A SATIRICAL ANALYSIS OF CLEMENT ODIA’S BEKEKELE AND THE FORBIDDEN DANCE

ABSTRACT

The essay examines political, socio-economic, and moral decadence within Odia’s, Bekekele and The Forbidden Dance. These areas serve as fertile ground for the deployment of satire throughout the texts. The chosen research methodology is qualitative, and the study anchored the sociological theory of satire as its theoretical framework. A textual analysis is applied to Odia's Bekekele (2019) and The Forbidden Dance (2021), which effectively unveils the layers of decadence prevalent in Nigerian society, as vividly depicted through the key characters. In the case of Odia’s Bekekele, the narrative adopts an in-media-res approach, commencing from the middle and skillfully employing flashbacks to unravel the events that expose the underlying decadence. On the other hand, The Forbidden Dance follows a more conventional narrative style, providing a straightforward portrayal of how these societal ills manifest across different facets of society. These plays focuses on the unethical behavior exhibited by Dr. Ode, the chiefs, and the crown prince, individuals who bear the responsibility of upholding the law and customs of their people. Regrettably, they compromise on these principles, resulting in adverse consequences for society. The essay concludes that this pervasive decadence can be traced back to the personal degradation and debasement of these key figures. It emphases the necessity for both individual and collective efforts in order to initiate a process of regeneration and stimulate societal development. Overall, the essay expertly dissects the thematic elements of these literary works, employing a wellstructured argument and scholarly approach to shed light on the pressing issues of decadence in Nigerian society.