TERRORISM AND THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION: A PSYCHOANALYTICAL READING OF GARRICKS’ TOMORROW DIED YESTERDAY AND JOHN’S BORN ON A TUESDAY

Abstract

Leadership in a country faced with terrorism is often explored through political or ideological lenses, but the psychological underpinnings of such leadership are less understood. This study addresses the gap in understanding how internal conflicts and traumas influence leaders in violent movements and how these dynamics perpetuate violence in Chimeka Garricks’ Tomorrow Died Yesterday and Elnathan John’s Born on a Tuesday. It aims to uncover the unconscious psychological mechanisms driving leaders and their impact on followers and societal stability. Using Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, including concepts of the unconscious mind, trauma, and the death drive, this study explores how unresolved personal conflicts and repressed desires shape leadership styles and actions in insurgent contexts. The analysis reveals that leaders in these novels are driven by deep-seated traumas and unconscious desires for power and validation. Garricks’ portrayal of Niger Delta leaders and John’s depiction of jihadist motivations and psychological manipulation highlight how personal insecurities and unresolved conflicts fuel insurgent violence.