POLITICS AS ATHEME IN OLA ROTIMI’S IF… AND OUR HUSBANDHAS GONE MAD AGAIN

DR. ISAAC MESSIAH AHIAKWO
Abstract
The Nigerian electoral system is fraught with various electoral malfeance. Consequently,square
pegs are put in round holes resulting to bad governance. This paper therefore examinespolitical
corruption in Ola Rotimi’s play entitled IF… A Tragedy of the Ruled and Political
Opportunism in Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again. The paper exposes the devilish intention of
our political office seekers as exemplified by Major Taslim Lakoja-Brown. The dramatic
techniques deployed by the playwright to buttress his points were highlighted. The paperstressed
that the power for good governance reliesin the hands of the electoratesto use their votesto bring
in good government and vote out bad government. The paper makes invaluable suggestions that
will usherin good government.
Keywords: Corruption, Dramatic Techniques , Politics, Opportunism, Aggrandizement.

Introduction
Ola Rotimi is a prolific playwright. He has many plays to his credit. Some of which are
Kurumi, Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again; IF…; Ovoranwen Nogbaisi, The Gods Are Not To
Blame among others.
Ola Rotimi was born by a Yoruba father and an Ijaw mother in Sapele in the then Bendel
State, now Delta State on April 13, 1938. He had a sound Western Education both at home and
abroad. He attended St. Peters Primary School, Port Harcourt from 1944 to 1947, from class 1 to
standard one. He continued at St. Cyprian’s Primary School, Port Harcourt between 1948 to 1949
and read his standard III there. Due to the nature of his father’s job as a marine engineer with the
marines, he was transferred to Lagos and Ola Rotimi had to continue his education. So from 1949
to 1951, he read standard III to standard IV. He finally completed his Primary Education in St.
Jude’s School, Lagos between 1951 to 1952 rendering only standard V, from where he proceeded
to the Secondary School.