The Theme of Corruption in Zulu Sofola’s The Wizard’s of Law and Chris Egharevba’s The Labourer’s Blood

The Theme of Corruption in Zulu Sofola’s The Wizard’s of Law and Chris Egharevba’s The Labourer’s Blood

Abstract

This research work centers on the Them of corruption in Zulu Sofola’s The Wizard of Law and Chris Egharevba’s The Labourers Blood. It mirrors corruption in the political, social, Judicial and Economic sectors of society. It also criticizes and exposes the inherent evil practices of the political leaders, lawyers, and the Judicial system, civil service, bureaucratic and business sectors. It uses the work of Zulu Sofola’s The Wizard of Law and Chris Egharevba’s The Labourer’s Blood to expose the evil practices of cheating’ exploitation, bribery, stealing by trick (419), deceit, lies, fraud, embezzlement of public  funds, deprivation, suppression, and oppression of the less privileged in the society. It further supports that corruption is a cankerworm that has eaten into the fabric of our society at all levels...The first chapter of the research discusses the general introduction of the project, background of the study, statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, the significance of the study and delimitation of the study. The second chapter concentrates on the review of related literature, here, the concept of corruption and the social criticism on corruption in the society. The third chapter centers on the profile of Zulu Sofola’s, Analysis of the theme of corruption in The Wizard of Law, characterization and Analysis of language usage on the profile of Chris Egharevba, analysis of the theme of Corruption in The Labourer’s Blood, characterization, Dramatic Techniques and style in The Labourer’s Blood, while the fifth chapter discusses the summary, conclusions, and recommendations of the research.               

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Banfield say that corruption is endemic in all government and that it is not peculiar to any continent, religion and ethnic group. It cuts across faiths, religious, denominations, bureaucracy, private organizations, and political systems and affect young and old, man and woman alike. corruption is found in democratic and dictatorial politics, feudal, capitalist and socialist economics Christians, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist cultures are equally bedeviled by corruption. Lipset Seymour and Lenz, Gabriel further, say that the magnitude of corruption is not equal in every society, some countries are more corrupt than others!

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          As George Orwell notes in his widely read book, Animal Farm: “All animals are more equal than other” Dike Victor. Due to an incident of corruption, exploitation becomes the order of the day. The employers exploit their employees to get richer while their labourers remain poorer to serve them forever. Corruption makes leaders in a position of authority who are supposed to look after the wellbeing of the downtrodden to suppress, oppress affect and cheat the followers. It is indeed very difficult to determine the nature of the educational program being carried out all levels of education due to corruption and other social vices. Moreso, the court of law which serves as the last hope of the common man has been highly corrupt to pervert the course of justice against the poor. The leaders in a position of authority who pretend to bear

       the burdens of the masses or labourers only end up exposing them to their corrupt activities. They also abandon them in their abject poverty and penury. The use their corrupt money and power to frustrate and to oppress those who oppose them. The economic sector has virtually nothing to write home about as leaders with financial and political powers use their stolen public money to encourage prostitution. The frame false accusations, subdue the right of the less privileged and sponsor kidnapping of their opponents. Due to corruption in the economic sector, people die and suffer ill-health. These vices in the society motivate the literary writers to take it as a big challenge to expose all these happenings using the only peaceful and effective tool, called literature.

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1.2         Background of the Study

       The Wizard of law presents the Nigerian society in its naked state. The overt need to show off at social functions and maintain the facade of well being seems to buttress and elongate the argument that the Nigerian society is one where all effort is made, including deceitful ones, to maintain a misleading appearance of affluence.

       Sikira’s erstwhile hostile attitude to her husband is reversed upon Ramoni’s return with the velveteen lace obtained from Rafiu to make a matching dress for the couple for the impending Ileya festival. Sikira’s imprudent consideration of Ramoni converts into a positive mode as he becomes ‘the best husband in the world? Ramoni’s declaration that he obtained the clothing illicitly from Rafiu doesn’t raise any smoralist antenna in Sikira as she becomes an active collaborator to deter Rafiu from reclaiming his possession. Sikira’s character raises questions about the moral fiber of Nigerian wives interpretation of support for one’s spouse in the face of crime and the proper implication of that statement. The wizard of law focuses on the never-ending succession of fraudulent schemes and corruption in the Nigerian society. Through the character of the protagonist, Ramoni Also, the writer vents critical angst at corrupt lawyers in a covetous society manipulating a negligent judicial system. Sofola stresses the need for moral reassessment on the part of everyone in authority whether it’s the legal sector represented by Ramoni or the commercial sector depicted by Rafiu. Akpan’s Victory at the end of the play suggests that the poor man who wizens up to the system can beat it at its own game.

       The Labourer’s blood portrays the struggle of the poor class of people in the society to rise above oppression, exploitation, discrimination, and cheating by the rich class in Nigerian society. The poor class is represented by Odia who pays the prize to librate the poor workers from the rich class exploitation, discrimination, cheating and oppression of the downtrodden in society.

      Chief Obazee represents the rich class, the bourgeoisie and people in a position of affluence who exploit, cheat and deny the poor workers entitlement to enrich themselves. Chief Obazee exploits, oppresses, maltreats and cheats his workers. He rubs them of their basic salary, promotion, and increment, denial of leave grant and poor medical attention of the workers.

      Palmafidon who spent his 25 years in Chief Obazee company got an accident in the company of which the acid used in the industry exploded and got lies eyes blinded. The Chief refused to grant to resuscitate and restore his sight. When the worker’s union led by Odia demonstrated against his exploitation, oppression, deprivation, dehumanization, cheating, and affliction of the workers, Chief Obazee offered a bribe of N 50,000 to Odia to stop leading the workers union against him. Odia, who is a human right activist reject the bribe offered. This led to a serious crisis between the workers and Chief Obazee. Because of the workers  strike led by Odia, Chief Obazee intimidated and wanted to rape Odia’s wife Iyobosa whom he has been asking out for sexual fun. This also made Odia threaten Chief Obazee with a machete which made him to slum and became ill and needed blood to resuscitate him. Odia accepts to donate his blood to save chief Obazee who personifies exploitation, oppression, elimination, criminality, and violence. Odia donates his blood to teach us how to be human and sacrificed his life at the altar of humanism.

       Therefore, the problem of corruption in Sofola’s The wizard of   law and Egherevba’s The Labourer's blood motivate my investigation of the theme of corruption.

1.3         Statement of the problem

          One of the outstanding problems in Zulu Sofola’s The wizard of law and Chris Egharevba’s The laborer’s blood is corruption. The literary texts mirror various corrupt practices such as exploitation, the use of Nigerian, scams or what is known in Nigerian parlance as ‘419’ to rub or steal from people. The texts also portray cheating and injustice in the judiciary system, business sectors, and political sectors. The texts further showed other corrupt practices such as deprivation of the right of the fewer privileged citizens in society. Fraud and embezzlement of public funds by people in positions of authority. Therefore, it bused on this problem that the researcher is poised to study the theme of corruption.

1.4               Objectives of the Study

                             The objectives of this research are,

 i        to critically analysis the theme of corruption in Zulu Sofola’s The Wizard of Law and Chris Eghareba’s The Labourer’ Blood;

ii        to expose and correct the corrupt practice and other social vices which are inherent in the society;

iii to bring to bear the effects of corruption in educational, the political and economic growth of a society and.

iv       to lay a very good reading foundation to the students and other lovers of education so that they could imbibe good moral standard.

1.5     Significance of the Study

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                   This study will outstanding be significant to the literary student's government, the society and scholars others in their quest to finding a solution to the issue of corruption in the society. 

1.6     Delimitation

                   This work is focused on the theme of corruption as prevalent in our socio-political and economic culture as expressed in the texts. Zulu Sofola’s The Wizard of Law and Chris Egharaba’s The Labourer’s Blood.