IN SEARCH OF THE NATION: A READING OF FEMI OSOFISAN’S ESU AND THE VAGABOND MINSTRELS

Abstract

Femi Osofisan’s thematic focus in his plays is the social criticism of corruption, maladministration and inequity in his immediate society, Nigeria. Esu and the vagabond minstrels is one of such plays. The play’s thematic focus is on corruption and inhumanity which characterise the postcolonial Nigerian society. This paper adopts Social Reader-Response Theory, which underlines readers’ ideological predisposition as influenced by the chosen interpretive strategy, to critique the play. The plot and subject matter reveal that Osofisan writes the play from the political history of the country in the 80’s. The play’s reference to Nigeria’s military coup of 1983 is established with the dialogue of the vagabond minstrels and the contractors who fail to deliver the rice that was paid for by the overthrown civilian government. The play, perhaps, aims to raise the consciousness of Nigerians on the view that humanity can be sustained by compassion and sincerity of purpose in dealing with fellow human beings as demonstrated by Omele in the play. In the search for an ideal nation, individuals and groups across all the ethnic nationalities need to think critically to know where things have gone wrong in the country instead of fishing in the troubled waters of the country's socio-political and economic challenges.