Literature deconstructs society by reflecting on the social, moral, religious, and economic evolution of a society or people. Many maxims posit that literature is a reflection of the life of a people or society. But far from merely being a reflection of the life of a society, literature asks questions and sometimes proposes solutions to intractable social conditions. In other words, more than just being a mirror, literature also enables consciousness through subtle ways and proposes alternative ways of viewing the world. It is this powerful influence of literature that makes it an important tool for evaluating the sociocultural dynamics of society. Similarly, a play provides a cinematographic depiction of the life of a people by showcasing their ways and actions for their self-evaluation. Thus, to understand the implications of a play it is important to contextualize the analysis of the situation being x-rayed. What can a play do beyond mere entertainment and depiction of social realities many are wont to ask?
Nnamdi Okose’s The Blood in Our Hands provides us with an answer in the form of a play that does not only problematize a social crisis but furthers the conversation by projecting the inescapable consequences that accrue from neglecting rationality in the attempt to solve a social problem like the ethno-religious that has for decades fractured the humanity of the dwellers of the city of Jos. Okose advances an inclusive approach to peace-building and conflict resolution recognizing the individual roles that often contribute to collective action or inaction. Firstly, Okose theorizes that ethnoreligious conflict begins at the individual level before escalating to the community and the larger society. He presupposes that if individuals are rational and responsible enough to check their actions or inaction the community will not have to pay the supreme price like it often does in the face of escalated conflict just as in the context of the Jos crisis. Suffice it to say that conflict usually starts as a disagreement between two individuals of opposing worldviews and if it can be managed at that individual level the larger society would be better for it.
This assertion is succinctly captured in the exchanges between Ezeigbo and Chief Okafor after another bout of clashes between Chief Okafor, Alhaji Idris, and their boys. The excerpt below illustrates the foregoing assertion:
Act 1 Scene 2
Chief Okafor’s House. He is with Ezeigbo.
Ezeigbo: It was just a couple of years ago that the whole country was gripped in a senseless war. It will not be good if your family war plunges us into another war.
Chief Okafor: As the head of all the Igbos in Jos. You know that the Civil War did not start from a family leader.
Ezeigbo: You may be surprised how wars start. Two men from two different families disagree. Then they drag everyone into it. I heard that it took just your servants to bring out the whole Jos into the street.
Chief Okafor: My servants did not start the fight. Besides, I am an old man and so is Alhaji Idris. There is no reason why two old men cannot be peaceful.
Ezeigbo’s wisdom foregrounds the central argument of this review, it is instructive just as it is telling of Okose’s brevity as a writer whose intent is to advocate for peace and unity rather than fuel diversion and conflict. Chief Okafor concedes in the above passage when he remarks ‘Besides, I am an old man and so is Alhaji Idris. There is no reason why two old men cannot be peaceful.’ While everyone desires peace, once it is broken it is difficult to mend hence it is imperative to push for peaceful coexistence at all times and all costs, Okose seems to be proposing. The conflict between Chief Okafor and Alhaji Sani’s families has the potency to escalate and reignite a large-scale communal crisis between Christians and Muslims in Jos, Ezeigbo knows this hence his counsel to his kinsman and friend, Chief Okafor.
It is therefore the quest for unity in a society polarized by ethnoreligious that inspired Okose to forge a romantic relationship between Sani, Alhaji Idris’ son, and Amara, Chief Okafor’s daughter. As bizarre as Okose’s utopian aspiration is, it is a promising idea to theorize that true love does not pay mind to the primitive differences that divide human beings and that genuine love can unite people, communities, and enemies. The author supposes that by proposing a marriage of love between the children two enemies of different faiths and ethnicities, it will bring an end to the conflict and foster peace and unity in the society. This assertion is corroborated by Father Peter to whom Sani goes to be baptized and married to Amara. Father Peter while speaking with Sani enthuses, “You mean to start an ethnic war in Jos? [To himself] Perhaps this is God’s will, after all, to bind these warring families in peace. To bring to an end the age-old quarrel between two families. Perhaps this marriage will resonate in Nigeria. And people will learn to get along. Muslims, Christians, all!”
Captain Rufus plays the role of a mediator as well as the legal authority with the power to ensure the safety and security of the community, and he does his job very well by admonishing both parties of the meaninglessness of war while also enjoining them to embrace peace and harmony. Although he is unable to end the animosity between the two families, he creates a balance that ensures stability and cessation of hostilities when conflict breaks out. It is in one of such instances that he enthused, “…Hatred is like oil, it touches one finger, and it touches all. No one is safe. In Nigeria, a crime like murder is punishable by death.” Although Sani and Amara die without actualizing their dreams of uniting their families, their deaths serve as a sore reminder of the consequence of hatred and conflict to both families and the larger community as a whole. They paid the supreme price with their lives and their community will never remain the same again.
Set in 1975 Jos post-civil war Nigeria, The Blood on Our Hands demonstrates an uncommon commitment to foster national integration by x-raying the causes of conflict and proffering solutions. It is a tragic play about love, conflict, and death. It is an important play that has the potential to engineer concrete conversations that can lead to a national awakening on the need to eschew hatred among Nigerians and build a united nation of equal citizens with common aspirations for a better life. The 44-page play is a glaring show of Nnamdi Okose’s wit as a playwright with a promising future ahead.
Paul Liam is a poet and literary critic with several publications to his credit.