Wale Okediran’s Tenants of the House is a novel that practically sketch out the unfair play of politics in Africa using Nigeria as a case study. This piece of literary work also frowns at the imbalance imprint of governmental parastatals on the life of the masses through the misuse of funds and syphoning of socio resources.
The novel opens with Samuel Bakura an honorable representing Kaduna state in the Federal House of representatives in the National assembly of Nigeria. A profound young lawyer who held in mind to stand with the truth at desperate measures and to always advocate justice at all forms. Samuel in the house of representatives meets a stunning lady called Elizabeth Bello also known as Lizzy who is as well an active Honourable of opposition party to Baruka’s own. The need arises in the house for adjustment of some section of the constitution so as to suit the plan of President Onyenka who aspires to run for third term in office and also to reinstate other members of their seats under him. This egocentric act is being frowned at by the Speaker of the house of legislative - Rt. Hon. Yaya Suleiman - who at the long run was at the verge of getting impeached by the president’s party. A whooping amount of money is shared by both parties to get counts, that is, supporters to each respective side in order to please the constitution that says “ party with higher counts takes the lead of case’’ .
Samuel at one way or the other looses focus through transmission of fertilizer (a government code of reffering to money). He eventually comes back to his consciousness , not yielding to Wenike’s group whom the president is in support. The speaker gets saved of impeachment alongside with the constitution not getting amended to perpetrate the selfish interest of the third term which equally brings justice to order .
The novel in its dealings has revealed how politics has drifted from it purpose of founding in terms of manifestation. Politics according to Aristotle refers to “ affairs of the state” and state here means act from both the electorate and the privileged person put in power. Also politics which is the reflection of democracy who has it definition as government of the people by the people and for the people has changed turn as well.
Both definition posits that politics as an act of government is meant for two groups ( citizen and government personnel) not just one group of people who share and harbour the benefit from it and leave the concerned masses to pay the prize of uneasy life.
Wale Okediran shows how socio resources which include money, life comforting amenities and Job opportunities are only been shared among these selfish people. Most important the use of money to secure positions for themselves, forgetting that they are just tenants in those post. Money meant to be disturbed into the communities for easy living are used to show personality strength and secure wealth not only for themselves but for their unborn children. These people ( politicians) believe that there is no permanent friend in politic, only permanent interest, which means they are ready to use and manipulate electorate through action and words to achieve their selfish interests. After getting to power, they forget the promises and the kind gestures promised and only subscribe to those that have selfish aims as theirs.
This novel makes it clear that all the unfair treatments from the statesmen are deliberate action erected into their hearts in order to suit their personal purposes, because they knew the right thing to do initially. Just as the case is pertaining to Samuel Bakura, he had set goals before entering the house, though almost got distracted but still lace up his goals notwithstanding .
Politics here by Wale Okediran is of the stand that it’s not arithmetic that has the equation of one plus one giving two but an equation of reasoning and concerned for both masses and those at the helm of affairs .
The author does not only address political antics alone, he also humorously infuses cultural and religious differences, contact and clash. He is able to show different cultures -Yoruba and Fulani’s culture- how marriage is being carried out in the two different cultures, especially what it takes to be a legitimate husband in the Fulani’s culture.
Covering it up is the thematic concern of corruption, political inequalities and thirst of power skilfully infused by the authors to emphasise on the title Tenants of the House.
©Adebisi Emmanuel ADEGOKE (2022).
2 Comments
Fair analysis. 4 of 10 by my grading.
ReplyDeleteThe above post wasn't critisim as analysis but an extracted form of interpretative criticism . what was also done to the aforementioned write up was a literary review not analysis.
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