grad ed ▁existence ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁world . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁dialog ue ▁of ▁the ▁native ▁suggests ▁that ▁this ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁ins u fficient ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁world ▁is ▁now ▁" ad rift ▁in ▁the ▁void ". ▁ ▁Another ▁Niger ian ▁play w right , ▁D uro ▁Lad ipo , ▁had ▁already ▁written ▁a ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁Y or uba ▁language ▁based ▁on ▁this ▁incident , ▁called ▁O ba ▁w aja ▁(" The ▁King ▁is ▁Dead "). ▁ ▁Th emes ▁and ▁mot ifs ▁ ▁D ut y ▁ ▁Anti - colon ial ism ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁theme ▁by ▁some ▁sch ol ars ▁based ▁on ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁text , ▁but ▁So y ink a ▁specifically ▁calls ▁the ▁colonial ▁factors ▁" an ▁incident , ▁a ▁catal yt ic ▁incident ▁merely " ▁in ▁the ▁" Author ' s ▁Note " ▁prep ended ▁to ▁the ▁play . ▁ ▁Y or uba ▁pro ver bs ▁Al most ▁every ▁character ▁in ▁Death ▁and ▁the ▁King ' s ▁H ors eman ▁at ▁some ▁point ▁uses ▁a ▁traditional ▁Y or uba ▁pro verb . ▁ ▁Through ▁his ▁vast ▁knowledge ▁of ▁Y or uba ▁pro ver bs , ▁So y ink a ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁end ow ▁his ▁play ▁with ▁a ▁strong ▁Y or uba ▁sentiment . ▁ ▁Char acters ▁often ▁employ ▁Y or uba ▁pro ver bs ▁primarily ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁bol ster ing ▁their ▁opinions ▁and ▁persu ading ▁others ▁to ▁take ▁their ▁point ▁of ▁view . ▁ ▁The ▁Pra ise - sing er ▁gets ▁anno yed