This question is based on Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel I was there when it happened to your father The line above is in reference to

Answer Details

The line "I was there when it happened to your father" is a reference to Baroka's impotency. In Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel, Baroka (the Bale of Ilujinle) uses a cunning scheme to lure Sidi to his palace. He instructs his head wife, Sadiku, to tell Sidi that he has become impotent. The line in question is part of the testimony about this alleged condition, linking it to a hereditary pattern by claiming that the same thing happened to Baroka's father.

This supposed impotency is central to the "Noon" section of the play. Sadiku, believing the claim to be true, celebrates what she sees as the triumph of women over male virility. She convinces Sidi that Baroka is harmless, which leads Sidi to visit him without fear. The claim of impotency turns out to be a deliberate ruse by Baroka, who successfully seduces Sidi during her visit. The reference to "your father" places the claim within a family context, making it about Baroka's lineage.