Once Upon an Elephant is a Nigerian play by Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan, which uses the narrative style of a traditional Yoruba folktale to deliver a powerful modern political message. The play follows the ascent and tyrannical rule of Olaniyonu, who is proclaimed King, taking the title Ajanaku (the Elephant), with the help of the cunning chief priest and architect, Serubawon. Despite not being the rightful heir, Olaniyonu's reign is marked by terror, abuse of office, and a relentless quest for indomitable power and immortality. This quest leads him to a deadly ritual that requires the rape and subsequent death of virgins. The play reaches its climax when the next intended victim is Serubawon's own daughter, Desola. It is a story of dictatorship, abuse of power, political intrigue, and the eventual triumph of the collective will of the people against a corrupt and wicked regime, heavily borrowing from the Yoruba folktale of the proud elephant and the clever tortoise.