The Themes of Corruption and Incompetence in the Novels of Three Nigerian Writers

Academic Paper from the year 2019 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, language: English, abstract: This paper analyses the depiction of corruption and incompetence in Festus Iyayi's 'Violence', Chinua Achebe's 'Anthills of the Savannah' and Kris Obodumu's 'Die a little'. Literature from any part of the world is a response to definite historical and socio-political variables of its time. African literature, to a large extent, could be considered as protest literature.The protest culture rooted in the protest against slavery and colonialism now bears on post-independence social ills like corruption and incompetence which are so widespread in African political and governmental circles. Nigerian writers, especially novelists, have played a significant role in the growth and development of African literature through a vast array of highly successful novels. Studies show that Nigerian novelists like Festus Iyayi, Chinua Achebe and Kris Obodumu direct their critical searchlights on problems associated with corruption and incompetence in governmental circles which seem endemic to Nigeria. Festus Iyayi in 'Violence' is very much disturbed by the rate at which his society is decaying through the effect of corruption and incompetence after independence. The novel is basically set to reflect the moral decadence in Nigerian society between 1960 to the early 80s. Eight years after the publication of 'Violence' corruption and incompetence had not only remained the order of the day in the Nigerian Society, but had also taken a sophisticated dimension. 'Anthills of the Savannah' could be said to be the means through which Achebe shows his disgust for corruption, mediocrity and incompetence in the Nigerian political circle during the years of military dictatorship. Obodumu's 'Die a Little' is concerned with the examination of the inevitable consequences of bad national economic policy hastily put in place by a corrupt and incompetent regime without considering its impact on the people.

Brief Biography of Dr. Abdullahi Haruna (Ph.D) Dr. Abdullahi Haruna was born on 13th January, 1969 in the village of Wuyaku, Hawul Local Government Area of Borno state of Nigeria. He attended Wuyaku Primary School in 1975 and finished in 1981. He proceeded to the Comprehensive Secondary School Waka Biu in 1981 and completed in 1986. He went to the College of Education Gashua for his NCE (Nigeria Certificate in Education) in September, 1987 and completed in June 1990. He taught English in secondary schools between 1991 and 1995 before proceeding for his first degree in English between 1996 and 1999. He enrolled for his Master's Degree in English (African Literature) in 2000 and graduated in 2014. He took up an appointment with the Borno State House of Assembly as a Senior Legislative Officer and Personal Assistant to the Honourable Speaker in 2014. He left the House of Assembly in October 2015 when he was offered the post of an Assistant Lecturer with the Federal University of Technology, Yola (presently, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola). He obtained his PhD in English (African Literature) in 2014. Presently, Dr. Abdullahi Haruna is a Senior Lecturer of English in the Department of English, School of General Studies, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria. He has published several poems and papers on African literature. He is married with a good number of children.