A Comparative Study of J.p Clark’s the Raft and Femi Osofisan’s Another Raft
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the study
The main objective of the study is to compare the study of J.P Clark’s the raft and Femi Osofisan’s another raft.
The following are the specific objectives of the study:
- To examine the symbolism in the drama of J.P Clark’s the raft and Femi Osofisan’s another raft.
- To reflect the socio-political situation in Nigeria after independence.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION
Introduction
Sequel to the competition for commercial advantages among European nations in the 19th century, there ensued, the scramble for and the partition of Africa and the Europeans on the coast of West Africa brought to a halt the traditional form of government in African societies. The Europeans came to power and colonization was the order of the day. With colonialism, the whites impose their own ways of life upon the blacks. The imposition makes life very difficult and unbearable for the Africans who suffer tremendously.
In Nigeria for instance, the system of indirect rule was introduced, where even the educated Nigerians were not allowed to take part in the administration of their country. Top positions in the civil service were not accessible to the educated Nigerians. Modern residential areas with infrastructural facilities were created only for the Europeans. The slow development of educational facilities and higher institutions as well as the slow political and constitutional development of Nigerian territory were unacceptable by Nigerians who wanted immediate self-government from the Europeans.
The attainment of independence and self-government brought hope and great expectations in the minds of Nigerians. The Nationalist were always looking forward to or pressing on, in hope, of a brighter future. Aspirations and dreams were very high as the people saw the dethronement of colonial rule as the panacea to end their predicaments.
Hardly did the euphoria of independence died down, when a reversal of the masses’ hopes and expectations become the case. Nigeria became politically unstable. For one thing, the major political parties then – NCNC, AG, and NPC – that fought and won independence for Nigeria were tribally oriented. The three regions that were carved out by the colonial masters were equally created along tribal lines.
Concept of Symbolism
The Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary (2004:979) defines ‘symbolism’ as;
The use of symbol in art, literature, films etc; to represent ideas
… It attempts to express states of the mind rather than represent reality, using the power of words and images to produce ideas and imagination.
From this definition, one can deduce that symbolism is applied by writers to express their state of mind as regards certain bad practices and ideas in the society. These ideas are meant to create a lasting impression on the minds of the readers.
CHAPTER THREE
SYMBOLISM IN J.P CLARK’S THE RAFT AND FEMI OSOFISAN’S ANOTHER RAFT
The use of symbolism in The Raft
Uka (1999:75) states that JP Clark is a playwright who
… merges the elements of his western philosophy to that of his African traditions to give an outstanding kind of drama. He explores various themes and ideas in his work. These are political, religious, social and economic issues that affect the lives of the people in his society. He therefore presents these ideas with the use of symbols. These symbols and imageries which are peculiar occur in the daily conversation of his Urhobo and Izon people of the Niger-Delta area of Nigeria.
The Raft can be interpreted as the political status of Nigerian society after independence. In terms of this interpretation, the four lumbermen symbolise the four regions of Nigeria at that time. All the premiers of the four regions have lost control; they have gone adrift. The play can be described as a prophetic one because the playwright envisions doom and what he predicted actually came to pass in Nigeria after independence. Nigeria’s unity was not conclusive then. There was the tendency for parts of the country to want to secede. The playwright presents The Raft as representing the problems of Nigeria in the symbolic regional characters of Ogro, Ibobo, Kengide and Olotu. They are impotent, incompetent and visionless. They symbolise the Nigerian nation whose problems are being compounded by the greedy and selfish rulers. The Niger-Delta situation of crude oil damaging the crops and farmland and allowing the masses to starve is staring the government in the face. The government turns deaf ears to those issues without proffering any solution.
CHAPTER FOUR
J.P CLARK’S THE RAFT AND FEMI OSOFISAN’S ANOTHER RAFT AND THE STATE OF THE NATION
The raft and the state of the nation
The predicament of the four men on The Raft – Olotu, Kehinde, Ogro and Ibobo drifting helplessly in the night is meant to be taken as the predicament of the Nigerian nation as a whole as it looks for direction, searches for teleology while floating about in the dangerous waters of the modern world.
J P Clark-Bekederemo’s The Raft written in the hey-days of Nigeria’s independence symbolizes the troubled situation of our newly independent nation. The play presents the visionlessness, selfishness, greed and avarice, bribery and corruption that plagued the nation in its social, political, economic, and cultural psyche. The nation is in a chaotic state. The people lack a sense of direction as they drift aimlessly towards perdition and destruction. In the reassuring words of Ibobo:
We are adrift. – (p.93)
In the ensuring argument between Kehinde and Olotu, Clark-Bekederemo brings to bear one problem that has destroyed Nigeria’s social system as a nation. He identifies ethnicity and discrimination that have eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society. These vices have caused the falcon not to hear the falconer and things have fallen apart, since the centre could no longer hold. In the process of building the nation, everybody should be given an opportunity to air his opinion. A situation where his opinion is rejected or accepted because he comes from a particular part of the country could be inimical to our collective triumph as a nation.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION
Over the years, drama has been a tool that writers use as a weapon to fight the evils in the society. Since drama reflects the culture of the people, most works of African writers are characterised by the use of images and symbols which are often from their indigenous culture and language. This has a way of enhancing the beauty of art and the didactic functions of such works.
John Pepper Clark and Femi Osofisan are prolific writers whose works are identified with the everyday use of symbols. They present many of their ideologies and thematic concerns within the deep-rooted social and political frameworks that are prevalent in society. They deal with various issues ranging from class consciousness, materialism, moral decadence, religious hypocrisy, and the mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds which seem to be eating deep into the fabric of society. They often present these ideas and ideals with symbols. At other times, they juxtapose the various symbols to give their works a unique style.
The convergence of the visions and missions of both Clark and Osofisan, their use of topical symbols and their veiled messages are all delicious food for thought for readers of their texts. The topically of their messages, which are often universal, makes them food for thought for the government of any nation by warning them about the need for good governance.
Clark-Bekederemo and Osofisan use drama as an effective means of propaganda and by their very nature of call, they both seem to be revolutionary. Their principal objective is not so much to inform, educate and entertain, but to change the society. The playwright as a revolutionary thinker strives always to change the world, to redirect and channel the mind and conscience of his people towards a new set of values. Soyinka believes that the writer as the visionary of his time, “must impress (on the mind and consciousness of his audience) an acceptance of his revolutionary vision”. The playwright’s voice is the light by which the statesman wisely guides their steps.
Drama has indeed been used by the two Nigerian playwrights to preach virtue and purposeful leadership in our society. They create a whole symphony of meaning by pattern of recurrent images, relationship, actions and dialogues which are direct or indirect characteristic of African nations. Clark-Bekederemo in his The Raft visualizes the corrupt society filled with fear, ignorance, cynicism, poverty and disorder. He creates a human condition which he knew existed not only in Nigeria but also in America. In the society he sees a human condition as hopeless and helpless with confusion. Osofisan on the other hand, exposes social ills of greedy leaders who are only out to exploit the masses. He indicates the problems in the society and also tries to find solutions to them. That is, the need for hardwork, co-operation, positive thinking and togetherness in the society.
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