The Playwright’s Perspective: X-raying Condescension, as a Matter of Leadership, and of Godfatherism in Julie Okoh's A Haunting Past

Abstract

Humans as the most sensible and socially organised creatures have over the years invested much time and efforts in structuring and restructuring their civilizations. These attempts have seen progressive U-turns in the making of several standardized societies. These social concerns echoing in politics are interestingly the democratic cry of this paper with a fore allusion to the sovereign space known today as Nigeria. Julie Okoh’s A Haunting Past presents itself as a viable material for the microscopic stance of these broad concerns. Relatively, Vilfredo Pareto’s Elite theory expounds this paper towards a hypnotized destination. The researcher’s application of the theory comes with its apt-mindedness in view of the topic under consideration. The study discovers that the concept of “godfatherism” is undemocratic and dictatorial; hence, it has a negative bearing on the political, social and economic life of any nation. Godfatherism and other foul plays in politics affect the people deleteriously. The study recommends that democratic endeavours in Nigeria should no longer be boycotted; instead, it should be left to take its core place in the Nigerian political space, without any interference whatsoever. This will bring about contentment amongst the majority and in turn, control the excesses of politicians.