This question requires candidates to discuss Yoko’s membership in the Poro cult and its implications on her fate. It was very straightforward and many candidates attempted it.

Candidates’ responses were expected to contain the following:

• Identification of the major theme of the struggle for leadership involving the succession to power in the face of external aggression.  A sub-theme is to the power struggle between men and women in the play.
• Character Identification: Yoko is Gbanya’s favourite wife; beautiful, ambitious and head of the dancers; she is the sister of Lamboi. Yoko becomes the queen of Mende land after the death of Gbanya.
• The membership of the Poro cult: It is a cult officiated by the Gbeni and most of the prominent characters are members of it. Members are not permitted to hurt one another for fear of dire reprisals.

• Yoko’s membership of the Poro: she bears no children as the ‘Poro’ demands and has made all her sacrifices all these years. Her membership of the ‘Poro’ strengthens her claim to the chiefdom. She stands up to Musa’s prohibition on her seeing her husband’s (Gbanya’s) dead body. Her membership of the ‘Poro’ is a basis for the Commissioner’s messenger’s respect for her.
• Yoko’s fall: Members of the ‘Poro’, Musa and Lamboi, conspire against her by killing and burying Jeneba, and blaming it on Yoko. She makes a recourse to the Poro to prove her innocence. Yoko later commits suicide and dies alone, after her innocence has been proved.

Many candidates were able to do these, and the performance was good.