Who is afraid of 2019? - By Dakwom Makpring Longgul

Story telling is as old as the existence of humanity, while humans live by stories to understand their economic, political and social environment; stories have been also used by generations to understand history, philosophy and geography of the people, thinking about stories today and how it pass quick message I preface my thinking   on three dramatic texts which I stumble upon many times. The plays are: The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, Who is Afraid of Solarin? By Femi Osofisan and  Mr Chairman Sir by Paul Ugbede. In a way all seem to be adaptation with different perspectives.

            Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector  present the corrupt officials of a small Russian town, headed by the Mayor, react with terror to the news that an incognito inspector  will soon be arriving in their town to investigate them. The flurry of activity to cover up their considerable misdeeds is interrupted by the report that a suspicious person has arrived two weeks previously from Saint Petersburg and is staying at the inn. In connection to Osofisan, The play is an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector (1836). Osofisan finds a similarity between the social and political situation in Nigeria and the Imperial Russia at the time when Gogol wrote his play. At that time, the aristocrats were totally in control of government and many of the officials saw their positions as opportunities for looting the government treasury.

            In the local government presented in the play by Osofisan , virtually all the government officials and their operatives are corrupt and fraudulent without any exemption right from the Chairman of the Local Government Council, Chief Gbonmiayelobiojo, even to the professional beggars on the streets like Lamidi and Lemomu. That is why all of them are apprehensive of the impending official visit of Solarin. Consequently, the Chairman summons a meeting of the Council to decide how they can prevent the coming of Solarin which will spell doom for them but as the play progresses; the Chairman is deceived by his security operatives who pretend to be beggars that Solarin has arrived in the town. In actual sense, the stranger is not Solarin but one Ishola Oriebora, a Lagos rogue who runs from his landlord on account of his debts and the attempt to probe him. On his way, he is attacked by robbers. He eventually finds succor and comfort in the vicarage in the town. As soon as he realizes that he is being mistaken for Solarin, he quickly assumes the role of Solarin, the Public Complaints Commissioner. The play can then be seen from this moment as a drama of mistaken identity.

            By implication, the case of Nigeria and Nigerians is an offshoot of the fictional reality presented in the plays, every political party seeks power come 2019, the masses are confuse once again but for sure they must take decision that will affect their life and living again. Hence, it’s the same conclusion; “for all have sin and fallen short” in comparison to government per political party of cause all will  identified PDP as power to the people and APC as Change! But beyond that what has change in the condition of the poor and the society?  Who gave them Power? And to do what with such powers? In fact the people have been the source of their problems hence, the Change is to Change Elites kleptomaniacs and Power is to the Rulers. But, is there hope for 2019 and who is afraid of 2019?

            In my view the stranger mistaken as solarin who is a professional political rogue running from his landlord on account of his debts and the attempt to probe him is the one I fear come 2019. But you don’t care abi?