THE TEACHER DIED by Bright Isani

As a script, the work is a voluble creative evaluation of the author’s society, Sambisa Republic, by looking at his gawky educational system. Apart from many contending issues in the discourse, the author’s use of cross-cultural references added to the universal relevance of the play. A typical science secondary school is established in Sambisa Republic to foster scientific growth through specialist imparting of empirical knowledge to students. Things go wrong as both the principal of the school and some of his unprincipled teachers’ descend on having licentious relationship with the wayward students. Some other teachers decide to make the difference by refusing to be engulfed in the vulgar and shame. Those teachers organize students’ debate thereby making the students to become the mirror in which the society can see itself.

Mr. Obonogwaogwu, the coordinator of the students’ debate is at times amazed at the barrage of revelations by his students during the debate. The first debate on Examination Malpractices gives the students opportunity to take a good swipe on senior members of the society with their more damaging malpractices than students’ examination pranks: from office malpractices to home mismanagement. Ufe, one of the characters in the play, admits that the loutish system of education will tell on the society in no distant future. Ufe blames the larger society as a “miserable nation, digging its grave and writing an elegy for the funeral rites…… “It is not a secret that students do not prepare for examination anymore. Examination halls are more chaotic than a stampede in a stadium. A character called Kwakoto in the play recommends increase in teachers’ remuneration to match their effort in rearing our young ones. But Lola, another character recounts that salary increases to police department did not stop them from collecting roja at check points. Lola questions whether the teachers will not do what the police are doing after salary increase.

Through the combative cobbler, the audience confirms that even uneducated citizens in Sambisa do not respect certificates anymore. Certificates do not equate knowledge or know-how. The querulous cobbler dismisses certificated graduates as fake people who cannot write even their own names. Some teachers give lip service to their public service jobs while dedicating themselves to the temporary but well paid jobs. The play also highlights the neglect of primary education, healthcare and local governments in all their ramifications. The shabbiness of the government secondary schools pushes the teachers at government secondary schools to get part time jobs in the private sector for enough payment to go to work.

The second debate is on Terrorism: the use of threat or violence to create fear and alarm for sectional or selfish gains. Some students, while admitting that many people suffer mayhem and death at the hand of terrorists, hold some weak sympathy for them. Kuru believes terrorism can be equated with liberation, like the blowing-up of pipe lines and other atrocities to achieve quick political settlement.

An example of the cross-cultural reference is from a character Mrs. Enemona who quotes online news of an 18 years old school leaver in New York. This school leaver sued his high school because he cannot read or write despite being certified as a high school graduate. This person realizes that he has become a misfit because he is a product of examination malpractice which pushes candidates to the next level even when they fail their examinations. He cannot gain employment under such circumstance.

The author does not leave out religious complexities in Sambisa Republic. Through the characters we are shown that some of valued principles established over the centuries are being eroded in the name of Christianity fighting tradition. In some societies, adultery simply does not exist because it has been tabooed. In the name of modernity and Christianity, people with confused mission have come to encourage promiscuity, fornication, adultery and other forms of permissiveness. Mrs. Musa therefore calls on Mr. Obonogwaogwu to join Islam since Christianity has failed. Mr. Obonogwaogwu however reminds Mrs. Musa reminds that Islam preaches murderous inclinations and the worship of Moon and Star. Mrs. Musa reminds the Christians of their own murderous pastor: Eddie Nanogwu, Otokoto, Deriko, Chiejina, Pastor Kings, Pastor Sharp-sharp. Other religious organizations are mentioned in the discussion: Eckankar.

School life is further discussed as the life-style has degenerated to cultism, and homosexuality and lesbianism. Both Lola and Mma – rapist lesbians believe so much in witch-craft. They therefore engage in metaphysical cajoling. Mrs. Enuwa tries to take them out of it. Mma argues that she is born a lesbian and nothing can be done about it. Mrs. Enuwa tries in vain to talk them out of it. Mrs. Enuwa told her own story of being a victim of rape by five policemen when her aunt sent her off from her foster home for resisting her aunt’s husband raping. Mrs. Enuwa tries to separate Mma from Lola. Girls rape girls and force other girls into lesbian recruitment. There are rival groups and they cut the breasts of enemy group girls if they find out they are facing competition. That could happen if the opponent girl is sleeping with the principal.

In this, sexual indiscipline is shown as another danger: the spread of H.I.V Virus. Toro revealed that some female teachers are part of their lesbian cult and that they pay 5,000.00k per night for a good massage.  The chief security officer reports the rampart sexual abuses by teachers to the principal of the school. The girls inflict the principal and even the Medical Doctor with the H.I.V virus and have no qualms about it because they insist somebody else inflicted it on them. This testimony comes from Erima.

Toro goes to have a baby and sells it to the motherless babies’ home. She confesses before dying about teachers’ membership of the cult groups. The cobbler releases the information to Mr. Obonogwagwu as the anti-climax is reached with news of the sacking of the Education Board Chairman on a number of charges.

In scene five: Pastor Ojudumi delivers a revelation (message) to Mr. Anabayara in the principal’s office. The pastor states that an angel of the Lord warns that if Mr. Anabayara does not stop deflowering girls in his school, he, the principal will die. This revelation was done in the presence of Sharpsharp. The principal, Mr. Anabayara does not believe the pastor and tries to dismiss the revelation. Shortly after this revelation, the principal dies in a collapsed building accident. The underlying lessons here are that leaders who encourage promiscuous and permissive life are inviting collapses of their shields. The American online example shows the collapse of dependence on paper qualification by school leavers. The Sambisa example shows the physical collapse of structures and the casualties are the leaders.

Greg Odo,

CSS, Obimo-Nsukka

2017.