INTRODUCTION
Much of modern writing in Africa is based on the African experience. This is what you will soon discover as you interact more closely with contemporary African literature. The African historical experience has provided the raw material for the literary exploration of many writers. Beginning with the destructive impact of the colonial struggle for independence, to the disappointing performance of the African leaders after independence, the African problem has provided the subject matter for the average writer. This is the more so because Africans generally feel that whatever they write should have some influence on or relevance to their immediate environment. This explains why there is a tendency for the leaders to critically assess the political leaders and expose their faults and excesses. This interest of African writers has often, brought them into conflict with the political leaders who could either be civilians or soldiers.
Writers that are committed to social criticism feel it is a form of service to the society. For them, it is a way of acting as the voice of the masses and the many people who are unjustly oppressed by the erring political clan. This is the sense in which you should try to read the play that we are studying in this unit, Niyi Osundare's The State Visit.
3.1 Niyi Osundare: A Biographical Sketch
Niyi Osundare is a leading African writer who has been given a lot of recognition internationally. Born in Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti State, Nigeria in 1937, he was educated at the universities of Ibadan, Leeds and York, in Toronto, Canada. He is best known as a poet. Osundare has published more than ten collections of poems and four plays. He was a professor of English at the University of Ibadan and has been a dominant figure in contemporary Anglophone African writing. His work is profoundly concerned with the plight of the common people, the exercise of visionless African leaders and the urgency of resisting them. His poems and plays express the same interests. Satire is his favourite mode for exploring the relationship between rulers and the ruled in African. He also draws freely on the artistic traditions of his immediate cultural group, the Yoruba, in his work.
3.2 A Synopsis of The State Visit
All the events in the play surround preparations for a state visit. The play opens with the Narrator embarking on an extensive discussion of the rot and madness men that characterise the government machinery in Yakeland. The meeting of the state cabinet they begin with the head of state or Head, presiding. The subject of the discussion is the impending visit of the head of Wilama, to a neighbouring country and the preparation to accord him a befitting reception.
The cabinet meeting itself exposes the head and his ministers as unserious minds, for all that they talk about is how to divert public funds to provide essential services to the state visit. Meanwhile, the land is experiencing drought, decline in national earnings and the discontent of the populace. It is decided that the six hundred million naira for the maize project be diverted to planning the state visit against the counsel of the finance minister, the only voice of reason in the cabinet.
We later encounter the beggars in front of a supermarket, Sule, Etim, Obi and Abeke. They all recount their tales of woe, all pointing to the fact that they are victim of the insensitivity of the society to the plight of the common people. Order is later given that they are cleaned from the streets in preparation for the visit.
When the cabinet meeting resumes, the uncooperative finance minister has been replaced. Reports are also taken as to the preparation for the visit. The cabinet is assured of the co-operation of the 'Daily Gist' that has been paid to ensure good media coverage and the opposition of the ‘Telling Tempo ’.
A few people appear before the council. First is the service Professor who is gladly serving as the speech writer of the Head of State. Then come the Medal Smith, who is mandated to decorate the ceremonial coat of the Head. After him comes the Paint who turns out to be confrontational, insisting on not working for or collaborating with a tyrannical government. He affirms his allegiance to truth he is ordered to betaken out.
Colonel, who is in charge of traffic, is the next to appear. He justifies their preference for instant punishment for lawless motorists and other road users as opposed to the alternative of trying them according to the law.
The next act presents a rally of workers and students where they narrate their woes and affirm their opposition to the senseless arrangement for the state visit of the Head of Wilama. As usual their gathering is declared unlawful and dispersed by the police.
The narrator then appears again to thank the audience and to draw their attention to the issues that are raised in the play. He concludes that the drama of opposition to the bad government of the land has just started. The play ends on this note.
3.3 Thematic Issues in The State Visit
The State Visit is a satirical work which critically exposes the inadequacies of African military dictators. Even though it is set in Yankeland which is also referred to as "the land of two rivers" a veiled reference to Nigeria, issues that the play engages are generally applicable to many African states. The issues that are raised in the play are therefore best understood in this sense. The major thematic concerns of the play are as follow:
Visionless Leadership
The State Visit exposes the lack of vision of the leadership of a situation in which the state cabinet is busy deliberating on how to ensure that a visiting president is well received when their land is experiencing a drought indicates that they lack direction. The Head of state himself has no plan for his people. Government of the inept leaders is an opportunity to loot the treasury, violate the rights of the people and encourage sycophancy and vanity. The fact that the leadership of Yanke land would not mind diverting money meant to ensure food security in Yankeland to plan a reception for a visiting president confirms their folly and insensitivity to the plight of their people.
Corruption, Greed and Inefficiency
Not only are the leaders of Yankeland shown as visionless, their incompetence, corruption and greed contribute to their failure. The impression that we are given in the play is that the Head who has been in power for thirty years, knows nothing about the demands of leadership and feels he can empty the treasury and pay journalists and others who will sing praise. This is the reason that the first minister of finance is sacked.
Suppression of Opposition and Dissent
There is also the related theme of intolerance of opposition in the play. You will recall that only those that support the government of Yankeland are tolerated. All summon the courage to voice their opposition are victimised as they are those who seen as a threat to the security of the state. Ironically the security of Yankeland in this sense simply means the security of the leadership. Painter, for instance, is hated for daring to express his opposition to the Head of state and his administration. The rally organised by the students and workers is also dispersed by the agents who simply see the suppression of dissent against the government as their - only duty. They kill arrest and intimidate the helpless masses.
The Necessity of Resistance
There is one other theme in this play which you should not overlook. It concerns the necessity of resisting the visionless, intolerant and corrupt leadership of African states. This is a theme that runs through the entire play. In fact the play reads as an urgent call to action. From the insight that the Narrator gives into the situation in Yankeland, through the principled stance of the fist finance minister and the courage of the painter to the utterance and solidarity of Worker, Old man, Student and the beggars who confront the junta and its agents, the play promotes purposeful solidarity and resistance to oppression.
3.4 Dramatic Technique and Devices
Satirical Essence
The State Visit is essentially a satire. You will observe from the beginning of the play that its intention is not hidden. It sets out to expose the excesses and faults of modem African leaders. There is a sense in which the narrator speaks for the playwright. His comments influence the judgement of the reader who is already given the impression that all that the play does is dramatise the madness that he has already been told about. The play is a biting satire which is unsparing in the manner that it condemns contemporary African leaders. It elicits laughter while also provoking serious thought about the issues that are raised.
Plot
The play has a linear plot. All the events in the play surround the preparation to receive the Head of Wilama. The focus of the play shifts from the cabinet meeting to the beggars and moves back to another cabinet meeting. From this point, the focus is now on the demonstration organised by students and workers. All the scenes are about the impending state visit. It is the subject of discussion among the beggars and the reason for the demonstration. The events are likely to have lasted a few days, eventhough the time span is not suggested.
Narrator
The Narrator, as we have already observed, plays an important role in the play. He draws attention to the essence of the play. He suggests that the play is intended to confirm the entire things he has said about the state of Yanke. At the end of the play again he comes to comment on the play, drawing attention to the demonstration. He suggests that the land will witness a change because of the resolve of the people. He is very optimistic about the change that he anticipates.
Humour
Humour is vehicle for satire in the play. This emerges in particular at the Cabinet meetings, where the issues that are to be satirised, are apparent utterances of the Head, of the Minister of External Affairs, and the Minister of Agriculture. The humour at times becomes so intense that it almost degenerates into the type we associate with low comedy.
Characterisation
The characters in the play represent different strata in the society. They may be broadly categorised into two - the powerful and the oppressed. The difference is apparent in the social status of the people. But there are also members of the oppressed group that serve as agents of the IS ruling elite. Policemen fall into this category. The Head of State and his cabinet constitutes the powerful in society.
Songs
The songs in this play help to reinforce its message. The songs are meant to sensitise the common people and mobilise them for powerful action. Some of the songs are also meant to achieve the satirised purpose. It should also be noted that some of the songs are written in Yoruba. The demonstrators use songs that explain their defiance and resolve to fight the oppressive regime.
Language
The playwright employs simple but effective language. He uses a lot of Yoruba proverbs and expressions, most of which are translated. Sentences are punctuated with Yoruba expression. The narrator uses Yoruba interjections, songs and greetings. The second time he appears, he greets the audience:
"E kuu joko oo" (p.64) and includes on the note: "Eku Ie o" (p.64). These greetings are, incidentally, not easy to translate into English.
Contrast
Contrast is a favourite strategy Osundare uses. He, for instance, establishes the different conditions of the rulers and the ruled in Yanke, by shifting the scene of the play from the Cabinet meeting, to the community of beggars. While the ministers are deliberating on how to waste the resources of the nation, the beggars are lamenting their condition and thinking of how to survive. The creation of the characters that are hypocritical and service (like Professor) and those that are principled like Painter and the sacked minister of finance are intended to establish the fact that the society is not completely hopeless.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The writing of this play was inspired by Nigeria’s exposure to military dictatorship. This probably explains why there is reference to certain events drawn from the Nigerian experience. But to properly appreciate the plays, you should recognise a problem that most African countries share: The leadership problem which is always at its worst under the military dictators. Ironically the sincere people are those that suffer under bad leaders.
5.0 SUMMARY
A play like The State Visit is not just to entertain. It is to enlighten and sensitise. This makes it a good example of a committed work, that is, a work that promotes a cause.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Osundare's The State Visit is a striking critique of the African condition." Discuss this critical observation with close reference to the text.
7.0 REFERENCE/FURTHER READING
Osundare, N. (2002). The State Visit. Ibadan: Kraft Books Limited.
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