The significance of the title The Lion and the Jewel depicts the relationship between the two leading characters of the play. The chieftain of the village Ilujinle, a Yoruba village in West Africa, is named Baroka, and is known as the "Lion." He is sixty-two years old and is able to deceive the village belle, Sidi. As the title indicates, Sidi is the "Jewel" of the village who gets tricked by Baroka and ends up sleeping with him. Sidi is a vain, flirtatious individual who is awed by Baroka's plan to use her image on Ilujinle's stamps. Baroka is the most revered man in the village and cunningly convinces his senior wife, Sadiku, that he is impotent. Baroka is aware of the fact that Sadiku will gossip and spread the information to the beautiful Sidi. Sidi believes Sadiku and enters Baroka's palace, unaware of his plan to woo her. The "Lion" successfully engages in sexual relations with the "Jewel," and she ends up marrying him.
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