Marxist ideology and revolution in Adéníyì Àkàngbé’s Ayégún

Abstract

Bad leadership, with its attendant consequence of bad governance, has been the major impediment to the development of Nigeria. This problem has, therefore, been a serious concern to most literary scholars in recent times. This paper is an examination of Marxist ideology and revolution in Àkàngbé’s play text, Ayégún published in 2007. The thematic preoccupation of the text concerns the roles of political leaders in the act of governance in Nigeria. The paper adopts Marxism’s aspect of economic determinism in which capitalists own the power and the proletariats have only their labour. This results in alienation of the proletariat from their products and societal affairs. The paper discovers that some of the leaders (i.e. political, traditional and religious leaders) are insensitive to the plight of the masses. The political leaders, security agents, electoral officers, bank chiefs and some religious leaders collaborate to rig elections and loot treasuries, thereby leaving the masses in perpetual suffering. The study concludes that unless the masses rise up to the challenge posed by the ruling class, oppression and impunity will continue.