Consciousness, Literature and the Arts
Archive
Volume 16 Number 2, August 2015
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Theatre for Development and Political Consciousness among the Nigerian Electorate: Lessons from Tse-Agberagba Workshop
By
Benue State University, Nigeria
Abstract
This paper is based on the Theatre for Development community workshop that was carried out among the people of Tse-Agberagba in Konshisha Local Government area in Benue State, Nigeria. In the workshop, use was made of Theatre for Development methodology to find out the likely issues affecting political development in Nigeria, with particular emphasis on Benue State. It was discovered that, the majority of the Nigerian electorate is ignorant of their political rights and thus they are used and dumped by the political class. The workshop therefore sought ways in which the political consciousness of the electorate could be raised so that it will begin to do the right thing during and after the electoral processes in order to attract sustainable development programs from the government. Issues affecting political development in Nigeria were captured through data that was generated from the people of Tse-Agberagba. In order to raise the consciousness of the people and challenge them to do the right thing so as to hold their political representatives accountable, the collected data were developed into dramatic episodes and presented before the people for discussion. During the discussion of the drama, it became clear that the Nigerian electorate has been ignorant of their rights as the electorate. Through the discussion and sensitization the people resolved to do the right thing during and after elections so as to attract sustainable development. This paper is anchored on the findings, the results, and the projections of the workshop. The paper therefore affirms the efficacy of theatre for development in raising people’s political consciousness towards doing the right thing so as to deepen Nigerian democracy for social, economic, educational and the overall development of the nation.
Introduction
Politics essentially is the art or science of managing the affairs and resources of human beings. It is the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live. One of the basic responsibilities of theatre is to comment on the issues that go on in the society with a view to suggest possible solutions to existing problems of the society. This gives the theatre a dialectical relationship with the society as it reflects the way society operates; politics is one of these areas. Nigerian dramatists have over the years used the medium of drama to comment on the political and social situations in the country. Nigerian playwrights such as J.P. Clark and Soyinka were mentioned by their nationalist consciousness to reflect on the situation in the nation. The national consciousness in them made them discuss problems of the post-independent Nigeria. This informs why Soyinka in A Dance of the Forests (1963) dramatizes the plight of a new independent nation. The influence of the Nigerian civil war on the society and on the individual is discussed in The Madmen and Specialists (1986) with a bid to raise the consciousness of Nigerians against the destructive nature of civil war and to call to order the minds of Nigerians against issues that could tear the country apart. It was in the same vein that Clark wrote The Raft that reflects his concern for the fate of the Nigerian nation as it drifts along the course of uncertainty. This is with all intent and purpose to direct the consciousness of Nigerians against this uncertainty. It becomes imperative from the foregoing that theatre reflects the politics of its time by capturing vividly and precisely a clean picture of its society with a view to raising discussions that could bring about a just and equitable society.
Drama serves as the watch-man in society. Drama can be described as the people’s secret police (Akorede, 1993). Through drama theatre activists shift out information and also bring the ‘culprits’ to the people’s court for interrogation. The court as used here is the open theatre where issues that impede development processes are exposed for interrogation by the people with a view to taking necessary actions for the overall betterment of the society.
Literature “is the science in the humanities because it exposes, extols, and exemplifies the deepest manifestation of man’s character and events” (Akorede 1993, 54). This clearly shows that drama has what it takes to raise the consciousness of a group towards a particular issue or event. It is therefore the greatest source for the understanding of contemporary politics and the attitudes of the political class towards the development or backwardness of a nation state. It can criticize events in and around a given society and at the same time point a way forward for betterment. Theatre and drama have over the years taken the form of classroom, an X-ray room or a laboratory whereby issues affecting man are presented with a view to educate, re-orient and awaken the consciousness of the audience to the realities of their society. This informs why Ogumba, O. as cited in Akorede says that drama “is a medium admirably suited for making deep, psychological probes into the consciousness of a community” (1993, 54). Theatre therefore is an effective even though informal medium of making a lasting impression on the people and raising their consciousness towards doing the right thing for their progress and development. Theatre is used to:
…provide a means of building a critical consciousness in the masses… or even mobilizing them for action, of engaging them in struggle and reflecting on the struggle… such a theatre would necessarily draw on the skills and creativity of the people, expressing their problems and concerns, it would reinforce the growth of identity in the people and instill far greater self-confidence in them (Ogumbiyi 1981, 43).
Theatre is used in this context to provoke people to rise up against the causes of their underdevelopment, as well as poverty occasioned by the insensitivity of the rulers to the social, political and economic needs of the people. It is against this background that the Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University, Makurdi organized a consciousness-raising workshop for the Nigerian electorate towards doing what is right in order to be able to hold their elected representatives accountable when they fail to provide dividends of democracy to them.
Conceptual Issues
Theatre for Development has been variously referred to in the past by theatre scholars. Theatre for Development as used in this research work is a theatre genre that makes people to look critically at their existence with a view to transform it. It is a form of theatre that combines research, entertainment and education. Two broad approaches to Theatre for Development are performance-based and workshop-based approaches. Within each, there are variations based on form or the degree of engagement with the people, like theatre for the people, theatre with the people and theatre by the people. Performance-based processes are primarily theatre for the people rather than theatre with or by the people. It is mainly hypodermic in nature and based on the assumption that behaviour change would occur when the drama product is injected into the community. Its weakness is that the performances are controlled and executed by outsiders, who put high premium on the visual and physical and less on the emotional and cognitive parts of human life. The workshop-based kind of theatre is theatre with the people in which, facilitators work jointly with the target group, collect data on issues of concern to the people analyze the issues, and then develop the issues into drama, rehearse and then present the play to the community and facilitate discussions. In theatre by the people local groups identify and analyze problems, make and perform plays and conduct discussions under the guidance of facilitators. Where behaviour change has occurred, it is more likely to have been influenced by the highly participatory approach with the target group.
Theatre for Development is referred to with different nomenclatures, but all of the nomenclatures have the central point of concern with the same elements necessary for fostering development among people through sensitization and conscientization. Theatre for Development creates messages that reflect the reality of the people as viewed by them. This involves analysis of issues that lead to change of attitudes through self-examination, situation analysis by the people themselves and not persuasion or order from outsiders. Theatre for Development as it is practiced today is built on the theatrical projections of Bertolt Brecht who along with his contemporary Erwin Piscator created an influential theatrical theory of epic theatre. Epic theatre’s position is that: “A play should not cause the spectator to identify emotionally with the characters or action before him or her, but should instead provoke rational self-reflection and a critical view of the action on the stage” (Brecht, 1964, 70).
Brecht theatre differs from other types of theatre because of the fact that it aimed primarily at the process of awareness raising among the audience. He therefore wanted theatre audiences to adapt a critical perspective in order to recognize social, economic and political injustice and exploitation and to be moved to go forth from the theatre and effect change in the world outside the theatre. Brecht’s theatre reminds the audience and the actors themselves that, the play is a representation of reality and not reality itself. Epic theatre thus highlighted and constructed nature of a theatrical event with a hindsight to communicate that the audience’s reality was equally constructed and, as such, was changeable. The above revolves around the concept of alienation effect that strips the event of its self-evident, familiar, obvious quality and thus creates a sense of astonishment and curiosity about them. According to Brecht, theatre must not be reduced to consumption of finished products but rather plays that would be geared towards changing the society for better. The Nigerian society is therefore over-ripe for a soul searching self-examination and re-evaluation of her political system with a view to changing the current political trends that live much to be desired for development to take firm roots.
The above is in agreement with Augusto Boal’s submission that: “Theatre is a form of knowledge; it should and can also be a means of transforming society. Theatre can help us build our future, rather than just waiting for it.” (Search for Common Ground 2015, 5) To Paulo Freire, dialogue is most essential in raising consciousness of the people towards achieving a set goal. To this end he posits that: “I engage in dialogue because I recognize the social and not merely the individualistic character of the process of knowing. In this sense, dialogue presents itself as an indispensable component of the process of learning and knowing.” (Search for Common Ground 2015, 5)
Both Boal and Freire see the potential of Theatre for Development in helping to bring about transformation which is possible only when the people’s consciousness is aroused. They both use theatre to provoke a revolution in the social, political and economic justice by encouraging a theatre audience to seek more rights and opportunities. They are of the opinion that, theatre should encourage audience to be active whereby they could create a space for dialogue amongst themselves with a view to transforming society into a better place for all. The theatrical projection on the tenets of Theatre for development is clearly summarized by Freire thus:
But human activity consists of action and reflection: it is praxis; it is transformation of the world. And as praxis, it requires theory to illuminate it. Human activity is theory and practice; it is reflection and action. It cannot… be reduced to either verbalism or activism.… a revolution is achieved with neither verbalism nor activism, but rather with praxis, that is, with reflection and action directed at the structures to be transformed. The revolutionary efforts to transform these structures radically cannot designate its leaders as its thinkers and the oppressed as mere doers. (2012, 125-126)
The above statement reviews the important role education plays in Theatre for Development praxis in raising people’s consciousness towards set goals of development in the society. It also shows the imperativeness of theatre for development in transforming people and the socio-political and economic system of the society. It therefore means, a theatre audience must be made to reflect and be critical about the social and moral implications of what is presented before them so that they begin to think of the necessary action to take that will better their fortunes and development.
Theatre for Development is used to increase the critical understanding of the illiterates (the ignorant) whereby they would begin to change their former attitudes through the discovery of themselves as the makers of the world of culture, and a discovery that they together with the literate in the society have a creative impulse to transform society. This entails engaging in a dialogue with the people about concrete situations and simply offering them the instruments which they can use to surmount the challenges of under-development.
Political consciousness according to Tyehimba (2013) on the other hand is one of the cores of political science that allows people to present political life, political process with certain integrity and stability, focusing attention on the structural, organizational, institutional and functional parties of a policy. In a literal sense, people that are conscious are awake and aware, as opposed to being “put to sleep” by societal propaganda. “Conscious” people are presumed to be more knowledgeable about certain conspiracies or information than most of their peers who are more likely to believe what they are told by establishment agents. Obviously, conscious people tend to process information in certain ways.
Political consciousness therefore refers to people’s level of knowledge and understanding concerning the nature of power and power dynamics in the society, and the manner in which various people and institutions work to oppress and subjugate others. Oppression of course manifests itself in various forms including but not limited to racial, gender-based, and class-based oppression, but also in political process.
It is on this premise of sensitizing people to raise their political consciousness that the Tse-Agberagba Theatre for development workshop of 2014 was organized by the Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University Makurdi, Nigeria as a pilot study with the central focus of empowering the marginalized groups (the masses) who are the electorate to think through the political situations as it affect them for possible correction. Freire posited that the poor are poor because they have no voice and have absorbed a culture of silence. This culture of silence is reinforced by a banking system of education in which learners are treated as empty vessels to be filled with knowledge. Freire argued that the marginalized could gain back the lost voice through dialogue and what he called problem-posing education in which the roles of the educators and educatees are exchangeable.
The Tse-Agberagba Community Theatre for Development Workshop
Nigeria’s political system is characterized by several electoral irregularities such as rigging, thuggery, ballot box snatching, corruption and all manner of unwholesome activities. These activities impinge on the credibility of the electoral process thereby undermining the quality of those that are voted to represent the interest of the people. In Nigeria after a long lull of political action owing to a long period of military dictatorship, Nigerians became politically uninformed and unconscious. This account for the lack of political commitment by the Nigerian electorate to actively participate and do the right thing in order to vote for credible politicians that will work to bring about democracy dividends to the people and help develop the nation.
Following the poor participation and weak understanding of the principles of electoral processes by the teeming masses of Nigeria, Nigerian corrupt politicians took advantage of the situation and negatively used the electorate for their selfish ambitions. The Nigerian electoral process has conspicuously been monetized such that the rich few impose and perpetuate themselves as leaders over the mass of the poor, making economic status to become a determinant of leadership at the expense of individual potential, vision and desirous selfless service to the people. It is this scenario that prompted the Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University Makurdi to rise to the challenge and sensitize Nigerians and raise their consciousness towards doing the right thing for social, economic and political development of the nation.
In order to do this, an issue-based research was carried out in and around Tse-Agberagba by 300 level students of the Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University to get first-hand information from the people in respect of the electoral process and what is expected of the electorate during and after elections. The Workshop was coordinated by the writer. The research was carried out to equip students with the rudiments of using applied theatre to solve development challenges. Tse-Agberagba is the headquarters of the Konshisha Local Government Area in Benue state. The Local Government headquarters has a population of about 5000 inhabitants.
Methodology for the Workshop
Over the years, Theatre for Development has increasingly become a practical method of enquiry as well as a tool for engaging with rural and urban communities on a variety of issues. One of such issues is arousing the consciousness of communities towards the development of their own areas. In the same vein Benue State University and the Department of Theatre Arts in particular is not left out in the struggle of creating awareness on certain issues through community theatre performances. Theatre for Development is used by the Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University as a means of University-Community Development Strategy. It is also used to enhance the practical skills of the University’s theatre arts undergraduates. To this end it is mandatory for all 300 level students of the Department to undergo practical training in Theatre for Development, in a chosen locality. During the 2013/2014 academic session, Tse-Agberagba community was chosen for the practical workshop. Before the workshop, the writer and student leaders of 300 level class of the Department, paid an advocacy visit to Ter-Ikyor, Chief Jam Gbinde, the second class traditional chief that oversees the affairs of the entire local government area; the Tyoor, Zaki Gwar Leke, the third class chief that oversees the affairs of the Tse-Agberagba surroundings; the opinion leaders as well as the Local Government Chairman. Letters were given to the gatekeepers of the locality. The letters captured the intention of the visit of the Theatre for Development team to their area; the reasons for the visit and all that shall be done during the visit. The advocacy visit was meant to seek permission from the leaders of the research area for the workshop. The traditional structure and all that matter warmly embraced the idea.
On Sunday 2nd day of March, 2014, the research team, comprising of 300 level students of the above mentioned Department numbering 56 and three supervising lecturers took off from the University campus at about 2:26 p.m. using the University buses. The team arrived Tse-Ageragba the venue of the workshop at about 4.05 p.m. and was warmly received by the district head Chief Gwar Leke on behalf of the chairman Konshisha Local Government Traditional Council of Chiefs. He later arranged accommodation for the team at the local government primary school, Iorkighir. This was unexpected due to the previous experience the outgone students of the Department had in Logo Local Government Area when they embarked on a similar workshop. In 2013 when the writer and two other lecturers took students on a Theatre for Development research experience, in Logo Local Government Area, the then chairman of the local council area and the traditional chiefs denied the students the opportunity to carry out the research. They cited security challenges and said they could not guarantee security of life and property of the students and the supervising lecturers. To this end the writer being the leader of that research team returned the students to the campus for an alternative research venue. This happened even when permission for the research experience was sought with relevant authorities of the locality during advocacy visits. With that past experience in mind, the students and the supervising lecturers were apprehensive of the outcome of the workshop trip. The warm reception that was accorded the team, however, put to rest our fear and anxiety. The Chief rather welcomed and briefed the team on the dos and don’ts of the locality and promised to assist whenever the need arises.
The following day, the research team was divided into groups for a transect walk which was meant to help the team know the community. This is a cross sectional walk around the community with members of the community participating. During the walk, the research group stopped at intervals to introduce themselves and get the people to know what the exercise was all about. Questions were asked relating to the people’s consciousness and awareness, knowledge of the workings and performance of their elected representatives. During the transect walk, a profile of the community, composition and character were clearly discussed.
At the end of the walk, a transect diagram was developed and agreed upon by the research team and the participating community members. The map consisted of key things such as buildings, facilities, landmarks, trees, forests and so forth. The transect walk was used to capture the presence or otherwise of the democracy dividends to the people and also to compare the benefits of democracy to the people as against the non-democratic practices of representation. It was also used to identify where different categories of the people could be found or located.
The community map was used to: start a discussion on the key information that was gathered in a non-threatening manner. Identify places and people that are important in the community and why. Explore people’s concern about the different services and what they would like to change. To identify what the political representatives have done for the people. To identify services and resources available in the community and the existing gaps. The map was adequately interrogated in order to get clarifications and to discover problems. For ownership, the map was presented to the community participants for ratification.
The research team, again, went out in groups of five to interact face to face with the community members. The interaction that was carried out among community members revealed the following problems;
lack of dividends of democracy,
high level poverty,
unemployment,
disunity,
illiteracy and
nepotism.
The causes of these were directly linked to money politics, that is, the use of money by the political class to buy the conscience of the masses. God-fatherism in politics which had a direct link with the political heavyweights and money bags deciding the fate of political aspirants that would usually dance to their tune and dictates without minding the consequences on the issue of sustainable development. In order to sustain the culture of money politics and god-fatherism in the political equations, use was made of thugs to intimidate genuine aspirants that have the mindset to work towards progress and development of their localities. Thugs were also used to intimidate the electorate. The end result was that the people were forced to sell their mandate in return for to peanuts. The scenario that was created is, people were disfranchised and forced to sell their votes instead of voting for credible aspirants of their choice that would work towards bringing about betterment to the land. Over the years, political aspirants that got their mandates through the scenario described above develop self-centeredness and nepotistic tendencies. This was the situation that existed at Tse-Agberagba and across the nation state of Nigeria.
In a bid to mobilize people to the venue of the performance tsa-utu dance was performed. The moment the dance’s rhythms rend the air people from all walks of life rushed to the venue. Others who were hitherto waiting for the commencement of the presentation left what engaged them to attend the production. Community participation serve as a key to ensuring that the people watch the drama and make their own decisions and take their own actions aimed at improving the credibility of the electoral process to attract the needed development.
Theatre for Development Methodology and Consciousness Negotiation
According to the ideological standpoint of Paulo Freire, one of the proponents of Theatre for Development:
Attempting to liberate the oppressed without their reflective participation in the act of liberation is to treat them as objects which must be saved from burning buildings…At all stages of their liberation, the oppressed must see themselves as women and men engaged in the ontological and historical vocation of becoming more fully human. Reflection and action become imperative when one does not erroneously attempt to dichotomize the content of humanity from its historical forms… to achieve this praxis, however, it is necessary to trust in the oppressed and their ability to reason (Freire 2012, 65-66).
Armed with the above proposition, the stage was set to use the actual findings in the field to help raise the consciousness of the Tse-Agberagba people and sensitize them on issues that were directly causing their backwardness and their political under-development. This was done with the view that Theatre for Development is a powerful tool for arousing interest, expressing popular views, focusing community discussions, raising awareness, building self-confidence and mobilizing people for collective action. The process of analyzing issues and creating drama constitute an important form of learning which was carefully explored during the workshop. People “should be allowed to apply the art form to assist in reconstructing their identities.” (Taylor 2003, xviii) What should actually be desired, in this context, is what Oga referred to as “Theatre by the people”. Oga opines that: “This stage is...the desired destination/goal in the practice. It is the stage at which the people themselves begin to make theatre, about their own selves and their problems. Theatre at this point becomes an integral medium in the development process...” (1997, 28). Theatre is used to help stimulate a process of critical thinking among groups and create sufficient momentum for an organized and collective response to the problems. The people should not have their situations x-rayed by others; they should excavate it, explore it, and suggest ways of how such situations could be managed.
When others are left to manage their affairs for them, so to speak, it would be devoid of desired depth of attention, and bring about psychological distancing suggestive of aloofness, which will only do them little or no good. In this wise, theatre for development does not stop at the point of change advocacy, but is virile, dynamic and captivating; and must engage the people’s interest while advocating a message or proffering positive change. Boal posits “I believe that all the revolutionary theatrical groups should transfer to the people the means of production in the theatre so that the people themselves may utilize them. The theatre is a weapon and it is the people who should wield it” (1997, 122). Theatre can help people to work to bring about good government that focuses on the interests of the people at large and reject bad government that seeks its own private interest rather than that of the people. Government is formed for the interest of all, not for the selected few.
Theatre for Development Model Drama and Political Consciousness
In order to raise the consciousness of the people in regards to political occurrences in the country, the workshop team used the problem-solution process approach, as found during information gathering and research. The team, after due analysis of the issues that impinge on political development of the nation, decided to use a model drama that highlights the causes and effects of those political occurrences. The drama titled ‘Hemen’ (leadership) focused it searchlight on how democracy is being practiced in Nigeria. It reflects the sad effects of money politics, thuggery, and rigging in relation to under-development of the nation that manifest corruption, poverty, unemployment and a host of other issues. In order to draw the people to the venue of presentation Tsav-utu dance was performed. After the dance, the ground was ready for the theatrical presentation.
The plot revolves around two political aspirants, the corrupt, self-centered politician and his cohorts and a servant politician that is willing and ready to work for the interest of the people if given the mandate. The drama takes place in an imaginary community of Swem-Karagbe where the people are gathered to receive the aspirants. First to address the community is Gbashakon, the servant politician who is willing to play the political game according to rules. He is selfless and free of corruption. He is followed by people of virtue that are ever ready to work for sustainable development of their community. He presented himself as a servant leader who would lead the community well by bringing sustainable development if given the mandate. As he spoke, some community members, demanded money and material things from him as a mark of his seriousness with his quest for the political office, as this has become part and parcel of the people’s political culture. Bearing in mind that he wanted to represent his people, truthfully without betrayal, but must have them at heart and lead conscientiously, and not corner public treasury or state property to personal use, as it has become the custom of political office holders, Gbashakon refused the demand of the people of Swem-Karagbe. Instead of the community reflecting critically on the actions of Gbashakon, they rather booed him by calling him poor man.
It was at this moment that Honorable Mkem, a corrupt and rich political aspirant storms the community gathering with Chief Agbidye Ishwa, another corrupt political heavyweight. In their company were four heavily armed thugs and supporters. Three thugs took positions and the other was detailed to harass Gbashakon. They brought with them a lot of money and valuables such as salt, soaps, sugar which they used to bribe the people of the community. The people of the community were promised heaven on earth if they would vote for Mkem. They were promised job opportunities, scholarships, good roads, portable water, industries, as well as fair and just representation. A whooping sum of ten million naira, an equivalent of fifty thousand dollars was given to the people to share. The community leaders collected the money on behalf of the people amidst anger and dissatisfaction among other community members that politics was being played using money as bait. The followers of Mkem raised a song which suggested that politics was meant for the rich only; that politics is based on money, and if one does not give money, he or she does not love the electorate. The money and other items given to the people were shared among those who could be used to rig the election. On the day of election, electoral materials were carted away by the thugs who used them to mass thumb-print in favor of Mkem, the corrupt politician.
Thus, Mkem used his money, connections and influence to rig the election and was returned elected. On assumption of office, the people waited for a whole year for the supposed dividends of democracy, to no avail. Worried by the deteriorating condition of life in the community occasioned by lack of basic social amenities such as water, good roads, health facilities, non-payment of teachers’ salaries, lack of job opportunities and so forth, and the community members meet their leaders and demanded an explanation. A delegation was sent to Mkem to ask him why they have not seen him after one year in office and what had become of his promises to the community.
A date and time was fixed for a community meeting with Mkem. The entire community gathered at the market square and awaited his arrival. After a long time of waiting, Mkem stormed the gathering with his aides and thugs. The community members through their leader expressed their joy and gratitude for having elected him as their representative in government. They also reminded him of his campaign promises to the people. The people thereafter asked when he would fulfill the promises he made them. Instead of responding to the issues, Mkem beckons the thugs to stop the spokesperson of the people, thus making the atmosphere tense. In his response to the demands of the people, he said that he used his money to buy the votes of the people. That he borrowed the money he used during his campaign from his political godfather and some commercial banks which he must pay back. He asked if the people did not collect money from him during the electioneering campaign. The people were told that, they have sold their mandate in exchange for money and other items, so they should not expect development projects nor complain of lack of development. Attempts by the community members to press home for dividends of democracy angered Mkem beyond measure.
Mkem therefore demanded the community to return the ten million naira he gave them. He clearly asserted that politics to him is business, so the people should not complain but rather think wise if another situation presents itself. He stated clearly that before he could think of doing any development project for the people, he must recoup all that he lost during electioneering. It then became clear that the people of the area sold their mandate and so they cannot get dividends of democracy.
The drama thus opened space for the deconstruction and construction of political consciousness among the people, in respect of what transpired in the field. The session was anchored by a facilitator who acted as a link between the research team and the community members. His duty was to motivate the people with a view to arousing their critical self-reflection on issues affecting their political development and encouraged alternative viewpoints on how and what the people needed to do to get it right in order to get sustainable democratic development projects. Gowon Ama Doki the then Head of Department, Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University, Makurdi was the first to respond after the theatre presentation. To him:
Drama holds the mirror to life; it is in this regard that the workshop team has tried to mirror the political events in the locality as envisaged by the people of the community and suggest better ways of dealing with the situation for sustainable development to take place. It is the modest contribution of the Department towards raising the consciousness of the electorate to live up to their electoral responsibility for the overall betterment of the locality, Tiv land, Benue State and Nigeria as a whole.
Many discussants reiterated the need for electorate to always remember that they have the key to sustainable development if they can shun money and other material things to vote for credible leaders that would work to transform the society. One of the people reasoned that whenever corrupt aspirants present themselves to the people with money, salt, sugar and so forth as bait, the people should be wise to take those things but vote such aspirant out.
A member of the community sought to know if it is possible for the electorate to vote who they would want to vote considering the involvement of thugs during and after elections in the country. Another member responded by saying that the youth should rise up to the challenge and resist attempts by the desperate politicians who entice the electorate with money and other material things. If politicians offer you a gun to scare the electorate with a view to rig an election in their favour, reject it and ask them to use their own children for such dirty and dangerous game. The people called on the electorate to be weary of the antics of corrupt and self-seeking political class in order to reject them. A youth leader thanked the catalyst team for coming to enlighten them about politics of development and said: “The political class is not responsible for our underdevelopment; rather we the people that help them to rig using different means are directly responsible for the backwardness in our localities and the nation at large. Those that rigged elections are completely ignorant of what awaits their future and their children”. Some called for a holistic change of the government starting from the top to the lowest level when another election presents itself.
The presence of the traditional chiefs serves as a boost to the entire sensitization and consciousness raising process. Their presence provided moral support and encouragement, which was very necessary because they are the custodians of the people’s culture. The chiefs led by Ter Ikyor Chief Jam Gbinde, supported the idea of allowing the electorate to decide who to represent them instead of using thugs, money, and material things to buy the conscience of the people and imposing wrong candidates on them. With their overwhelming support, they open up the process of allowing the electorate to decide who to vote for. It was at this point that another participant alleged that when the politicians want to rig elections, their first point of call would be the traditional chiefs. They would bribe them heavily in order to turn their eyes and minds away from telling their subjects the right thing. According to him, when the traditional chiefs are bribed with money and other material things no matter the level of decay in the electoral process they would be the first set of people to praise it as being credible. The chiefs however denied knowledge of such. They clearly attested to the fact that, electoral violence, rigging, use of thugs for the purposes of ballot box snatching and manipulation of results is bad and cannot give room to sustainable development anywhere at any time. This would rather create continued underdevelopment as is being witnessed across Nigeria. The fact that the chiefs were on hand and also witnessed the sensitization in respect of events as regards electoral processes, and the attendant consequences on the development quest of the locality and indeed the country as a whole was a morale booster to the entire process. They spoke in support of credible elections and motivated their subjects to shun all forms of electoral malpractices in order to vote in credible politicians that would be selfless and work for sustainable development. A consensus was reached that: Development cannot come down like gentle rains from the skies, development will not come by happen stance. We must work for development by ensuring that we vote in credible leaders that will work to bring about the needed development. To this end, the people were asked to be guided by the issue-based drama and direct their consciences towards shunning anything that would mar the credibility of elections so as to move our localities and indeed the entire nation forward.
Conclusion
Theatre serves as a laboratory for self-examination. The experience of the Tse-Agberagba theatre for development workshop attested that, theatre for development is a very effective method of sparking political consciousness into the Nigerian electorate for them to stop the unwholesome electoral practices that bring retrogression in the development quest of the nation. Ignorance is said to be a disease that can easily kill. The people of Tse-Agberagba and indeed the majority of the Nigerian electorate have over the years been ignorant of the entire electoral processes. This informs why they have been selling their votes (their franchise) in exchange for money and other material things like salt, sugar, onions and so forth. It is sad to note that when the electorates gets those things it usually turn a blind eye and allow all kinds of electoral irregularities to take place. These in most cases gave room to selfish, corrupt, unpatriotic and undemocratic politicians to rig their ways into existing political offices in the country. When these crops of politicians occupy the elective posts, they use their political positions to amass ill-gotten wealth at the detriment of sustainable development projects that will benefit all and sundry in the nation.
Through the workshop, an issue-based drama was developed and presented with a view to create awareness and raise the consciousness of the electorate towards doing the right thing during and after elections in order to vote in credible leaders that would work and bring sustainable development for the benefit of all irrespective of political affiliation. The workshop created excitement, fun and passion. Participants enjoyed themselves and at the same time the result of the issue-based drama made them angry about the corrupt and deceptive nature of the politicians as well as the ignorance of the electorate whereby they resolved to change the situation in subsequent elections for their growth and development. Thus, by working together the workshop triggers off the consciences of the people to work together and develop a collective commitment to change the situation for growth and development to thrive. The turning point of the workshop was when the stakeholders collectively attested that “we have been the cause of our underdevelopment and not the political office holders, for if we do not allow them they will not do what they have been doing to us”.
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