Political Thuggery as a Blight to Nation Building and Democracy in Nigeria: Appraising the Role of Drama and Playwright

Abstract

Political thuggery is a form of social violence that has posed a lot of problems to Nigeria. The problem is so much that it threatens the socio-economic and political fabric of the Nigerian society. Thugs are often used, especially during election periods, to intimidate, harass and in some cases kill political opponents. This paper critically examines the underlying factors responsible for thuggery as impediment to nation building and sustainable democratic system. The study is anchored on Frustration – Aggression Theory (FAT). The theory was propounded in an attempt to explain the occurrence of violence and crimes in a society. In their view, human beings have needs, ambitions, or expectations in life that are arranged in their order of priority. The paper revealed that unemployment, inadequate political education, poverty (among the citizenry) and inordinate ambition among the political elites are some of the factors responsible for political thuggery. The paper appraises the content of Alex Asigbo’s The Reign of Pascal Amusu and Tor Iorapuu’s April 1421 adopting the qualitative research methodology. The findings reveal that playwrights and dramatic works have beamed their searchlights on the issues of thuggery as a bane to nation building and sustainable democracy. To this end, the paper concludes that a synergy of efforts by all stake holders in the society can curb the trend if not out rightly eliminating it and recommends among others that both government and non-governmental organization should work hand in hand to provide employment opportunity for the citizens towards peaceful society and sustainable nation building.