Apart from its deliberate inclination to creative and often didactic afflatus, Literature has always presented some palpable, in some cases elevated attraction in its tendency to aesthetically mirror society as a slice of life. The argument of whether it is Literature that influences society more or society that shapes the tone, theme and content of Literature often ends up as academic exercise. This essentially is because the question of mutual interdependency and interconnectivity of Arts and society has remained overtly unassailable.
Literature and society have thus maintained a reciprocal relationship as the literary world reflects social realities, values, and beliefs of its time, while also influencing and shaping societal norms, attitudes, and even inspiring social change. Literary works also do serve as social commentaries, offering insights into the political, economic, and cultural landscape of a particular era.
The works of many writers have also turned out to be prophetic in their thematic concerns ending up as socially predictive, for shadowing the way to major landmark events that help shape the history of a people. I have deliberately borrowed the title of today’s column from Wole Soyinka’s novel ,Season of Anomy especially as I do not find a better way to describe the season we are in as a country and the events that had featured majorly in our national news bulletins.
Season Of Anomy is a novel that explores the clash between traditional African values and modern, corrupting influences in a post-colonial African nation. The story centers on Ofeyi, a Marketing Manager for the National Cocoa Corporation, who becomes disillusioned with his work and the rampant corruption he witnesses. He encounters the utopian community of Aiyeru, a place untouched by the nation’s decay, and is inspired to spread their ideals of communal living and self-reliance.
This act of defiance against the corrupt Cartel, who control the country, leads to violence and chaos, with Ofeyi’s lover, Iriyise, being kidnapped. The novel follows Ofeyi’s quest to rescue Iriyise and his journey through a war-torn landscape, ultimately returning to Aiyeru, which symbolizes hope and renewal. Season of Anomy explores themes of corruption, exploitation, resistance, the clash between tradition and modernity and the search for hope and renewal amidst chaos.
The theme of tension, rage and chaos explored in the novel are essentially reflective of the contemporary season in Nigeria. There’s been a renewed level of social psychological tension in the land being dramatically ventilated in our markets, parks, hospitals, even places of worship and Airports. Arising however from the fact that our Airports are places of vintage news gathering and significance, the unruly conducts of rage and frustration arising therefrom have filled the tabloids, social media and other public space revealing who we are, exposing the tensed state of the country.
A Fuji musician popularly known as KWAM 1 tried to physically obstruct an aircraft from flying after disobeying the rules by insisting on being checked in with a flask of undisclosed liquid content. The Federal Government ends up engaging him as a brand ambassador on Airport and Aviation safety.
This fits more into a script in the Theater of the Absurd. It is however a non- fictional account of the events in a State of Anomy. About same time, another passenger this time a female , Comfort Emmanson remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre for allegedly assaulting an Ibom Air cabin crew member and some security officers during an Uyo–Lagos flight penultimate Sunday. The fact that she was remanded triggered even a more intensified spate of public outrage amidst accusations of selective justice.
A video had captured Emmanson slapping and kicking airline and airport officials, including a female airhostess, after she allegedly refused repeated instructions to switch off her phone before takeoff.
In one clip, she was seen being dragged off the aircraft by airline security operatives.
The ban initially placed on her by the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has since been lifted, following intervention by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN.
Rather interestingly, the AON has called on relevant aviation agencies to immediately commence the sensitisation of the public on the dangers and consequences of unruly behaviour at airport terminals and onboard aircraft, as spelt out in Section 85 of the Civil Aviation Act, 2022 and Part 17 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023.
The issue playing out is beyond sensitization but the psychology of the expurgation of built up catharsis. Still boils down to a reflection of the state of the nation, which has stretched the patience of many to the limits. A psychiatrist told me last week that many of his patients are relapsing at an alarming rate due to their inability to replace their drugs.
That indeed speaks volumes about the state of Anomy many citizens have found themselves. Aviation officers call it unruly behaviour. That’s euphemism for what the late Afrobeat legend; Fela Anikulakpo Kuti would call demonstration of craze. And this is finding expression in both public places and private domains.
It is equally instructive that the minister of Aviation has proposed a training program for aviation workers on how to
handle cases of unruly and disruptive passengers. There are however more unruly and disruptive passengers at the motor parks and market places across the country than you will find at the Airports in the country. The question really is, what has gone wrong so much as to turn a people once described as the happiest people on earth into a people of rage and unruly conducts. It’s about the hunger and general hardship in the land.
Many Nigerians are still at a loss as to the rationale for the ambassadorial award for an unruly and law breaking passenger. This is indicative of the place of values or its deficit in a state of Anomy. It also establishes that we all are not and cannot be equal before the law in Nigeria. Connections to the corridors of power help to determine how our actions or infractions are interpreted in the public space.
Many however have slammed the Federal Government for bestowing an ambassadorial status on the musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, KWAM 1.
Ambassadors are looked up to as role models. Nigerians are however at a loss as to what moral lessons there are to be learnt from the rude exhibition of lack of respect for the law as demonstrated by KWAM 1. On that scores, many have continued to fault the speed with which the musician was honoured with such recognition after breaking the rules at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The truth we must not run away from is that the pervasive hunger in the land is affecting the temperament of many, resulting in unruly behavior even in the public arena. Governments at all levels should step in to address the situation to avoid a buildup into a state of wider social discontentment.
This season of rage and Anomy should not be allowed to become our defining features as a people.
