Corruption has been considered endemic to Nigeria. How do Nigerian literary artists depict this social illness in their literary works? This article examines the treatment of corruption in Iyayi’s "The Contract". The discourse focuses on the social levels at which corruption is manifested and the effects of corruption on individuals and the society as depicted in the novel.
The results will indicate that the novel exposes some identified social ills which become endemic when political and institutional leaders put aside their responsibilities of nation building and succumb to the lure of lucre. Specifically, the leaders depicted in this novel use the awards of contracts ostensibly for nation building as blinds for corrupt self-enrichment and embezzlements of public funds.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Treatment of Corruption in Iyayi’s The Contract.
Summary and Conclusion
Objectives & Core Topics
This article provides a critical analysis of the manifestations and societal consequences of corruption in Nigeria, specifically through the lens of Festus Iyayi’s novel The Contract, highlighting how institutional leaders exploit state resources for personal gain.
- The systemic nature of corruption within Nigerian government institutions.
- The use of contract awards as a facade for large-scale embezzlement.
- The dehumanizing effects of poverty and economic austerity on the masses.
- The moral disintegration of the individual when confronted with a corrupt power structure.
- The role of literature in critiquing socio-political decay and advocating for change.
Excerpt from the Book
The Treatment of Corruption in Iyayi’s The Contract.
Iyayi treats the theme of corruption in the novel through the creation of appropriate characters, situations and episodes. The story in Iyayi’s The Contract is constructed against the background of corruption in high and low places. Officials in charge of government institutions are portrayed in the novel as corrupt. There is corruption in the executive councils at all levels of governance, in the civil services, the military and paramilitary services and in the academy. The substantial bulk of corruption in the novel is depicted as being endemic to the executive council. It is carried out in the guise of contracts awarded for the ostensible purposes of nation building.
Through the means of contract awards, the individuals in charge of government institutions and their acolytes siphon public resources thus creating economic austerity which translates into subjecting the common man to pathetic states of poverty, hunger, diseases and insecurity. The novel exposes the stark reality of Nigeria as perceived by the author. Iyayi wants to draw the attentions of both the masses and leaders of Nigeria to the appalling situations depicted in the novel with a view to effecting positive changes.
The Nigerian leaders, as depicted in the novel, are mainly concerned with providing comforts for themselves and paying less attention to nation building. The welfare of the ordinary citizens does not appear to be important to the leaders. This could be seen in the contrast between the squalor in which the impoverished masses live and the opulence and greed that characterize the lives of the ruling class.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides a socio-political context for Nigerian literature, establishing the link between post-independence leadership failures and the rise of corruption in literary works.
The Treatment of Corruption in Iyayi’s The Contract.: Analyzes the specific mechanisms of corruption depicted in the novel, focusing on the exploitation of contract systems and the moral corruption of the central character, Ogie Obala.
Summary and Conclusion: Synthesizes the arguments regarding the devastating impact of state-sponsored greed and identifies the author's hope for liberation through social resistance.
Keywords
Corruption, Festus Iyayi, The Contract, Nigeria, Embezzlement, Post-independence, Political leadership, Social injustice, Poverty, Contract awards, Moral decay, Ogie Obala, Onise Ine, Literature, Socio-political critique.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
This work analyzes how Nigerian novelist Festus Iyayi portrays systemic corruption in his novel The Contract, specifically focusing on the intersection of political power, greed, and social decline.
What are the central themes examined in the study?
The study centers on the normalization of corruption, the misuse of government contracts for embezzlement, the widening gap between the elite and the masses, and the erosion of moral integrity within public service.
What is the core research question addressed by the author?
The author investigates how Nigerian literary artists represent social ills, specifically asking how corruption is manifested at different levels of society and what effects this has on individual lives and national development.
Which methodology does the research employ?
The research employs a literary analysis approach, utilizing the narrative structure, character development, and key episodes of Iyayi’s novel as a basis for interpreting the socio-political reality of Nigeria.
What is addressed in the main body of the text?
The main body examines the specific methods of corrupt officials, the "predator/prey" dynamics within the ruling class, the deliberate impoverishment of the masses, and the eventual moral surrender of the protagonist, Ogie Obala.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include corruption, Festus Iyayi, The Contract, embezzlement, post-independence, and socio-political critique.
How does the novel portray the role of contracts in corruption?
The novel depicts contract awards not as tools for nation-building, but as deliberate "blinds" used by officials to justify the diversion of public funds into private pockets.
What does the transformation of Ogie Obala represent?
His transformation from an idealist to a participant in corruption represents the author's argument that the prevailing corrupt atmosphere in the society makes it nearly impossible for an individual to maintain integrity within the system.
What function do characters like Onise Ine serve?
Onise Ine serves as the authorial mouthpiece, representing a ray of hope and a commitment to radical social change, resisting the systemic pressure to conform to corrupt standards.
- Citation du texte
- Abdullahi Haruna (Auteur), 2008, Treatment of corruption in Festus Iyayi's "The Contract", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/470746
