The Crab: Journal of Theatre and Media Arts (Number 8/June 2013, 25-40)
Theatre and Democratic Practice in Nigeria: The Playwright as the
Pivot of Creativity in Ubong Nda’s Khakhigbada
Iwumene Christiana Chibuzo
Abstract
Democratic practice in Nigeria has been confronted with bottlenecks.
Efforts at encouraging healthy democratic practice have had issues of
accountability, succession, electoral misconduct and killings, among others
to battle with. There has been massive looting of the national treasury as
funds meant for developmental projects have been converted to personal
use. This raises questions on the adoption and application of democracy as a
system of governance as theatre seeks ways to combat these anomalies. As a
reflection of society, theatre presents these contradictions, and the
playwright functions in this capacity as the vanguard of change. The
playwright’s commitment as a visionary challenges poor democratic
practices assaulting the nation. Through his unfailing task, the playwright
strives towards raising the consciousness of the citizens by chronicling these
conflicts. The paper sees theatre as the mouthpiece of the people as it
consciously and constantly engages with the political class for a healthy
democratic practice. The research methodology adopted is the qualitative
research as it produces comprehensive information on the subject of
research while achieving the objective of the research. The study points out
that the playwrights' task as the force that propels change in a democratic
society like Nigeria is one of commitment.
Introduction
…democracy has come to our country only after a painful
struggle. If it must endure, it will be through constant
vigilance among the general populace. And it is the
responsibility of all artists on the stage or screen… to
stimulate this crucial awareness. (Osofisan, vii)
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The above captures the thrust of this paper as the playwright constantly
engages with political themes. These issues which have plagued the nation
as scholars maintain provides the artist with materials as tools of creation.
The artist in this wise responds to these realities as the voice of vision
through his representation of the follies and foibles of men. He configures of
a nation bestride with anomalies found among the rulers and the ruled, thus
bringing to bare unhealthy political practices that continually assaults
democratic practice.
Democracy as a political system has been applied by many and varied
regimes. As stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
1999 as Amended 2011, “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a state
based on the principles of democracy and social justice” (Section 24:1). This
stipulation appears to be on paper as in practice democratic tenets have been
mangled and in the words of Odey is in chains (12). The chains are manifest
with anti-democratic practices that have infiltrated virtually all aspects of
governance. This has resulted in anomalous practices characteristic of the
political terrain, and thus degenerated into retrogression. Osofisan maintains
that, “… the principal reasons for our backwardness are still very much the
same- that is, treacherous leadership and elite which, very frequently, is in
collision with neocolonial interests…” (17). The leaders who should groom
democracy have impacted negatively on its practice. Issues not in tandem
with democracy, grossly militates against its practice. A major stumbling
block to the sustainability of democracy relates to electoral conduct. At such
times, unhealthy practices like succession, violence, god-fatherism,
snatching of ballot boxes, disenfranchisement, and money-politics, among
others are employed to rig elections. The disadvantaged populace oftentimes
resorts to political apathy which has negatively affected democratic practice.
Also, rights of citizens appear to be a thorny issue as citizens suffers
discrimination, under the guise of non-indigene concept. The dismissal of
non-indigene civil servants in Abia state and the repatriation of Ibo’s by the
Lagos State government substantiate this. An unhealthy practice which has
affected democracy in Nigeria relates to the presence of an opposition. As a
tenet of democracy, the presence of a vibrant opposition gives room for
efficiency as the opposition group serves as a watch-dog against the
government. It criticizes policies and practices that are at variance with
democracy. Events in the political terrain have revealed that opposition
groups are perceived as political enemies that must be crushed. Their
presence appears nightmarish to the leader who employs every means to
crush such groups or persons. Artists are not left out as scores have suffered
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intimidation, arrest and at some point death. The likes of Wole Soyinka,
Hubert Ogunde, Fela Kuti, and a host of others are testimonies to this fact.
Those who mask the truth, oftentimes turn out singing praises of politicians.
Sycophancy, a scourge in the nations politics have been employed to
ingratiate oneself, “This practice of flattery seems to be a tool employed by
misfits in government to seek for unnecessary favours. By so doing, they
eulogize the leaders with unrealistic half-truth statements and insincere
praise” (Iwumene, 60). This is an abnormal practice engaged by
unprincipled minds because they lack self-esteem. To Odey, these praise
singers are the greatest enemies of leaders as they sing praises even when
things have gone so bad (66). Insincere praise as it is being practiced among
the political class is tantamount to institutionalized treachery. This ugly
trend spells doom for the polity, as these toadies with their display inveigle
leaders. This does not mean that leaders are not aware of the real situation in
Nigeria, but oftentimes they claim to be ignorant of such depictions and
living conditions of the people.
Theatre has served in this capacity voicing out displeasures against the
ruling class. Playwrights have constantly challenged political malpractices
inherent in the nation. In A Restless Run of Locusts, Osofisan uses violence
and thuggery as themes to reflect on Nigerian politics. Rotimi’s Hopes of the
Living Dead paints the picture of Nigeria as a colony of lepers, while
Clark’s The Raft captures the nation adrift on tumultuous waters. Asigbo’s
The Reign of Pascal Amusu satirizes leadership ineptitude as electoral
misconduct seems the other of the day. On a sad note, Umukoro bemoans,
But Nigerians are not so lucky with their leadership. They
have dealers rather than leaders; plunderers rather than
builders; oppressors rather than liberators; politicians rather
than statesmen. And so, for over half a century, the country
has groped from one political crisis to the other, fleeced and
looted to a state of near bankruptcy... (177-178)
The situation drifts to disillusionment and playwrights have attempted at a
truthful depiction of these occurrences. The excerpt from Yerima’s Kaffir’s
Last Game substantiates this,
Proffesor: That is why we decided to grow and nurture our
own home-brewed grassroots democracy.
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Mbulelo: Home-brewed democracy (chuckles). You
Nigerians make me laugh. Democracy a foreign
concept, it is either you practice democracy or you
don’t. You people have not even succeeded with
foreign one; you are talking of a home-brewed
grassroot democracy. Very funny concept... (26)
Yerima in this masterpiece attacks the idea of home-brewed democracy, a
concept devised by Sani Abacha and his Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief
Tom Ikimi. Mbulelo pokes fun at Nigerians with the adoption of homemade democracy. It is worrisome that Nigeria celebrates Democracy on
every 29 May when in reality, pretentious practices characterize the homebrewed democracy. Critics and scholars have maintained that Nigeria’s
democratic practice have been managed by despots who have stolen the
peoples mandates and yet act as ‘demi-gods’. Their Nigerian interpretation
and application of democracy is evident with multitude forms of oppression,
poverty, bad leadership the citizens are faced with. The playwright as the
chronicler of human conflict lampoons these contradictions as Asigbo puts
it, “…the quintessential artist is he who refuses to keep silent in the face of
tyranny” (16). As the mouthpiece of the society, he functions as the,
“…questioner and the implacable critic of the mores and attitude… of his
society, but he is also the exponent of the aspirations of his people”
(Breytenbach, 166). As the pivot of creativity, he raises questions and
criticizes the attitude of his society. The questions are directed at the
leadership class interrogating their style of leadership, at the same time, at
the populace conscientizing them to shun despondency, corruption and be
more proactive.
The fictional work of art Khakhigbada is used to x-ray the political
experiment in Nigeria. The playwright through this medium stimulates and
sustains the crucial awareness of the challenges assaulting democracy in
Nigeria. Through his craft, the playwright has unearthed malpractices
inherent in the home-brewed version of democracy practiced in Nigeria.
Synopsis of the play
Khakhigbada dramatizes the various dimensions of the contemporary
political life of the Greenwood State. Khakhigbada presents a ruler
intoxicated with power. Khakhigbada, the protagonist of the play, is the
Governor of Greenwood state whose insatiable quest for power consumes.
His perceived political opponent is the Secretary of the State Party, who
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dared to point out that the Governor’s leadership style, is anti-people.
Khakhigbada schemed to destroy his political career by appointing him as a
Commissioner which he declines. Other members of the State party turn out
being sycophants even when it is obvious that the government is lacking in
good will. The governor employs libel and intimidation to pull the Secretary
down. His abuse of office manifests with his looting of the state treasury. He
has five houses in five different countries but fails to provide for the welfare
of the citizens as some of them starve for days. As the governor, his interest
is to build a formidable empire for his son whom he schemes to succeed
him. The feud between the governor and the Party Secretary makes the
governor to call off the wedding plans between his son and the Party
Secretary’s daughter, who is expecting a baby boy. The conflict heightens
that he masterminds setting the Secretary’s house ablaze; in the process the
fire consumes his only son and the Secretary’s only daughter, who are in the
country to conclude their final marital rites. Khakhigbada shoots the Vice
Chairman of the youth wing who almost confesses that the governor
masterminded the act. The authorities catch up with him as the Youth
Chairman fingers him as the mastermind of the inferno, and he would have
been tried and jailed but for the immunity clause.
Theatre and Democratic practice in Ubong Nda’s Khakhigbada
The play x-rays political practice in Greenwood state; it sheds light on how
democracy is enthroned in the nation and the level of participation of
political office holders who are portrayed as embezzlers and sycophants.
The plot structure is a logical one with events progressing as in a linear plot
with three acts. The action of the play unfolds, as protesters demonstrate
against the government of Khakhigbada with placards which has
inscriptions like, “We want full democracy”, “Down with imposition of
party executives”, “We want election not selection”. These protesters who
are chased away are referred to as unauthorized demonstrators. This allusion
makes mockery of democracy as citizens have a right to register protest
when they feel aggrieved. In relation to the accusation by the Chairman
against the Secretary that he organized demonstration to protest the list of
Local Government Party Executive members, the Secretary replies thus:
…I do not know why a demonstration against undemocratic
maneuvers should be seen in bad light in a democracy (9).
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The Chairman’s accusation stems from the fact that the Party Secretary
criticized the Governor’s anti-people policies, thus, is seen as an enemy of
the government. Khakhigbada goes to the extent of fabricating and
crediting libelous interview to the Secretary. This attitude is condemnable
as opposition groups in government are seen as political enemies.
Oftentimes, protesters are not allowed to register their grievances as they
are dispersed by security operatives. Issues raised by these protesters
bother on poor democratic practice in the nation. It is glaring that election
is down played as selection tool as party members are imposed on the
electorate. This does not portray a functioning democracy as cases of
imposition of party members abound in the polity. Another group of
demonstrators approach, this second group of demonstrators contrasts the
initial group as they are praise-singers, who actually inveigled
Khakhigbada. This second group is referred to as the friendly group and
should be allowed free passage:
Inspector: … (The demonstrators sing and dance in,
displaying posters with inscriptions: “Khakhigbada
we are behind you” “Khakhigbada the Messiah”
“Ignore disgruntled elements” “No khakhigbada, No
government” “Khakhigbada forever” (They move
past with the policemen protecting and escorting
them) (3).
This is an unhealthy practice which has eaten deep into the minds of people.
This group of demonstrators is paid for this task. This is a clear indication of
institutionalized corruption as the masses are used as pawns to achieve the
leader’s selfish objective. Similarly, the Chairman, the Financial Secretary
and Treasurer of the State Party can be described as possessing fulsome
traits.
Chairman: How many times have you organized solidarity
demonstrations to his His (sic) Excellency’s office?
Fin Sec: Ah! Ah! Chairman, almost every month. Don’t you
remember the last one I had when three of those
boys died in a bus accident as they were going back
home?
Theatre and Democratic Practice in Nigeria: The Playwright as the Pivot of….
Chairman: Yes… I think I remember that one. How many
villages in your area have you made to send
congratulatory message to His Excellency on radio
since we took over.
Fin Sec: Almost every village in my clan. In fact, I have
ensured that they send congratulatory messages to
His Excellency on his birthday, the anniversary of
his swearing-in, the anniversary of the day he
announced his intention to stand for election. All
those messages are always on radio and television. I
have even been recording them off air and sending
the cassettes to His Excellency’s office.
Chairman: But your clan has not given him any chieftaincy
title. Why?
Fin Sec: That one is coming. If he could just appoint this my
young in-law as commissioner, we will organize a
reception to thank him. And it is on that day that we
will give him a title. In fact, I have even started
thinking of the speech I will give on that day. Our
entire clan will declare its unflinching support for his
Excellency to go for a second term (5-6).
Equally the Treasurer’s solidarity visit with his group corroborates this:
Treasurer: Standing before you (referring to Khakhigbada) is
the true son of our land, the messiah of our time, the
grand developer of our state … Your Excellency;
here are your own people- the very people that you
have saved from underdevelopment. They have
mandated me to present this address of solidarity to
you… Indeed it is worthy to note that in spite of the
activities of your detractors and disgruntled
elements, you have done well that people will soon
stage demonstrations asking you to go for a second
term or call for an amendment of the constitution to
7
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allow governors like you go for even third and
fourth terms (85-86).
This is an unbecoming practice which has been entrenched alongside with
democracy in the nation. These sycophants reel off unimaginable things just
to be in the good books of these leaders. Of all the feats claimed to have
been achieved by Khakhigbada, none is made explicit in the play which
goes to say they are mere fabrications. Sometimes, these sycophants urge
the leaders to go for second tenure so far as the government favours them.
Although second term is an international accepted political process where
the leader is re-elected, but its craze in Nigerian polity has negatively
affected development and democracy, as a good number of re-elected
leaders seize the opportunity to loot the state to stupor. A pertinent issue
raised by the playwright is the use of weapons to accompany protesters.
While the police dispersed the demonstrators, Corporal says:
If they had stretched me further, I would have used my
weapon (1).
Use of weapons when confronting protesters is wrong as cases abound when
police shoot innocent citizens who are fighting for a just cause. This is an
infringement on citizens’ right and thus is a negation of democratic practice.
One wonders why security operatives are heavily armed during
demonstrations. Demonstration is one of the ways citizens employ to
register their grievance against unacceptable actions, laws, pronouncements,
among others. But in Nigeria, demonstrators are seen as political enemies
whose views are suppressed to annihilate opposition. In some instances
demonstrators are arrested and at other times are threatened to abandon their
cause. Nepotism, which discourages meritocracy, appears to hamper
democratic process. This featured in the play as the Financial Secretary is
hell-bent on his brother-in-law being appointed a commissioner:
Fin Sec: I want to see the list, that list of new
commissioners; I want to be sure that my brother-inlaw has made it.
Chairman: Don’t worry,
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Fin Sec: Please Chairman; I am ready to give anything to get
that boy into the Exco (5).
This shows how political positions are filled in the polity as favoritism is
employed as a yardstick against merit and skill. This has greatly affected
democracy in the nation as the principles guiding electoral conduct are
thrown aside and in its place, favoritism upheld. This has given rise to ‘godfatherism’ in the nation’s politics as the likes of Financial Secretary occupy
such positions:
Fin Sec: See… I have already spent millions getting the
house members to approve my candidate. Since
this administration started, this is the first time… a
close nominee of mine has made the list. And I am
eager to get back my money within the first six
months that the young man shall be commissioner.
Secretary: But that won’t be fair.
Fin Sec: To whom? To me or him?
Secretary: To the young man, to the state, to the society,
indeed to everyone (79).
This is pathetic as the political process has been mangled with all forms of
shoddy deals. It has become a money making venture as ‘god-fatherism’ is
now part and parcel of the system. The Secretary warns the Financial
Secretary about his attitude; using money to secure political position for his
in-law. He warns that such practice is not in the interest of the nation and
will stifle our democracy. Money politics is a bad omen in the nation’s
politics. Politicians adopt this strategy to get their candidates into political
positions, and recoup their expenses either in cash or by using their
candidate as a stooge to execute their wishes. This appears to be the case in
Anambra State on November 10, 2004 as Governor Chris Ngige was forced
to resign from office because he failed to meet the obligation of his ‘godfather’, Chris Uba. Uba had requested three billion naira from the state
treasury. This is a clear evidence of corruption as these issues assault the
actualization of democracy in the nation. One may question, what is the
hope of democracy in Nigeria in the face of these challenges assaulting its
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sustenance? It appears that ‘god fatherism’ and money politics have been
enthroned as creed for democratic practice in Nigeria as these corrupt acts
have continued to multiply unabated. One wonders about the potency of
anti-graft agency like Independent Corrupt Practices and other related
offence Commission (ICPC).
The rate of killings in the play is rife, instances being the disappearance
of a journalist whose article described Khakhigbada as being worse than a
worst military dictator (8), Khakhigbada shoots the Vice Chairman Youth
Wing, for burning people’s houses while in actuality he masterminds the act
which consumes his son and the daughter of the Party Secretary. The
Governors housekeepers’ son was shot during a shootout between two
political groups. The death of a couple as Madam reminisces:
…I have never forgotten that day… that day in 1983, when
they were both killed by stray bullets in a cross-fire between
the police and a political group protesting an election result
announcement (48).
The victims are the Lady’s parents. Also the mysterious death of Madam’s
first husband (now Khakhigbada’s wife) is attributable to Khakhigbada.
Khakhigbada, the governor, appears to be responsible for most deaths in the
play. This is ironical for a leader of a people to be their executioner and,
thus is a negation of democratic principles. The rate of incessant killings in
the play is rife that insecurity becomes the order of the day. This shows that
Khakhigbada has no respect for human life. His reply when policemen want
to arrest him for sponsoring the burning of the Secretary’s house is against
the tenets of democracy as political office holders hide under immunity
clause to perpetuate dastardly acts. He believes, like other authoritarian
leaders, that they are above the Constitution and their actions cannot be
questioned:
Khakhigbada:…(angrily) I am the Chief Executive, Chief
Security Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Chief
Political Officer and Executive Governor of this
State. I have the power over life and death. I can
confirm and commune death sentences…. And I
have the ultimate power to determine who lives (32).
This is indeed a mockery of democracy as his actions and words bring to
mind the historical Caligula whose obsession with power led to his death.
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Khakhigbada personifies tyrannical leaders whose ultimate goal is to crush
every possible opposition as he attempts with the Secretary, Treasurer,
Journalist, among others. Intimidation and elimination of opponents is a tool
which the likes of Khakhigbada in the society wield.
The issue of accountability comes to mind as the leaders are interested
in amassing public wealth. Their abridged definition of democracy as Dike
states is a “government of the people by a privileged few that can plunder,
squander, embezzle, mismanage, misappropriate, loot, siphon and hoard
public funds abroad” (9). Khakhigbada and his allies display poor
accountable practices as they loot state treasury without considering the
under-development they are plunging the nation into. He has houses in five
different countries outside Africa. This is a replica of what leaders in the
country do as they embezzle public fund to acquire assets in foreign
countries. A good example is the discovery of huge sum of money traced to
Late Gen. Sani Abacha. He was allegedly accused of looting this money and
stashing it away in Swiss account. The renowned Treasurer of the party is
found wanting on this issue as he embezzled funds from a contract awarded
to him. The Fin. Sec. whose interest is in money brings to limelight issues
relating to allowances:
Fin. Sec.: …. The last time you people argued like this
and scattered the meeting without paying our
sitting allowances. If that is where you people
are going again, can we please send for the
party cashier to pay my sitting allowance and
after that you can resume your quarrels (10).
Sitting, wardrobe, furniture, constituency allowances and security votes
appear to have been entrenched in the Constitution. It is alarming that
Abdulsalami Abubakar’s royal edict entitles the sum of three and half
million naira to each Senator and two and half million naira to House of
Representatives members as furniture allowance. There is no section in the
Constitution that stipulates security votes and yet this has dubiously been
legalized. Security votes as Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu
Ukiwe reminisced to be ten thousand naira and fifteen thousand naira has
currently escalated to billions of naira. Iyare submits that “it constitutes a
major source of funneling money from the public treasury to private pockets
without being accounted for” (43). Thus, it appears that leaders are found
wanting on matters relating to accountability as their insatiable quest for
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wealth induces them to ‘kleptocracy’. Instances of public office holders who
have amassed public fund abound, few being former Inspector General of
police; Tafawa Balogun, who stole twenty billion naira, the first Female
Speaker of House of Representatives, Patricia Eteh, Ibori’s two hundred and
fifty million dollars looting among others. This is a grievous situation as
poor accounting practices manifest virtually in all aspects of governance.
Democracy as it is practiced under Khakhigbada’s regime appears to be
a far cry from reality as virtually all tenets of democracy are made mockery
of. Elections are simply selection tools as party members whose interest is to
milk the citizens dry are imposed on the citizenry who remain alienated,
marginalized and trampled upon. The effect of Khakhigbada’s approach is
likened to Dike’s stance on partisan politics, “The result has been tyranny
and autocracy, with myriad negative effect on the political life of Nigeria”
(x).The dramatist sheds light on how elections are conducted to fill political
positions. The Party Chairman and Vice Chairman Youth Wing are not
elected but selected based on certain attributes they possess:
Khakhigbada: … and that is why I regret even your own
appointment (correcting himself) em…election, as
the Party Chairman… You are so naïve...
uninventive, so unintelligent…well… I think those
are the attributes that qualified you for the job in the
first place (30).
This is against the principle of free and fair election which is a prerequisite
for democracy. Selection as it is being employed in politics debilitates
democratic structures and exposes the system to abuse. More so it belittles
the right of the people to select their representatives through the ballot box
as friends are selected to fill political positions.
The nation that Nda deals with in his dramaturgy cannot be divorced
from the Nigerian situation which has witnessed varied forms of leadership
ineptitude. As a pivot of creativity, he presents a ruler obsessed with power,
whose tyrannical disposition makes the Party Secretary to be his sworn
enemy as he fights tooth and nail to remove him. To the Secretary,
Khakhigbada has failed to fulfill the promises the Party made to the people,
which is entrenching democracy, but instead practices ‘Khakhistorcracy’,
which is clothing a military man with civilian robes. The creative work
derives its title from this imagery as it is imbued with symbolism.
Khakhigbada and his cabinet are engrossed in official corruption as they
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flagrantly embezzle public fund, promote god-fatherism, sycophancy,
assassination, and oppression, trample on citizens’ rights, electoral violence,
among others. His megalomaniac approach leads him to make mockery of
democratic process, at the same time; he siphons public funds to foreign
countries. Okorie reports that, a weekly magazine in the United States,
“once carried a news report that about $50 billion in the Swiss Banks
belonged to people without any name”. A little further, the report states that
most of the owners of the account are leaders of some impoverished African
nations (55), the situation is pathetic and at the same time sympathetic as
leaders fail to uphold democracy, browbeat citizens and amass public wealth
under the guise of national cake.
Thus, the dramatist, as a mirror of societal happenings reflects these
issues in his works. The citizens’ disposition remains an issue of concern as
their negative response (political inaction, sycophancy) as seen in
Khakhigbada mars the essence of democracy in Nigeria. It is glaring that the
leadership class distances herself from the citizens who empowered her
through the ballot box. They amass wealth meant for the development of the
nation, leaving the citizens to wallow in abject penury. The miasma so
created poses a serious threat to the continual existence of the polity
resulting in crisis. This has resulted in political apathy as the citizens’ hope
for the future appears bleak. It is imperative to point out that the demeaning
condition the citizens are immersed in hinges on the hydra - headed vice,
corruption. Its resultant effect can be seen in poor accountable practices of
public officers whom allegations trail on looting of the national treasury.
Also, the stealing of the people’s mandate turns out being a perturbing issue
as elections have been down played as selection tools where the ruling party
selects candidates to perpetuate their whims and caprices. In some cases, the
stooge is answerable to the “god-father”, who dictates the business of
governance, thus marring the essence of democracy. Elections have been
characterized with rigging which has matured and taken the form of
violence. Political opponents are repressed and sometimes eliminated during
elections.
Youths, the leaders of tomorrow, have been empowered in the wrong
direction by politicians. Each round of election spells doom as they are
being rearmed to trouble an already traumatized and distressed nation. The
effect of this excruciating experience is manifold as it has aggravated the
state of disillusionment of the citizens, instilled fear in men of integrity to
view politics as a devilish encounter, annihilated prospects to revivify the
economy, comatose efforts by men of good will to constructively criticize
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the ills of governance and accelerate the emergence of miscreants on the
corridors of power. The Demonstrators who served as praise singers are the
same group who burnt the Party Secretary’s house. They are being used for
this dishonourable job by the governor. This can be seen as a way of
empowerment by leaders as they recruit youths for such devilish acts. It is
no longer news that some university undergraduates are recruited to carry
out electoral malpractice. These students are provided with sophisticated
weapons to achieve their mission. This is a bad omen for the nation.
Poor accountable culture has affected democratic practice in the polity.
The play under study attempted at thorough treatment of the issue.
Democracy as some quarters maintain is a fraud and an illusion in the nation
and autocracy is the order, thus, the malaise corruption has assumed
monstrous proportion, ranging from bribes and embezzlement of public
funds, kickbacks, gross mismanagement. In Nigeria, money politics seems
the order of the day, consequently there is the need to fight the malaise of
corruption.
Conclusion
Thus far, the research has x-rayed through Nda’s Khakhigbada problematic
issues confronting theatre and democratic practice in Nigeria. Among the
issues the playwright raised, it is observed that the electoral process is
oftentimes flawed, as rigging has been adopted as a canon for
electioneering. Leaders in the quest for power mar electoral guidelines by
perpetuating themselves in office, as the likes of Khakhigbada adopt
selection to enthrone their candidate. This mars democratic practice as
citizens’ right is made mockery of. Power, as it is believed in a democratic
setting, should reside with the people to pave way for a fruitful democratic
practice in the nation.
The truth be told, Nigeria as a nation has not made remarkable
achievements in sustaining democratic practice judging from the play, as
‘the government of the people, by the people and for the people’, has been
punctured and punctuated with bottlenecks, and the tenets of democracy has
not been upheld. In place of majority rule, minority rule seems the order of
the day, as few elites usurp power and thwart credible elections to incredible
elections with crude forms of election rigging, including hijack of votes and
disenfranchisement. A tenet of democracy now made laughable is the rule of
law. Its modern interpretation is the ‘rule of men’ as supremacy of the law is
a contentious issue. Also poor accountable acts exhibited by public officers
are daunting, as corruption has penetrated all spheres of public life. Thus,
Theatre and Democratic Practice in Nigeria: The Playwright as the Pivot of….
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the study contends that undemocratic acts exhibited by both leaders and
followers will only water and fuel the path to bad governance. Finally, the
dramatist has chronicled these conflicts assaulting democracy. By x-raying
these contradictions in the polity, the dramatist have painstakingly,
documented the abridged version of half-baked-democracy practiced in the
nation. The complexity of theatre lies in its strength to confront the intrigues
and scheming of the political class. As a pivot of creativity, Nda has not
relented to lend his voice to the litany of crimes bedeviling the nation.
Through his craft, he has consciously raised awareness on these anomalies
stifling democratic practice in Nigeria.
Recommendations
Efforts at upholding democratic tenets appear to be a flash in the pan as the
government pays lip service to urgent issues of national importance.
Concerted efforts should be made towards safeguarding the practice of
democracy so that its dividends will be manifest. Good and purposeful
leadership inspires confidence in the citizens. Promises from Nigerian
leaders seem but political promises which are half-truths. Promises are not
marched by action, thus, making fun of governance. Leaders should exhibit
charismatic qualities that are befitting of leaders, and the citizens, on their
part, should give unflinching support to the leaders for the smooth running
of government. A change of heart is sued for, on the part of the leaders, to
forge the nation ahead. Abandoning vices by them will enhance good
governance.
Punitive measures should be taken by government to discipline public
officers involved in corrupt practices to serve as a deterrent for others. The
issue of sacred cows should be looked into as no one is above the
constitution. Everyone is equal before the law thus offenders should be
punished accordingly. Immunity clause should be looked into as it has given
incumbent leaders the impetus to act above constitutional provisions. All
forms of injustice and disrespect for the rule of law should be addressed.
Youth empowerment should be in the positive direction to curb rising
crime in the polity. Government should provide jobs for the teeming
population. There should be a revisit to abandoned projects as these projects
would have engaged the services of greater percentage of the citizens.
Contractors who abandon projects should be disciplined appropriately. As a
way of curbing unauthorized use of arms during demonstrations, security
operatives should be banned from carrying arms during demonstrations to
curb the killing of protesters. They should accompany protesters with
Theatre and Democratic Practice in Nigeria: The Playwright as the Pivot of….
16
batons, tear gas, and cudgel, water cannons, among others. Anomalies
characteristic of electoral conduct should meet stiffer judicial sanctions. It is
not enough for the courts to upturn stolen mandates, there should be a law
that empowers the judiciary to recover salaries, allowances of leaders with
stolen mandate. In the case of non-availability of funds, the person’s assets
should be confiscated and auctioned to recover the loot.
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