Norbert Oyibo Eze1, Ndubuisi Nnanna2 & Emeka Aniago3
1Senior lecturer, Dept. of Theatre & Film Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
2Lecturer, Dept. of Theatre & Film Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
3Senior lecturer, Dept. of Theatre & Film Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
Email: emekaaniago@gmail.com ORCID: 0000-0003-3194-1463.
Volume 13, Number 3, 2021 I Full-Text PDF
DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v13n3.17
Abstract
We learn from history that some consequences of abysmal government policies and dysfunctional tactics include socio-economic retrogression, increased deprivation ideology, victimhood, rebellion, war and revolution; and theorists have provided several plausible contextualizations for elucidation. One of such conceptualizations is Ted Robert Gurr’s theory of relative deprivation, which can be applied to illuminate sufficiently how discontent enacted in Ahmed Yerima’s trilogy can lead to aggressive responses. Thus, through an interpretive approach, we shall look at how Yerima portrays creatively in his trilogy – Hard Ground, Little Drops, and Ipomu why a show of force, divide and rule, carrot and stick tactics by successive Nigerian governments have exacerbated grief, restiveness and rebellion in Niger Delta because of unwholesome oil exploitation and ineffectual corporate social responsibility approaches. In the end, this study proposes that Niger Delta oil exploitation related discontent will fester and linger if functional inclusiveness and proportional infrastructural development are not deployed progressively.
Keywords: Corruption, crude oil, Niger Delta, rebellion, relative deprivation