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Naira has no gender: A play
60 pages, Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1993
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April 20, 2011
A MARXIST CRITICISM OF OLU OBAFEMI’S NAIRA HAS NO GENDER
The play Naira Has No Gender evolves around various situations that depict moral decadence in the society. The playwright, Professor Olu Obafemi, shows how the traditional and modern culture; the old and new generation; as well as the elder and younger members of the society have to combat the various morasses that had eaten up the fabric of the society due to class differences. The universal ideas of the play give full indication of this. Thus, it could be regarded a Marxist play.
First, we have the theme of marriage. In this context, the marriage is between Otunla and Aina, as introduced in atmosphere one and also used as the end-point of atmosphere five. In this respect, we are confronted with the traditional cum modern system of marriage that give room for paying exhurbitant rates in order to do a marriage. The mention of ‘sakole fee’, ‘palemo rate’, ‘igbarun fee’, buying the attires of ‘the bridal team, the ring bearer and the flower girls’; and ‘the aso ebi down the twenty-one lineages that form my ancestry’ reminds one of a typical modern-day Yoruba bride’s needs for wedding. Due to the displeasure with this style of extortion, the two (Otunla and Aina) resolved not to put off a noise-making wedding, as the play comes to a close.
Another universal idea in the play is corruption. Abusing the power one is entrusted with for private gain is the matter that make a barely educated bourgeoisie like Chief Awadanu get rich using ‘connections’. This also made him term his bedroom into a ballot stuffing centre; making him an agent of thuggery. It could also be attributed to him using his progeny as instruments of achieving higher status in the society. Just as in the story of Shade, an undergraduate, who becomes a go-getter for her father so that he might attain higher affluence. This is as well depicted in the story narrated by Dokun and Debby concerning the Nigerian lady they met at Hearthrow Airport, London, who for the sake of amassing wealth goes as low as keeping cocaine in her baby’s daipers, thereby using an innocent younger generation as a tool for criminality. All these acts are vehemently condemned by the younger generation, represented by Dokun, Aina, Otunla and Debby.
Closely related, but negating the issue of corruption is the generational conflict between the old and the new. The old, symbolised by Chief Awadanu is presented as corrupt, while the new, symbolised by Dokun and Otunla show high sense of virtue. While Dokun shows his belief that everything man would do should be through due process, Chief believes his son’s friendship with Otunla is barbaric; for in his view, it has infected Dokun with ideas are incompatible with his. To this, Dokun shows his father that his generation is set to bring ‘light to the darkness which your party covers the land with…’ and that they were ‘men with conscience’ (pg 29), who reject the injustice and corruption that prevails in our land’ (pg 30) and thus were not afraid of any challenge that might come their ways.
One other relevant and dominant device used in the play is showing how humans could easily change at the least prodding. This is explicable from the scene of the protesting half-naked women as well as the mechanic who roasted himself. Ordinarily, the women wouldn’t keep their breasts open publicly but their displeasure over being driven out of their shops brought that into place. For the mechanic, we could say he lost sanity. That probably could be the reason for him burning of every item of his trade, including himself in fire. Though, humans are generally emotional in reacting to happenings, our proaction should never go to the extent of abnormalities.
The play is set in a period between 1976 and 1979, as suggested by the mention of a government-oriented project of the period, the Operation Feed the Nation, in atmosphere one. Indeed, the periods succeeding the project were ruined by corruption and self-centeredness, which brought about political instability in Nigeria. A rural and a sub-urban place were most likely used in the acts based on the descriptions provided by the playwright. The prevalent culture can be said to be a time when the older generation has become insane with corruption to the extent of not to know it as a vice.
The language used throughout the play can be grouped into three. First, is the modern day English, used throughout the play by characters such as; Dokun, Debby and Abeke, depicting them as totally modern. Secondly, we have the pidgin used partially by Otunla and Aina but thoroughly by Chief, showing him as not having formal education. The third is the use of the native Yoruba Language, translated into its literal English meaning, which was used by both Baba and Mama. Expressions like, ‘Owner of the money on my head…’, ‘the eyes that will not set on evil must commence the escape race ahead of time’; amongst others are a testimony to this. These registers of speech could be seen as Obafemi’s way of establishing the characters in the understanding of the audience.
In all, the playwright, through characterization, setting and language has been able to show his distaste for economic and political power got through corrupt practices. He has also been able to advocate a change in the order of abnormality of things, thereby giving a call for normalcy.
The play Naira Has No Gender evolves around various situations that depict moral decadence in the society. The playwright, Professor Olu Obafemi, shows how the traditional and modern culture; the old and new generation; as well as the elder and younger members of the society have to combat the various morasses that had eaten up the fabric of the society due to class differences. The universal ideas of the play give full indication of this. Thus, it could be regarded a Marxist play.
First, we have the theme of marriage. In this context, the marriage is between Otunla and Aina, as introduced in atmosphere one and also used as the end-point of atmosphere five. In this respect, we are confronted with the traditional cum modern system of marriage that give room for paying exhurbitant rates in order to do a marriage. The mention of ‘sakole fee’, ‘palemo rate’, ‘igbarun fee’, buying the attires of ‘the bridal team, the ring bearer and the flower girls’; and ‘the aso ebi down the twenty-one lineages that form my ancestry’ reminds one of a typical modern-day Yoruba bride’s needs for wedding. Due to the displeasure with this style of extortion, the two (Otunla and Aina) resolved not to put off a noise-making wedding, as the play comes to a close.
Another universal idea in the play is corruption. Abusing the power one is entrusted with for private gain is the matter that make a barely educated bourgeoisie like Chief Awadanu get rich using ‘connections’. This also made him term his bedroom into a ballot stuffing centre; making him an agent of thuggery. It could also be attributed to him using his progeny as instruments of achieving higher status in the society. Just as in the story of Shade, an undergraduate, who becomes a go-getter for her father so that he might attain higher affluence. This is as well depicted in the story narrated by Dokun and Debby concerning the Nigerian lady they met at Hearthrow Airport, London, who for the sake of amassing wealth goes as low as keeping cocaine in her baby’s daipers, thereby using an innocent younger generation as a tool for criminality. All these acts are vehemently condemned by the younger generation, represented by Dokun, Aina, Otunla and Debby.
Closely related, but negating the issue of corruption is the generational conflict between the old and the new. The old, symbolised by Chief Awadanu is presented as corrupt, while the new, symbolised by Dokun and Otunla show high sense of virtue. While Dokun shows his belief that everything man would do should be through due process, Chief believes his son’s friendship with Otunla is barbaric; for in his view, it has infected Dokun with ideas are incompatible with his. To this, Dokun shows his father that his generation is set to bring ‘light to the darkness which your party covers the land with…’ and that they were ‘men with conscience’ (pg 29), who reject the injustice and corruption that prevails in our land’ (pg 30) and thus were not afraid of any challenge that might come their ways.
One other relevant and dominant device used in the play is showing how humans could easily change at the least prodding. This is explicable from the scene of the protesting half-naked women as well as the mechanic who roasted himself. Ordinarily, the women wouldn’t keep their breasts open publicly but their displeasure over being driven out of their shops brought that into place. For the mechanic, we could say he lost sanity. That probably could be the reason for him burning of every item of his trade, including himself in fire. Though, humans are generally emotional in reacting to happenings, our proaction should never go to the extent of abnormalities.
The play is set in a period between 1976 and 1979, as suggested by the mention of a government-oriented project of the period, the Operation Feed the Nation, in atmosphere one. Indeed, the periods succeeding the project were ruined by corruption and self-centeredness, which brought about political instability in Nigeria. A rural and a sub-urban place were most likely used in the acts based on the descriptions provided by the playwright. The prevalent culture can be said to be a time when the older generation has become insane with corruption to the extent of not to know it as a vice.
The language used throughout the play can be grouped into three. First, is the modern day English, used throughout the play by characters such as; Dokun, Debby and Abeke, depicting them as totally modern. Secondly, we have the pidgin used partially by Otunla and Aina but thoroughly by Chief, showing him as not having formal education. The third is the use of the native Yoruba Language, translated into its literal English meaning, which was used by both Baba and Mama. Expressions like, ‘Owner of the money on my head…’, ‘the eyes that will not set on evil must commence the escape race ahead of time’; amongst others are a testimony to this. These registers of speech could be seen as Obafemi’s way of establishing the characters in the understanding of the audience.
In all, the playwright, through characterization, setting and language has been able to show his distaste for economic and political power got through corrupt practices. He has also been able to advocate a change in the order of abnormality of things, thereby giving a call for normalcy.
January 10, 2025
The play is a nice one and top notch
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews