Muyiwa Ademola’s Owo Okuta (The Law of Karma) in the context of governance in Nigeria

Abstract

Many years after independence, the Nigerian polity is still characterised by political leadership without conscience and gullible electorates. Aspiration for  elective offices and appointments are driven by materialistic tendency. This is exemplified in lust for power, obsession for wealth, abuse of human rights  and manipulation of electoral process. Textual analysis was adopted as research method and materials as working literacy theory. Marxist theory of  materialism contends that reality is material, not spiritual. The material world will show us reality. Instances of class conflict or at the institutions,  entertainment, news media and legal, and other systems of society will unfold how the distribution of economic power undergirds the society.  Appropriateness of the film, Owo Okuta for this analysis lies in its portrayal of selfish interests of a governor at the expense of service to the people.  Governor Keshinro (Olu Jacobs) in the film is a personification of selfish leader. The governor who ruled amidst bloodshed planned to enjoy the looted  fund with his family after his tenure. But in a twist of fate, that could be described as nemesis, disaster trucks, immediately, he completed his tenure.  Major findings include appropriation of commonwealth for self-aggrandisement, kleptomaniac attitude of Keshinro’s children, neglect of people oriented  projects and perversion of justice.