Corruption and the Politics of Terrorism in Contemporary Nigeria: The Perspective of Soji Cole’s Embers

Abstract

Corruption and terrorism have become in the recent times two most cancerous issues that bedevil and plague the progress of the Nigerian nation. The literary artists on the other hand have remained vocal and faithful in their reflection and representation of these social cankerworms consciously established to blight the future of the Nigerian nation and people. The contemporary Nigerian society is grossly accursed with the most turbulent sociopolitical issues of national disaster: corruption and terrorism, which now require constant literary confrontation if the Nigerian nation stands any chance of social recuperation and political resuscitation. This paper therefore seeks to interrogate corruption and the politics of terrorism as to how they contribute to the plethora Boko Haram activities in the Nigerian nation. This study adopts the content analytical approach as well as the qualitative research methodology for the analysis and evaluation of most troubling terrorist activities within the Nigerian space, as reflected in Soji Cole’s Embers. The study finds that corruption thrives effectively in the Nigerian society because every member of that society is culpable of the crime. It also reveals that there is a total conspiracy of silence by the supposed well-meaning individuals in relation to all the terrorist onslaughts of the Boko Haram group on the people which explains the general atmosphere of distrust as seen in Cole’s play. The study reveals also that the problem of corruption plaguing the well-being of the nation is a problem of humanity as can be seen with significantly every member of the society in the play having this inordinate corrupt inclination. On the final assessment, the study reveals that the dramatist is still hopeful of a new and better Nigeria if the exploited and victimized group is willing to rise to the occasion and recuperate the nation.