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THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION in CONTEMPORARY Scramble and Partition for Content: the Place of Africa in a NIGERIA: a STUDY of OLA ROTIMI's Globalized Programmes Market”

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THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION in CONTEMPORARY Scramble and Partition for Content: the Place of Africa in a NIGERIA: a STUDY of OLA ROTIMI's Globalized Programmes Market” Joel A. Fanyam & Richard K. Gbilekaa 95 96 Idachaba, Aduku, Armstrong and Dandaura, Samu, Emmanuel. “The THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION IN CONTEMPORARY Scramble and Partition for Content: The Place of Africa in a NIGERIA: A STUDY OF OLA ROTIMI'S Globalized Programmes Market”. Eds. Emmanuel Samu, IF--- A TRAGEDY OF THE RULED AND OUR HUSBAND Dandaura and Alex Chinwuba Asigbo. Theatre, Culture and Re- HAS GONE MAD AGAIN Imaging Nigeria. Keffi: Society of Nigeria theatre Artists (SONTA), 2010. Kieran, Mathew. “Value of Art”. Eds. Berys Gaut and Dominic Mclever Harold Fyneface Lopes THE ROUTLEDGE COMPANION TO AESTHETICS. London: Routledge, 2002. Abstract McMahon, Anne, Jennifer. “Beauty”. The Rutledge Companion to Aesthetics. The neglect of leadership, be it political or military after the advent of Eds. Berys Gaut and Dominic McIver Lopes. London: Routledge, the white missionaries who came to administer or govern Nigeria 2003. Nixon, Rob. “Environmentalism and Post colonialism”. Eds. Tejumola after its amalgamation can be traceable to the lack of clear cut political Olaniyan and Ato Quayson. African Literature: An Anthology of ideologies of rulership from the period when Nigeria gained Criticism and Theory. Australia: Blackwell Publishing, 2007. independence to the present day. The study is aimed at viewing this Ojaida, Tanure, The Dreamer's Distant Love: Contemporary African leadership misdemeanor and good governance in Ola Rotimi's If - - - Literature, Globalization, and the Quest for Peace. Eds. Sunday E. a tragedy of the Ruled and Our Husband has gone mad Again. The Ododo and Charles Bobunde. Obafconfab Book of Proceedings. Abuja: National Commission for Museums and Monuments, 2010. focus is on the subjugation of the masses and the electorate and the Olu, Obafemi. Contemporary Nigerian Theatre: Cultural Heritage and Social efforts undertaken by the playwright to educate and emancipate the Vision. Lagos: Centre for black and African Arts and Civilization populace from this dreaded cankerworm called corruption, neglect (CBAAC), 2001. and lack of foresight that have eaten deep into the fabric of those on the Olu, Obafemi. Public Discourse on the Humanities: Culture, Language, corridors of ( political) power. Literature, Theatre. Ibadan: University Press Plc, 2008. Ricard Allain. Theatre and Nationalism: Wole Soyinka and Leroi Jones. Femi Osofisan (trans). Ile-Ife: University of Ife Press, 1983. Introduction Rotimi, Ola. If…A Tragedy of the Ruled _________________. Truly, it is not the elite that matters in Soyinka, Wole. Death and the King's Horseman. Ibadan: Spectrum books, leadership. It is the people themselves. But the 2002. elite often direct the people in their various Uya, Edet, Okon. African Diaspora and the Black Experience in New World actions. That is why there are so many variables Slavery. Calabar: Clear Lines Publications, 2005. in political leadership especially when it carries Zinsou, Agbota, Senouvo. “Literature and Current World Politics: Power, the stigma of partisan elements. Racism and Globalization”. Eds. Susan Arnolt and Katrin Berndt. -Charles de Gaulle Words and Worlds: African Writing, Theatre and Society. Trenton, African World Press, Inc., 2007. Harold Fyneface 97 98 The Leadership Question In Contemporary Nigeria: One challenging problem nagging every nation is that of consciousness of his society and the likely impact it could leadership. Out of the fifty two years of rulership in Nigeria by have, while also reviewing the problems which have ranged both the Civilian and the Military, the leadership situation has from irredeemable level of corruption from both the ruled and been lacking, if not totally dwindling in all facets. This is due to the rulers, to lack of a viable system of government and the infiltration of ethnicity (North and South dichotomy) ineffective leadership (which has resulted to misrule and segregation (based on fatherhood by birth or sisterhood by profligacy) religion) political instability and religion. So many have Chinua Achebe (1986:1) in lending voice to Rotimi's aspired to occupy the foundation of power through political stance has stated that leadership, some in their hasty bid have failed to achieve their The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a aspiration to occupy the leadership fortress in course of their failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or any different ideology. Others have been hasty to snatch the ticket thing else. of their parties while for some it remains a mission impossible. The only solution to the above problem in the view of Quality leadership requires not just equality of the John' Ebimobowei Yeseibo (2002:2) lies in citizenry but also freedom from starvation, ignorance and The evolution of a selfless leader, a leader who will early death. If all African countries, including Nigeria, hold to have the welfare of the generality of his people – the goal of an equal non exploitative democracy and a free and the ruled at heart, a leader who understands the art fair desire to aspire to leadership positions, the problems of of state craft. uncertainty of life and property would be solved. It is this abuse of power arising from ineffective leadership, lack of If such a leader emerges, the problem besetting the positive ideology and political tyranny which is treated Nigerian society will be ameliorated. Expectantly, this satirically by Ola Rotimi in the plays earmarked for study with emergent selfless leader will evolve policies aimed at the intended aim of inducing behavioral change in the improving the economy. The question then is if the problem populace. Observably, leadership on the Nigerian political with Nigeria are crystallized into ineffective leadership, which scene is erroneously applied as a means for personal to a large extent is responsible for her under development and aggrandizement instead of being used as a platform for dependency. What then is the solution to these problems? The championing the aspirations and needs of the electorate. solution lies in the ideal leadership proffered by the In treating this cankerworm that has bedeviled the playwright in Hopes of the living Dead and Akassa Youmi society, Rotimi has written in the two plays presented with the characterized by Harcourt Whyte and King Koko, which will Harold Fyneface 99 100 The Leadership Question In Contemporary Nigeria: lead to economic growth through self reliance. Corroborating these (2001:8) assertions Abdur Razoa The Leadership Question in Ola Rotimi's If … A Tragedy of Bamidele sees leadership as: the Ruled and Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again. The most delicate and sensitive venture that the Leadership denotes the occupancy of status and the wise shrinks from, the intelligent rather passes by it in a dignify manner. Heaven and earth including active performance of a role that mobilizes more or less the mountain from the earliest time have organized collective and voluntary efforts towards attainment uncompromisingly renounced it. of shared goals and objectives, Bernard Cyril (2004:88) refers to it as: The reason for such attitude towards leadership is the The quality of the behaviour of individuals where severity, thoroughness and the rigour of accountability of the by they guide people or their activities in last day. The art of leadership is synonymous with influence organized effort. and power. Power may on the other hand be assumed by the On the other hand, Robert Maclver (1998:25) describes leader by merely arrogating it to himself as it is the case of an the leader as: autocratic system of government. He rather demands absolute One who possess the established rights within obedience. Ola Rotimi's two plays If … and Our Husband Has any social order to determine policies, pronounce Gone Mad Again discuss the ugly situation and trend which act as a leader or guide to other men. relate to the social, political cultural, educational and economic life, of Nigerian's. This has greatly jeopardized the The art of leadership as it is usually seen, is the same peaceful co-existence and smooth development of the country. with power and influence. In autocratic governments the The main thrust for thought in the play is the political and leader is merely a head performing the duties of headship. His leadership life of the Nigerians. This exposes the game of influence is so much that he may not go through any legal politics and attitude towards leadership by its citizens. sanction from his members. His rulership is aided and guided In If….. Rotimi portrays an indictment of the political by laid down rules and laws. Leadership juxtaposes, with depravity that engulfed West African States (Senegal, Libya, politics (which originated from the Greek word “Polis Cote d'lvore, Mali as examples) in general and Nigeria meaning “a city State), which, according to A. Appodorai, especially. The play dramatizes the frustration in terms of (1980:2) is: leadership and politics of the educated elite under a The science concerned with the state and of the Machiavellian ruling class. The elite class is represented in the conditions essential to its existence and characters of Hamidu Gidado, a youth Corper from the development. Northern part of Gongloa State serving at the Emohua General Harold Fyneface 101 102 The Leadership Question In Contemporary Nigeria: Hospital in the outskirt of Port Harcourt, Banji Falegan, a A blighting of future for Nigeria as a whole and lawyer, Papa the Old educationist, Tekena Dokubo, a the young generation in particular, Onyema Professor of medicine, Chinwe Ejindu with a first class personifies that future and its helplessness if the Nigerian electorate herself seeking political honours degree in mathematics, and of course, the young opportunities resurfaces Onyema. The playwright has in the play tried to make the He sees leadership as not dependant on ethnicity or electorate choose their leader through their votes but this religion hence the names Amadi, Fubara (representing ethnic dream is turned into illusion by characters like the Land Lord groups in Rivers State; Ahmadu (Hausa) Okon and Okonkwo who uses his house to force the electorate to put him into (Cross River and Igbo).
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