignorant/arrogant
Lacuna believes in the wise counsel of Malipoa especially on the matters concerning the leadership of Kutula. He has the notion that he is the rightful heir to the throne of Kutula and that the popular opinion does not count. He pretends to care for the development of his country yet he misuses the loans and grants given by the foreigners to bring development. Lacuna believes that his father was a failure and that he has done more for his country than his predecessor. He talks about free education and healthcare when all that is needed is economic empowerment so that the people can afford education and healthcare among other things. He believes that his subjects do not have intellectual know-how to participate in the complex international trade.
Dictatorial/authoritative/Power hungry
Lacuna is described by Bishop menninger as “an ingenious greedy rascal that’s utterly devoid of human feelings…. Nero and Caligula all rolled into one ambitious mould.”(pg15) In his desire to ascend to power, he assassinated his own father. While in power he uses fear and intimidation to rule and control his subjects. He rewards loyalists like Malipoa and Chipande and torture dissidents like Judah and his brother Bengo. Judah had been asked to get rid of his activist brother but he politely refused. This decision turned around Judah’s life from a successful civil servant to a poor man who would die struggling to make ends meet. Activists like Bengo are jailbirds while loyalists continue to loot the country’s coffers with the help of Lacuna himself
Easy to manipulate/myopic/dependent
Menninger knew Lacuna so well. He is the one who prepared him for the role he would play later in life-that of ending the life of his wife. The foreigners first used him to eliminate the humanitarian leader and then continually used him to loot both the natural and agricultural resources through loans whose interests were very high. Since Lacuna was not a visionary leader he easily fell for easy cash that lands Kutula into inflation. Dependence on foreign aid becomes Lacuna’s major undoing since the people rebel against him.
ROBERT ROLLERSTONE
He is a young energetic foreign investor in Kutula. He plays the role of the bad cop, a business face that has no time for petty conversations like his counterpart Daniel Goldstein.
Robert dislikes Lacuna because he believes that the old geezer has thrown Kutula into turmoil. In fact he fearlessly blames Lacuna for the deplorable condition of the country. However, this should not be construed as a sympathetic foreigner. He is just angry because Lacuna has severally failed to to service the loans extended to the country of Kutula.
Meanwhile, the same Robert who could be construed as a sympathetic foreigner, has compelled Lacuna government to allocate prime plots for foreign investment according to his terms. In this regard, he is contributing to more suffering to those who will be evicted in Bukelenge for the said project.
Therefore, his interests in Kutula are purely business and has no interest with the ‘stupid’ locals who do not know how to utilize the numerous local resource for development.
Nevertheless, Robert saves Lulu from imminent sacrificial ritual organized by Malipoa in the palace. Lulu was supposed to spend the night with Lacuna according to ‘traditions’ after the celebrations to celebrate the death of King Kutula XV. However, that night the oblivious Lulu spent the night entertaining Robert.
CHARACTER TRAITS
Tough/officious/Straightforward
He does not babysit Lacuna Kasoo as Daniel does. He is gruff and bold as he reads out the terms of the loans extended to Kutula and the results for the loans. His official manner makes Lacuna despise him. He readily threatens to take all the money Lacuna and his henchmen have stashed in foreign accounts.
Young/ambitious/business-minded
Robert is young and ambitious. His youth drives him into taking bigger risks to expand company operations in Kutula despite the marauding corruption. However, this time round he does want to finance the agricultural projects with company oversight and leave Lacuna’s government out of it.
Outgoing/good listener/social
When Robert meets the young Lulu, they instantly hit it off and becomes friends. He keen sense of listening makes him gain insights into operations in Kutula and that is why he does not want to pamper Lacuna any further.
Quick-tempered/Unpretentious/concerned/arrogant
Robert knew very well the operations in Kutula and how the leadership misappropriated state resources. For this reason he hated them and did not want to play any games with them. He also shows concern for the local people and that’s why he wants to invest in them. However, he does not ask the people what they should want since he believes that his company has all the answers for the ‘ignorant’ folk
ROMANUS BENGO
Romanus Bengo is the brother to Judah Zen Melo and uncle to Lulu and her two brothers.
He is the leading civil rights activist in Kutula having escaped death when his brother Judah refused to finish him as had been ordered by Lacuna Kasoo.
According to Tamina, Judah had cursed Judah since it is Judah’s activism that had made them lose their jobs, cars and lands and were now living in abject poverty. Tamina does seem to blame Romanus for the situation in her household.
However, Romanus is adamant. He believes that the only way out of Kutula’s situation is to speak against Lacuna’s excesses despite the apparent challenges. Lulu shares her uncle’ssentiments and so does her brother’s who join him in the revolution that ousts Lacuna Kasoo from power. Therefore, Romanus becomes the voice of reason and hope in the play.
CHARACTER TRAITS Calm/patient/persistent
He displays a calm demeanour even in times when he is incarcerated. He shows patience because he knows fully well that he is dealing with people confronted by teachings of submission and respect for those in authority and the poor. He does not give up in his fight even when imprisoned.
Educated/radicalized/brave/courageous/fearless
Judah made sure that Bengo obtained the best education in Kutula. It is this education that exposed Bengo to the suffering of his people and made him decide to fight for the rights of the people. Despite the prosecution of rights activists, Bengo displayed courage knowing fully well the risks to which he exposed himself.
Hopeful/reliable/charismatic/dependable
Bengo is hopeful that he will overcome Lacuna’s reign of tyranny. He makes sure that he is reliable and using his wit and charm attracts a huge following.
Kind/forgiving/understanding
Bengo accommodates everyone and does not take it to heart when his brother curses him. He also understands why Tamina hates and despises him.
TAMINA ZEN MELO
Tamina is the wide of Judah Zen Melo. She has three children with him among them Lulu. Currently, Tamina lives in poverty. She is pained by the fact that she has been compelled to live a miserable life because of her stubborn brother-in-law.
Instead of Tamina blaming her situation on Lacuna’s situation, she blames it on her brother-in-law. She is among the majority who believe in doing nothing even when the leadership is blatantly corrupt and unreasonable. She believes that Lacuna was annointed by God and only God shall remove him from office. She is patient as she is prayerful.
Nevertheless, towards the end, she joined the protesting bandwagon that yanks Lacuna from office. This happens late for she had previously lost her husband.
DANIEL GOLDSTEIN
Daniel Goldstein is a company man. Together with Robert Rollerstone, they represent neo-colonial interests in Kutula. Goldstein is a wide old man who knows how to manipulate Lacuna Kasoo. He is the man looks towards as a friend and a confidant.
He builds such trust in Lacuna which makes Lacuna feel comfortable to work with him. However, once he has put Lacuna into his grasp, he brings in Robert to finish what Goldstein had started.
The withdrawal of Goldstein is very tactical since he shows that there is nothing he can do to help. Goldstein claims that business has no human face.
Goldstein’s mannerisms and conduct are the very core of how the situation is in Kutula. He is unlike his counterpart Robert. He is ruthless and cunning. He uses polite talk and praise to uplift Lacuna then once he has gotten an opportunity, he takes a business tone tearing down Lacuna. He knows very well that Lacuna leads a bunch of greedy uneducated loyalists who do not understand investments, but he keeps on extending loans which are grabbed and carted to foreign accounts.
Hiding on the principle of sovereignty, he choses not to pursue the matter of rampant corruption in Kutula. However, when his business is threatened by the huge loans taken by Lacuna, he is ready to take what readily belongs to him including emptying Lacuna’s foreign accounts.
CHARACTER TRAITS
Firm/Calm/Intelligent/Wise/brilliant/calculating/Categorical
He speaks calmly and wins Lacuna’s confidence. Thereafter, he walks Lacuna through the financial debt the leadership owes him until he reduces Lacuna into a helpless beggar. When they started speaking, Lacuna had the authority but towards the end of the conversation we realize that Lacuna is just a puppet but power belongs to Daniel Goldstein. He knows exactly how to put Lacuna in his place despite Lacuna’s arrogance.
Manipulative/cunning/Liberal
Goldstein averted Lacuna’s desire for power to greed for money. In this way, he knew Lacuna being lazy and stupid, he won’t look for opportunities to create wealth but take the easy way out- borrow loans. At the beginning he made sure that the loans appeared to have been a mutual consent between two parties. However, he knew pretty well that the loans would be a noose around the people of Kutula especially given the fact that the leadership was clueless. Have bagged Kutula’s resources, he takes a liberal stand and throws in Robert Rollerstone- a fierce financier who makes Lacuna regret his decisions. On the other hand, Daniel plays as helpless as Lacuna.
Heartless/Pretender/aloof
Daniel knew very well the insatiable greed Lacuna and his cabinet had, however, he continued to finance Lacuna’s government. The huge debt coupled with inflation lands a majority of the people of Kutula into abject poverty. However, Daniel’s company still has the audacity to proclaim further investment that would evacuate the people from their homes in Bukelenge Valley.
COUNCILLOR CHIPANDE
Chipande is Lacuna’s trusted hand in running Kutula. He is a people pleaser and astute follower of Lacuna. Together with Malipoa, they form a ring of trusted allies of Lacuna.
Using their positions and power, they enrich themselves by grabbing up lands and embezzling government resources. Chipande is Lacuna Kasoo’s strongest ally. He is there to advice Lacuna Kasoo to tread lightly infront of the two white people. As can be seen, he employs a modest and humble tone with the westerners but is bossy around his countrymen. He believes in the colonial mindset of being ruthless to keep the natives in tow.
As a land owner, Chipande pays his employees peanuts so as to keep them coming. He does not extend credit facilities and that is why Tamina has no savings or nowhere to turn when Lulu asks for school fees money.
COUNCILLOR MALIPOA
Together with Chipande, they are the closest and most trusted leaders who surround Lacuna Kasoo. Malipoa plays as the traditional and religious advisor to Lacuna Kasoo just like Menninger was the advisor to the colonial Governor Thorne Macay.
As a religious advisor, Malipoa ensures that he continues to incalculate religious rituals that raise Lacuna to Devine status. In this regard, people of Kutula believe that the Lacuna was chosen by God and no one can supplant him from the office. It is Malipoa traditional rituals that keep Lacuna in office for long.
Malipoa also demands certain privileges to be extended to the leader. An example is that the people should offer a pure girl teenager to Lacuna as a piece of sacrifice to appease the ancestors and bless Kutula. It is for this reason that Lulu had been chosen to entertain Lacuna Kasoo.
PRINCESS/ REVEREND SANGOI
She is Lacuna Kasoo’s half-sister. She has been adopted by the late King Kutula the XV because of her intelligence and wit. Although she had come from poor background, the little girl was infatuated by the white man’s religion and education.
King Kutula seeing this, he requested that Bishop Menninger should ensure that the girl obtained the best of the white man’s education. However, Menninger had other plans for the girl-he wanted to make her a good for nothing religious and philosophical fanatic who would have nothing to do with the suffering of her people but fervently in search of the white man’s philosophies burried in books.
Menninger was wrong. It seems the King had seen something human in the little girl. For although the girl grew to become a Reverend, she never forgot her people. In fact she used the bible to elevate the suffering of her people and fight for the muffled freedoms.
This made her at loggerheads with her half-brother Lacuna Kasoo. Kasoo tries to buy her by appointing her into office as councillor and representative of the people but she refuses to silence the voice of the people. Instead she leads the opposition against Lacuna Kasoo and his foreign saboteurs.
JUDAH ZEN MELO
Judah is the father to three children, Lulu and her two brothers. He is the husband to Tamina. He is also the brother to Romanus Bengo.
Judah is an obedient folower to Lacuna Kasoo. He rises above the ranks and becomes one of the most powerful people in Kutula. However, Judah’s brother Romanus Bengo, refuses to tow the line. He becomes a leading activist in Kutula. When Lacuna Kasoo asks Judah to deal with his brother Bengo. Judah declines because he cannot shed the blood of his own brother.
Thereafter, Judah is attacked by a mysterious gang that leaves him for dead. When he recovers, thanks to Reverend Sangoi’s husband. He finds out that he has lost favour with Lacuna Kasoo. For the rest of his life he would work hard to please Lacuna to no avail until when he is killed at the mines.
KING KUTULA XV
King Kutula XV was the last post colonial leader in Kutula. He was the father to Lacuna Kasoo, who succeeded him and Reverend Sangoi- an adopted child.
King Kutula appears in the prologue. He is one of the driving force behind the activism manifested in Romanus and Sangoi.
Kutula’s wisdom and defiance drives the colonial authorities to device a means of eliminating him. Kutula favours complete emancipation as opposed to political freedom when the economy of his people is still in the tentacles of the super powers. His sentiments are shared by Sangoi, who when she released the two foreign friends declared that Kutula was ready to do business with them at her own discretion.
GOVERNOR THORNE MACAY
He is the last colonial Governor of Kutula. He hopes to continue the exploitation of Kutula by foreign force. However, he meets a defiant King Kutula.
According to conversation between Kutula and Macay, the Governor turns out to be illiterate to Kutula customs and manner of speaking. He is also oblivious to the suffering of the people as he leads a lavish lifestyle while the majority are languishing in abject poverty.
His inhumanity blinds him to the fact that the colonial authority is in fact milking the people dry instead of creating an environment of development and prosperity. He is more interested in Kutula’s mineral and natural resources as opposed to humanitarian interests.
BISHOP MENNINGER
He is a representative of colonialist religion. As it were, this religion was tailored to raise submissive initiates who have little opposition to their own humiliation.
Seeing that King Kutula would jeopardize his plans, he hatches a plan to eliminate the king. He also plans to also induct Sangoi into the field of academia such that she has no mind of her own or plans to liberate her people from implanted ignorance.
His plans for King Kutula succeeds in driving the king to death and raising Lacuna into power. However, instead of Sangoi being brainwashed, she comes out well educated in matter political freedom and economic emancipation which she plans to use to bring an about turn in Kutula’s deplorable poverty.
Wam Literature 