THEATRE AND LEADERSHIP CRISIS IN NIGERIA: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO PLAYS

Abstract

For several years, the most pressing problem challenging the entire nations of the world and Nigeria has been reduced to leadership. The quest for purposeful leadership, unity, economic and selfless political structure has been the concerns of many patriotic Nigerians. Such plays like Femi Osofisan’s- Once Upon Four Robbers and Kole Omotoso’s- The Curse support this claim. Their plays reflect on the state of Nigeria’s socio-economic problems with the aim of raising mass awareness of a positive revolutionary alternative to the present societal upheavals. Based on this outlook, this research paper seeks to critically examine the role of the Playwright in Leadership crisis in Nigeria and discovers that the transcendent nature of theatre as an art, not only shows us the beauty of everyday life, but can also go beyond everyday politics to critically address the problems of the day. By way of example, the selected plays reflect the various ways through which the Playwright exposes leadership crisis and responds to the atrocities of political oppression in the Nigeria space, which by his works creates plays for societal development.