THEATRE AND ALBINISM IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA: CENTRALIZING THE MARGINS IN A CHANGING SOCIAL SYSTEM

Abstract

The traditional stereotypical image of People Living With Disabilities (PLWD) particularly in southeastern Nigeria is that of pity due to their handicap. The condition is therefore associated with begging and often attracts patronizing attitudes from the elites in society. In 2019, Nigeria passed the Disability Law. Earlier in 2018, Anambra State, located in the southeast, passed her own Disability Law. But all these laws have remained mere documents on the shelves as implementation is still far-fetched. The laws also did not actually address the problems of People With Albinism (PWA). The objective of this research is to investigate the connection and impact of theatre on albinism matters in Nigeria. The research took its sample from southeastern Nigeria which has a sizeable population of PWA. It used the qualitative methodology involving the Participant Observation and Content Analysis approaches. The research instruments used to collect primary data include a Theatre for Development (TfD) sample workshop and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The study also applied Michael Oliver’s “Social Model of Disability” and Graham Room’s “Social Exclusion Theory” to analyze, discuss and interpret the research results. The study observed that the concerns of the PWA are quite different from what most people assume. The study also found that the PWA in Nigeria consider the theatre and creative arts as part of their challenges due to lack of diversity in the industry as well as the stereotypical representation of PWA in popular arts and cultural productions in the country. Based on these findings, the study concludes that a proactive approach is required in dealing with the challenges. It suggests that theatre practice in Nigeria should embrace diversity, be more inclusive, and engage more with the PWA in order to mitigate their marginalization in society.