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A fascinating tale of cultural intersection has resurfaced, shedding light on a remarkable encounter between Western literature and Tiv tradition. Between 1949 and 1953, American anthropologist Laura Bohannan, alongside her husband, resided in the home of Ikyaagba Akpeye in Mbaduku, located in today’s Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. This stay inspired one of the most celebrated anthropological essays, “Shakespeare in the Bush,” detailing a profound exchange that challenged Western assumptions about universal storytelling.
Bohannan, sharing Shakespeare’s Hamlet with Ikyaagba and the Tiv elders, believed the tale of betrayal, love, and revenge would resonate universally. However, the elders, led by Ikyaagba, offered a different perspective. When Bohannan described Hamlet encountering his father’s ghost, Ikyaagba corrected her with calm authority, stating, “Dead men do not walk—it must be an omen sent by a witch.” The elders further nodded in approval when Claudius’s marriage to his brother’s widow was mentioned, viewing it as a rightful continuation of the family line under Tiv customs.
This dialogue revealed *Hamlet* not as a Western tragedy but as a Tiv story rich with omens, witchcraft, and kinship laws. The encounter highlighted the depth of Tiv wisdom and the intellectual strength of its elders, turning what Western scholars might have labeled “primitive” into a sophisticated worldview capable of reinterpreting Shakespeare himself.
Ikyaagba Akpeye and his peers emerged as philosophers of the earth, carrying history and culture in their speech and understanding. From this Mbaduku household, a seed of knowledge was planted, one that continues to bear fruit. In later generations, the Akpeye family became a lineage of educated graduates, leaders, and thinkers, tracing their brilliance back to this foundation of wisdom.
Today, the preserved image of Ikyaagba Akpeye serves as a reminder that true knowledge is not confined to libraries. Sometimes, it sits by the fireside, a calabash of beer in hand, explaining Hamlet with greater insight than any Oxford scholar could muster. This picture of Ikyaagba Akpeye of Mbaduku, the elder whose wisdom made Shakespeare Tiv, stands as a testament to the enduring power of cultural exchange.
