Negotiating hostile academic environment through theatre/stage performance

In Nigeria, power enables the possessor to arrogate to himself/herself some form of infallibility and perfection in knowledge in matters of decision taking. It is especially so, where such possessor came into his position by way of tokens and offerings for ‘services’ rendered to the giver or in the expectation of some reward. The theatre/stage can negotiate a balance in power by producing plays which educate on the use of power. This paper deployed participant observation and textual analysis research methods to critically examine the concept and theory of power in the Nigerian space, with focus on tertiary institutions and how theatre can be deployed to achieve tolerance and recognition of merit. The objective was to expose the misuse of power/authority by those who possess it in tertiary institutions and show how the stage can synergize between those in positions of power and their peers/subordinates leading to conducive, working environment for progress. It concluded that where power was thrust upon people without recourse to merit, it was mostly abused, bred intolerance and muzzling of opposing viewpoints, hence terrorism. On the other hand, where power was bestowed on the basis of merit and intellectual attributes, it became a counter to terrorism. The paper has contributed to the discourse in the prevalent hostile academic environment in some Nigerian tertiary institutions with a view to providing a level playing ground through the production of stage plays that speak to stakeholders

Negotiation · Political science · Sociology · Law · Theatre and Performance Studies · Geology

• Politics of Succession in Nollywood Films, Saworoide and Ikoka

  Open Access•Osakue Stevenson Omoera, Chukwuma Anyanwu•CINEJ Cinema Journal•2020

  Add to list

• The Credo of Being and Nothingness

  Andrew Apter, Wole Soyinka•Journal of Religion in Africa•1993

  Add to list