influences in the play is Western education Lakunle who represents modernization is educated in the capital city of Lagos He admires Western ideas like gender equality modern technology and European-style marriages Lakunle refuses to pay Sidi s bride-price because he considers it an outdated and barbaric tradition He values modern thinking over tradition Lakunle thinks paying bride-price for a wife is like buying a cow from the village market To pay the price would be To buy a heifer off the market stall While this idea sounds fair Lakunle s actions reveal that his understanding is shallow He claims to believe in equality but his actions show otherwise He calls Sidi ignorant and insults her intelligence You are as stubborn As an illiterate goat It suggests that Lakunle s modern beliefs are shallow He tries to force his ideas on her without respecting her views This shows one negative side of modernization it can make people like Lakunle look down on their own culture and traditions Instead of understanding Sidi s point and working to improve African traditions Lakunle blindly follows Western ways He ignores the values and customs of his village This attitude creates a divide between him and the rest of the villagers He ultimately loses his love Sidi as she chooses the more powerful village chief Baroka Rejection of Traditional Values Modernization also leads to a rejection of traditional African values Lakunle criticizes the customs of Ilujinle such as bride-price and polygamy However he does not offer practical solutions for the problems these customs may cause For example while he wants women to be free and equal he does not respect Sidi s choice Sidi thinks marrying without her bride-price would make her a laughing object in the village She tells Lakunle Will you make me A laughing-stock Lakunle does not respect Sidi s choice to follow her village s traditions This creates a situation where modernization is seen as a threat to cultural identity Baroka the Bale opposes modernization when it does not suit him He prevents a railway from being built near the village He claims it would destroy their way of life However Baroka is not completely against modernization He uses a stamp-making machine to modernize his administration but this benefits only him This shows another problem modernization often benefits only those in power Cultural Identity The influence of Western culture also creates confusion and loss of identity Sidi s photographs in the magazine symbolize how modernization objectifies African beauty Sidi becomes proud and vain She thinks her beauty gives her power She says I am greater than the living god among men This pride blinds her to Baroka s trickery Baroka manipulates and rapes her Through this Soyinka shows how modernization can strip people of their cultural identity In essence Wole Soyinka highlights the negative effects of modernization on African society in The Lion and the Jewel Western education and rejection of traditions can create division Soyinka suggests that modernization is not inherently bad but it should work alongside traditions not against them Modernization must preserve cultural identity