Marxism in Nigerian literature in Chris Egharevba’s Canopy of Thunder and Festus Iyayi’s Violence

Marxism in Nigerian literature in Chris Egharevba’s Canopy of Thunder and Festus Iyayi’s Violence

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of the Study

Marxism is an economic and political theory that seeks the attention of class struggle in the society. This theory also drowns attention to the unfair and exploitation conditions, seeking to reverse the system and entrust a greater portion of the society’s wealth… in the hands of its producers. Consequently, the above forms the background to this research work on the Marxism in Nigerian Literature in Chris’ Eghareuba’s Canopy of Thunder and Festus Iyayi’s Violence. Therefore, Chris and Iyayi are strong African Marxists whose literary works of art examine how the lower class who are the poor are being exploited by the bourzoises in the society.

In their writings, they portrayed how the class struggle and conscious efforts of the works and proletariats to survive and posses their rightful possession. The protagonist, Dr. OsagieOmoregie who performed a major operation to serve the life of a young lady who had been in a state of coma, thereby delivering her of her pregnancy, but unfortunately for him, the lady died after delivery while the child survived. The Chief medical officer becomes infuriated and writes a lot of damaging report against him for not obeying the policy of the government.

At last, he is dismissed thereby using violence to change the oppressive system. This has showed a clear example of Marxist thereby that seek for class struggle. On the other hand, Festus Iyayi’s Violence illuminates the author’s yearnings for the freedom of the oppressed. The novel introduces themes, and issues that are socially-driven, such as the deplorable condition of the oppressed in the society and the insensitive nature of the government towards her citizens. In the same vein, the novel explores the injustices mated out on the masses in post-civil war Nigerian society.

1.2  Statement of the Problem

Several African writers have embraced the ideological stance of Marxism, the belief in the concentration of wealth in the hands of the producers. The works and the lower class citizens reflected in Chris Eghabreuba and Festus Iyayi’s writings. As marxism writers, they writings have focused to the sufferings, poverty, exploitation, oppression, victimization, and agonies of the lower class and the betterment of the lots of the common people who ought to be the real owners and controllers of the wealth they produce in the same vein, Chris Egharevba and Festus Iyayi therefore users their literary novels to write and encourage the poor, a struggle in whatever form to balance the scale of social stratification and equalities in the society.

1.3  Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this research work is to investigate Marxism in Nigerian literature in Chris Egharevba’s Canopy of Thunder and Festus Iyayi’s Violence.

1.4  Significance of the Study

The study shall be of significant to the entire African societies how to seek their rights using Marxist theory. The study shall also be of significant to other researchers who would find this work reliable.

1.5  Objectives of the Study

This research work intends to examine the following objectives;

i      to investigate the theory of Marxism in Nigerian literature using Chris Egharevba’s Canopy of Thunder and Festus Iyayi’s Violence.

ii     to examine Chris Egharevba and Festus Iyayi’s aims of writing Canopy of Thunder and Violence.

iii     to examine the aims of Nigerian literature with reference to the research topic.

1.6  Research Methodology

This research will basically focus in Chris Egharevba’s Canopy of Thunder and Festus Iyayi’s Violence as the major sources of the study, while the secondary sources will be on literature novels, internet, and library for more information on the research topic.

1.7  Scope and Limitation of the Study

The scope of this research work will critically be limited to Chris Egharevba’s Canopy of Thunder and Festus Iyayi’s Violence.

1.8  Bio-Data of Chris Eghareuba

Chris Egharevba is a senior lecturer in the Department of English, University of Uyo. He is the pioneer chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Akwa Ibom State Branch. Some of his published books include;

Canopy of Thunder (1995), Songs of the New Breed (1996), The Labourer’s Blood (1998), Nightmare of our Day (1999), Broken Chains (2000), Clouds of Blood (2001) and Legacy of Thunder (2001).

1.9     Bio-Data of Festus Iyayi

Festus Iyayi is an African literary writer. He was born on the 29th September, 1947 inUgbegun, Esland, Edo State, Nigeria. His parents were farmers who experienced deprivation and lived on little means; they instilled in him strong moral lessons about life. He started his primary school education at Annunciation Catholic College (ACC) in the old Bendel State and completed in 1966. In 1967, he went to Government College at Ughelli and graduated in 1972 and was also a zonal winner in the Kennedy Essay Competition organized by the United States Embassy in Nigeria. He left for Ukraine in pursuit of higher education and obtained an M.SC in industrial economics, he also obtained his Ph.D from the University ofBradford, England.

He returned to Nigeria in 1980 and took up lecturing in the Department of Business Administration at the University of Benin. He was the president of the local branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and later, in 1986, he rose to the position of National Organization President. He published his first novel Violence in 1979, his second novel The contract was published in 1982, his third novel, Heroes published in 1986 brought him to lime light and got him the Award of commonwealth writers prize. Awaiting Court Martial (Malthouse press), 1996 being his last novel is a collection of his short stories.

His interest included behavioural science, human resources management, recruitment and selection. He died in a ghastly motor accident on November 12, 2013 at the age of 66.

1.10  Definitions of Terms

Marxism: It is a political theory that has propagated by Kal Marx and Friedrick Engels that seek for equality in the society.

Literature: Is a creative work of art that reflects social doings in the society.