RE-IMAGINING OGUN in SELECTED NIGERIAN PLAYS: a DECOLONIAL READING by OLUWASUJI OLUTOBA GBOYEGA Submitted in Accordance With
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RE-IMAGINING OGUN IN SELECTED NIGERIAN PLAYS: A DECOLONIAL READING By OLUWASUJI OLUTOBA GBOYEGA Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY In the subject of ENGLISH At the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR JESSICA MURRAY CO-SUPERVISOR: DR NAOMI NKEALAH JUNE 2018 DECLARATION Student Number: 48394564 I, Oluwasuji Olutoba Gboyega, declare that RE-IMAGINING OGUN IN SELECTED NIGERIAN PLAYS: A DECOLONIAL READING is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. ________________________ 09-04-2019_______ SIGNATURE DATE i ABSTRACT Through an in-depth analysis of selected texts, this study engages with the ways in which Ogun is reimagined by recent selected Nigerian playwrights. Early writers from this country, influenced by their modernist education, misrepresented Ogun by presenting only his so-called negative attributes. Contemporary writers are reconceptualising him; it is the task of this thesis to demonstrate how they are doing so from a decolonial perspective. These alleged attributes represent Ogun as a wicked, bloodthirsty, arrogant and hot tempered god who only kills and makes no positive contribution to the Yoruba community. The thesis argues that the notion of an African god should be viewed from an Afrocentric perspective, not a Eurocentric one, which might lead to violence or misrepresentation of him. The dialogue in the plays conveys how the playwrights have constructed their main characters as Ogun representatives in their society. For example, Mojagbe and Morontonu present Balogun, the chief warlord of their different community; both characters exhibit Ogun features of defending their community. The chosen plays for this study are selected based on different notions of Ogun, the Yoruba god of iron and war, presented by the playwrights. A closer look at the primary materials this thesis explores suggests Ogun’s strong connection with rituals and cultural festivals. These plays exemplify African ritual theatre. Being a member of the Yoruba ethnic group, I have considerable knowledge of how festivals are performed. The Ogun festival is an annual celebration among the Yoruba, where African idioms of puppetry, masquerading, music, dance, mime, invocation, evocation and several elements of drama are incorporated into the performances. The selected plays critiqued in this thesis are Mojagbe (Ahmed Yerima, 2008), Battles of Pleasure (Peter Omoko, 2009), Hard Choice (Sunnie Ododo, 2011), and Morontonu (Alex Roy-Omoni, 2012). No in-depth exploration has previously been undertaken into the kinds of textual and ideological identities that Ogun adopts, especially in the selected plays. Therefore, using a decolonial epistemic perspective, this study offers a critical examination of how the selected Nigerian playwrights between the years 2008 and 2012 have constructed Ogun, the Yoruba god of iron. Such a perspective assists in delinking interpretations from the modernised notions mentioned above, in which Ogun is sometimes a paradoxical god. Coloniality is responsible for such misinterpretation; the employed theoretical framework is used to interrogate these notions. The research project begins with a general introduction locating Ogun in Yoruba mythology, which forms the background to how the god is being constructed in Yorubaland. Also included ii in this first chapter is a discussion on a decolonial perspective, the principles of coloniality, the aims and objective of the study, and the relevant literature review. Thereafter, chapter two focuses on Battles of Pleasure and argues that the play re-imagines Ogun as a god of peace and harvest as opposed to a god of war and destruction. Chapter three discusses how Ododo’s Hard Choice reconceptualises Ogun as a god of justice, in contrast to him being interpreted as a god who engages in reckless devastation of life. Chapter four explores Ogun’s representation in Yerima’s Mojagbe as a reformer who gives human beings ample time to change from their wayward course to a course that he approves. In chapter five, Ogun’s reconception as a remover of obstacles in Roy-Omoni’s Morontonu is examined. The study concludes with a discussion on how Africans should delink themselves from a modernist Eurocentric perspective and think from an Afrocentric locus of enunciation. Keywords Battles of Pleasure; coloniality; coloniality of being; coloniality of knowledge; coloniality of power; decolonial epistemic perspective; decoloniality; Hard Choice; Mojagbe; Morontonu; Ogun; reconceptualisation; reconstruction; reimagination; South-West Nigeria; Yoruba iii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my wife Ayodeji and Tiwaladeoluwa, my lovely son. Thanks for your love, time, support and understanding. Thanks for always encouraging me not to give up. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My gratitude to God for the wisdom and understanding to be able to come up with this study. During my PhD journey, many people and institutions have contributed in one way or the other to make the journey fruitful and comfortable. I would like to express my appreciation to my supervisors, Professor Jessica Murray and Dr Naomi Nkealah, for their immense guidance and tutelage. They have both shown me the definition of supervision through constant encouragement and giving suggestions whenever necessary. They tirelessly instilled the zeal of believing in my ability. Now I can boldly say that I have fulfilled my late parents’ wish of getting my doctorate; I have engraved you in my heart knowing fully well that you will be part of me forever. I am so grateful to Engineer and Mrs Tope Oluwasuji, who have supported me in every aspect since my high school days, God will continue to bless and increase you. In addition, to my siblings in Oluwasuji and my in-laws in the Bamgboye family, who have always been telling me to follow my dream, I want to say I appreciate you all. Funbi Bunmi Oluwasuji, continue to rest in peace; your death is still shocking to me, but God loves you more. I am grateful to my friends; Izu Benjamin, Ovbiebo David, Seun Ologunleko, Hon Agunbiade Oyebiade, Adekanye Olaniyi, Esan Omobayo, Ogundeles, and Onakoyas. I would like to thank Iwayemi Collins for his assistance in 2011 when I was processing my visa to South Africa. Oguncollins, as I always call you, I appreciate your encouragement and brotherly love. In one time or the other, I had to seek academic assistance and I am fortunate enough to have learned much from Professor David Levey, Professor Sopelekae Maithufi, Professor Fetson Kalua, Dr Benjamin Ohwovoriole, Vivienne Hlatshwayo, Professor Sithole Tendayi, Kelani Yakubu, Rantimi Adeoye, Asanda Nogqala, Dr Oluranti Samuel, Dr Stephen Oluyemi, Chidochase Nyere, and colleagues in ENG 1502, ENG 1512 and ENN 1504, God bless you all. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the University of South Africa Financial Bureau for funding this study. In addition, I appreciate the resource support that I obtained from the UNISA library staff, especially Dawie Malan. I am also thankful to all the pastorate and members of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Mount Zion Parish, Pretoria, for their support always. v Table of Contents RE-IMAGINING OGUN IN SELECTED NIGERIAN PLAYS: A DECOLONIAL READING .................................................................................................................................................... 2 DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................ i ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... vi 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Locating Ogun in Yoruba mythology ......................................................................... 1 1.2 Decolonial epistemic perspective: a theoretical intervention .................................... 15 1.3 Principles of coloniality ............................................................................................ 16 1.4 Why decoloniality to study Ogun? ............................................................................ 18 1.5 Concepts of coloniality of knowledge, being and power .......................................... 23 1.5.1 Coloniality of power .......................................................................................... 23 1.5.2 Coloniality of knowledge ................................................................................... 26 1.5.3 Coloniality of being ........................................................................................... 29 1.6 Application and significance of the pillars ................................................................ 31 1.7 Relevance of Yoruba oriki (panegyric) to the understanding of Ogun ..................... 32 1.8 Conclusion ................................................................................................................