Author: Dr. Dele Kogbe
Reviewed by: Aisha Kabiru
Pages: 70
THE GIRL WHO DARES THE KING by DELE KOGBE really blew my mind. As an 18-year-old girl, I found it super relatable and empowering. Abike, the main character, is only 19 but already so strong and fearless. She stands up to a powerful king and refuses to be silenced, even when everyone around her tells her to give in. Her courage made me reflect on how much pressure young women face to just accept things the way they are, especially in traditional societies. I loved how the story showed that real change can come from one person who refuses to back down, no matter how young they are.
What also stood out to me was how the play balanced tradition with progress. Even though it’s set in a Yoruba town with a powerful king, it didn’t just criticize culture—it showed that culture can evolve when people are brave enough to challenge old systems. The language of the playwright is easy to understand. Despite this simplicity of language, it is yet powerful, and the themes of girls’ education, leadership, and standing up for your rights really hit home. It made me think differently about my own role in society and how I shouldn’t wait to be older to make a difference.
This book is part of a long tradition of protest theatre in Africa, in which drama has offered a form of ‘counter-hegemonic social praxis’, seeking to educate and inform, and highlighting sociopolitical concerns from the point of view of ordinary people who take action against the systems that oppress them. It shows the influence of great Nigerian writers such as Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka. It places Abike’s plight within the larger context of political corruption in Nigeria, with the characters expressing their frustration about the country’s leadership. There is a strong emphasis on problems affecting women: for example, Abike notes an increase in human trafficking, of which women and children are predominantly the victims. Other characters draw attention to issues such as reproductive and maternal health, and the threat of HIV / AIDS.
“The characters are compelling, particularly Abike, who is intelligent, well read and courageous, highly politically aware, and willing to challenge injustice. She bravely challenges her lecturer’s political opinions and inspires a friend to join her in her human rights advocacy. She has volunteered for NGOs, and is committed to bettering her country’s future. The tragedies of her exploitation, as well as her determination to resist it, speak to a larger commitment within Dr Kogbe’s creative and scholarly work to women’s rights in Nigeria.”
The author, a Federal Civil Servant, former lecturer in the Politics and International Relations Department of the University of Dundee, UK and a visiting research fellow at the University of South Wales, has written a book that is an invaluable gift for empowering young girls in Nigeria and beyond.
This is a great book I would recommend to every teenager, especially girls who need to be reminded of their voice and power.
Aisha Kabiru is an undergraduate of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja