SUICIDE IN OLA ROTIMI’S KURUNMI
5.1. Introduction
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hundred years ago but they will say nothing.
(Rotimi, 1974, p.i)
The above reflects the unavoidable parallels that must be drawn between the historical events Rotimi is examining and the equally destructive split in the ranks of the Yoruba people (between the then Action Group of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the rival Nigerian National People’s Party of his erstwhile lieutenant Chief Akintola) which in the 1960’s, led to the breakdown of law and order in Western Nigeria and indirectly to the civil war. The play stresses and identifies the hypocrisy of so much colonial action (Banham, 1990).
Since the publication of the play, Kurunmi has enjoyed different perspectives of critical analysis. Chukwu-Okoronkwo (2012) in his article; Tradition under siege: dissecting socio-political and economic pressures in Ola Rotimi’s Kurunmi and Ovonramwen Nogbaisi interprets the socio-political as well as economic pressures demonstrated in Kurunmi. The article deals with the issue of tradition, which has been used as a smokescreen to manipulate the people.
The politics in the play carries with it interest, betrayal and death. Faced with the unconditional quietude of fate, Kurunmi commits suicide to escape from the tragedy he has led his people into as well as the complete loss of dignity that would have been his lot.
Shaka (2002) in the article The Leadership Question in Ola Rotimi‘s Plays: A Critical Appraisal analyses the leadership question of Kurunmi from the perspective of factional differences. The two camps, that of Kurunmi and Adelu lock horns under the supposed umbrella of tradition versus change. These umbrellas are symbolic of political parties, particularly of the types that exist in Nigerian politics today. Such political parties have their representatives who direct their energies towards developing and enriching themselves instead of the people they represent. Kurunmi in an attempt to hide under the auspices of
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tradition so as to get power and become the sole ruler of Ibadan, gets betrayal and loss in return. Furthermore, Banham (1990) in his article Ola Rotimi:
“Humanity as my tribesman” analyses three plays of Ola Rotimi; Kurunmi, The Gods are not to blame and Ovonramwen Nogbaisi. He draws attention to the fact that the three plays are political plays that centre their story on the factional conflict, intercommunal conflict and sentiments that bedevilled the Nigerian state during and after the civil war. The same issue he concludes is what still confronts Nigeria as a nation today. Affiah, (2013) in his article; Aristotelian Tragic Drama, Man and the Contemporary World: Pseudoclassicism in Ola Rotimi’s Kurunmi conceives Kurunmi as a tragedy. He expresses the view that tragedy was essentially used in Kurunmi to eschew the pains and frustration, the agonies of disappointment and disillusionment, and the inexplicable blunders of Kurunmi. Affiah relates the fate of Kurunmi to contemporary politics especially African politics and leadership style. He questions such leaders
Why, for example, would a Jonas Savimbi in Angola, against all entreaties vow to wage war against his country until death? Why will a Laurent Gbagbo in Cote D’voire, against good reason, refuse to respect the outcome of an election in which his countrymen elected his opponent and opt instead to throw his country into war? Why will a Ghaddafi in Libya reject all offers of asylum for peace to reign in Libya and insist that after over four decades in the saddle he remains the only one capable of leading Libya? Why will Assad of Syria prefer a devastating war to quitting office after over four decades? Why will an Olusegun Obasanjo want to amend the Nigerian constitution in order to pave way for a third term in office after exhausting the constitutional two terms and in spite of the mood of the nation which was clearly against his third term bid? (Affiah, 2013, p.50).
Affiah explains that Kurunmi’s career clearly provides a suitable material for a tragic hero, a man fighting a war for reasons he believes to be just. He fails however because he makes a fatal error of judgment resulting from a fault of character, and also because he is faced with more powerful forces. His career is a reflection of the careers of many men and women in leadership positions in
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various countries across the world. Kurunmi’s career opens up an insight into the psychology, mentality and mind-set of many politicians and societies today.
In a book co-authored by Falola & Genova (2005) entitled: Yoruba creativity:
fiction, language, life and songs, the authors studied Kurunmi from a semiotic perspective and found out that, Rotimi made great use of symbols in this play which were expressed through the use of proverbs, language and songs. The symbols do not only contribute to the dramatic aesthetic of the play but they also preserve, to a great extent, the cultural and historical practice of the Yoruba people.
It is clear, from the works mentioned above, that Rotimi’s play is replete with a lot of meanings and critical perspectives. Important dimensions that are key to the play are how tradition is used as a force to unify as well as exploit the people.
In addition, the play is based on a historical context and narrates the political, economic, cultural as well as social complexities that were being faced at the time.
This chapter therefore owes its factual and interpretative depth to the works of Obafemi and Yerima (2004), Obadiegwu (1992), Shaka (2002), Banham (1990) Chukwu-Okoronkwo (2002) Rotimi (1978), Adedeji (1971), Affiah (2013), Falola and Genova (2005) who have interpreted the play from the perspectives of politics, tradition, history, war, proverbs etc. However, I concentrate my analysis in this chapter on suicide and how the phenomenon contributes to a fuller understanding and interpretation of the play. As a cultural and historical text, the analysis will explicate the reception of the play in the traditional Yoruba culture of South-West Nigeria. The chapter envisions that, despite the tragedy surrounding the war in the play, the closure of the act of suicide is symbolic not just as an escape from ignominy but also an instrument that foregrounds Kurunmi’s suicide as resisting change. Importantly also is the fact that the act of suicide rather than being seen as abominable and tragic, is received as an act of honour for heroic characters who represent the élite class of society.
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This chapter will undertake an analysis by considering the evidence and representation of the act of suicide as a theme in the play. As a work of fiction, the need to explore the author’s ideological commitment to the play will allow for a deeper understanding of the play and how meanings can be elicited. The chapter will also explore the cultural undertones implicit in the act of suicide in the play.
Marxist literary theory will be used for analysis in this chapter. The theory will be viewed through the theoretical lenses of Fredric Jameson, Georg Lukacs and Terry Eagleton who are major proponenst of Marxist theory. While Jameson looks at the cultural, historical, and socio-economic analysis of a text etc., Terry Eagleton looks at the superstructure, economic and the external qualities that will aid the understanding of a text. Lukacs postulates his ‘reflection model’ as paramount to a Marxist literary analysis. This taxonomy of Marxist theorists has provided a highly eclectic and unique brand of Marxist literary and cultural theory, which therefore serves as an appropriate theory for the analysis in this chapter and in this study.
The chapter will begin by providing an historical background and synopsis of the play. The chapter will then proceed to look at the thematic pre-occupations of the play as explored by other critics. This will be important because it will present the themes that have been explored to pave way for the additional insight that my analysis will focus on. The chapter will then concentrate on re- interpreting the theme of suicide in Rotimi’s Kurunmi from a number of perspectives to understand the full significance of suicide in the play. The analysis will bear in mind the objectives of the study with the view also to addressing the research questions.