Untitled - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Untitled - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Untitled - Memorial University of Newfoundland
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
entity under the colonial system. In an interview with John A. Stotesbury . Soyinka<br />
commen ts on the effects <strong>of</strong> colonialism on the problem <strong>of</strong> unity in Nigeria:<br />
We [Nigerians] are victims <strong>of</strong> a peculiar, <strong>of</strong> an unnaturalprocess which<br />
interrupted wbar could have beena process <strong>of</strong> evolution into a larger<br />
political entity . This was interrupted and we were dragooned into these<br />
very artificial boundaries. I think we also have a duty to ensure that any<br />
means <strong>of</strong> communication betweenthese artificially separated peoples<br />
shoul d in some way ar leasr be preserved (61).3<br />
Soyinka is convinced that colonization interfered with the natural, amicable<br />
progression towards unity that would have taken place between the different pre-<br />
colonial kingdoms that existed. As a result. this premature fusion <strong>of</strong> the kingdoms has<br />
created numerous political. tribal and socialproblems. Soyinb. uses his talents as a<br />
writer. dramatist, poet. novelist, poli tical activist.andcritic to expose the prob lems<br />
and <strong>of</strong>fer possible solutions through recoveringand validating his people' s history.<br />
Since Nigeria 's <strong>of</strong>ficial independence from Britain in 1960. the country has<br />
continued to experience political and social problems inherited during colonization.<br />
Nigeri a has gone from one political crisis to another with the main tribesand colonial<br />
elite classes vying for supremacy and control <strong>of</strong> power. During the last three decades<br />
Nigeria has bad several unsuccessful military regimesand civilian administrations,<br />
rigged electi ons , mass murders , imprisonmentsand executions with or without bogus<br />
trials as. most recently and notoriously in the case <strong>of</strong> nine civilians including the<br />
talented poe t/writer , Ken Saro-wiwa, in November 1995. A month after these<br />
executions, while Soyinka was in Parisreceiving an award for the imprisoned<br />
108