gst 113.06 Drama Theatre and Conflict Mgt.pptx

Studies on theatre and conflict management

1. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION IN NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE Dr. A.L. Imiti Department of Theatre Arts Delta State University, Abraka

2. INTRODUCTION In our previous lessons, we have looked at various definitions of conflict. We may need not bore ourselves with that here. However, we should note that conflict is a common phenomenon in human society arising from social, political, economic, ethnic, and religious differences. It occurs as a result of misunderstanding or disagreement between two or more persons over an issue, especially when it affects their well being and sensibility.

3. INTRO Cont... It is mostly expressed through violence. In order to avoid degeneration of conflict to violence it becomes imperative to manage it. Conflict management therefore becomes a critical factor necessary for the peaceful co-existence of people within a community, state or nation.

4. An alternative means of conflict management and resolution is through the exploration of the creative potential of drama and theatre. Through their vehicle of entertainment and enlightenment, drama and theatre provide multi solutions to a problem.

5. INTRO Cont... By definition, drama is simply the re-presentation of events before and audience, while theatre is an integration of the performing arts, which includes music, songs, dance and drama itself. In this study, and henceforth both are used interchangeably

6. Theatre which integrates the performing arts, provides a veritable means for monitoring, analyzing, managing and resolving conflicts situation. This is done via its Theatre-for-Development platform (TFD)

7. CAUSES OF CONFLICT IN NIGERIA The causes of conflict in Nigeria are multifarious as noted by scholars, researchers and human development agencies. As noted earlier, this includes: Social differences Politics Economics Ethnicity Religion

8. CAUSES Cont… These enumerated causes are also interrelated to some degree. At the bottom of it all is the perception that, as a consequence of disagreement, an individual, group or community’s interest, concerns and belief or values are being threatened.

9. It is worthy to note that conflict in various forms of manifestation continue to thrive in Nigeria due to: Bad and insensitive leadership, driven by corruption and greed Quest for power

10. CAUSES Cont… Forceful acquisition of primitive wealth and mediocrity Poverty Deprivation Ignorance Blindness of individuals or groups to other people’s views, needs or values

11. CAUSES Cont… These tendencies have compounded the problems of underdevelopment and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.

12. CAUSES Cont… Most Crisis Prone Regions in Nigeria The most crisis prone regions in Nigeria are the Northern Nigeria and the Niger Delta. Specifically in the North: N orth East – Borno , Adamawa, Bauchi Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe North West – Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano and Sokoto.

13. CAUSES Cont… Most Crisis Prone Regions in Nigeria And the Niger D elta region made up of: Edo, Delta, Bayelsa , Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom , Abia , Imo and Ondo

14. CAUSES Cont… Most Crisis Prone Regions in Nigeria The Northern Nigeria is characterized by religious conflict boosted by ignorance, poverty, unemployment and religious ideologies. The most prominent in recent times is the Boko-Haram crisis, founded on the basis of “discarding western education”. Farmer-herdsman conflict which is not alien to the Niger Delta. Uwheru Comminity is a good example

15. CAUSES Cont… Most Crisis Prone Regions in Nigeria In the Niger Delta there are three identifiable conflict situations. These are: Ethnic nationalities of the oil-rich region and the oil exploration corporations, which gave birth to ethnic militia groups such as MEND and Federal

16. Government ’s undiplomatic approach through military repression Inter-ethnic clashes , especially between Urhobo- Itsekiri , Itsekiri -Ijaw and Urhobo - Ijaw over land disputes and control over Warri and its environs.

17. CAUSES Cont… Most Crisis Prone Regions in Nigeria The quest for political power by all means, characterized by election rigging and result manipulation and falsification Hostage taking for ransom, and killings.

18. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION A most interesting thing about drama is that it is about people in conflict and the processes of resolving the issues in conflict with possible lessons to be learnt.

19. Drama is the most functional and ideological of all the art form because of its sociality and thus, has enormous potential to bring about changes in society. These changes are achievable through the vehicle of enactment and entertainment. Drama functions to redeem and the artist as a redeemer

20. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… It is based on this that we can fundamentally reason that theatre serves to redeem a decadent culture, and as a civilizing agent, seek to re-order and redirect society to ethical values of life through performances. While theatre is not an end , it is however a means to explore the reality of human condition and “to speculate, not only in what is, but on what ought to be or what might be” (Moody, p. 68).

21. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… Realizing the potential of theatre to opening insight and avenues to conflict resolution, some notable Nigerian dramatists, such as Ola Rotimi , Sam Ukala , Ahmed Yerima , Femi Osofisan , to mention but a few, have written plays on how to manage conflict Some of their works in this regard include: If…a tragedy of the ruled – Ola Rotimi Akpakaland - Sam Ukala Hard Ground – Ahmed Yerima Another Raft – Femi Osofisan

22. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… These plays are preoccupied with human conflict and are resolved amicably. However, as earlier noted in our introduction, a most potent form of theatre in conflict management and resolution is TFD.

23. TFD , provides the means for vital actor-spectator interaction which could stimulate out-of-the-box creativity towards new approaches to conflict management and resolution

24. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… TFD , in Nigeria, is based on the foundation laid by Augusto Boal in his Theatre of the oppressed. Boal’s founded “Forum Theatre” is a type of interactive/participatory theatre rooted in Paulo Freire’s pedagogic principles. Its method involves creating a dramatic conflict from familiar situations and analyzing the root cause of the conflict through group exploration for solution mechanism.

25. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… The functional role of TFD is that it has capacity to influence thought and opinion. It can also drive action. TFD seeks to create awareness through enlightenment

26. It is an effective medium of extensive communication Because of its potential to reach remote targets, TFD has been considered a very power medium of mass communication by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO

27. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… TFD also provides a forum for group or community discussion and analysis of conflict situation by constructing dramatic scenarios with active participation of the target group or community members.

28. With this, developmental theatre helps conflicting parties to locate obstacles and recognize the structural problems underlying the people’s misery Created scenarios also provide opportunity for strategizing on the possibilities of managing or even resolving crisis.

29. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… The National Popular Theatre Alliance ( NPTA ), founded in 1984, has been credited with being in the forefront of peace building efforts in Northern Nigeria. The primary objective of NPTA is to promote participatory, gender sensitive development and sustainable human resources management through popular theatre strategy

30. THE ROLE OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION Cont… We should note that in engaging TFD for conflict mediation, there is the need to understand the culture and sensibility of the people in conflict, their needs as well as their capacity to create and destroy. This understanding helps in the identification, mediation and resolution of a conflict

31. CONCLUSION The theatre, through all its mediums of expression, has enormous capacity to play a critical role in conflict management and resolution in Nigeria. Through its extensive communication system – dramatization, dancing, singing and poetry – that are indigenous to the people, it is able to reach unlimited target groups and provide a platform where causes of conflict are identified, assessed and evaluated through drama presentation.

32. CONCLUSION Cont… TFD allows conflicting parties to step outside their entrenched positions into dramatic roles that may allow them to try different alternatives and even to appreciate the enemy’s point-of-view.

33. Government and well meaning individuals or groups are therefore implored to explore the creative resources of theatre by staging performances that will stress the positive aspects of harmonious living which include religious tolerance, inter-ethnic marriages, equitable contribution of wealth, power, amongst others

34. THE END THE END THANKS FOR LISTENING