Counter-terrorism and socio-political acculturation in Ahmed Yerima’s heart of stone and pari

Abstract

The writer, says Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, “must be a writer in politics”. This is an authoritative positioning, also in line with the Marxists’ maxim that the writer, and particularly the writer in the arts and in the theatre more particularly, must be read, or seen to be contributing committed and concerted commentaries to the day-to-day socio-political issues prevalent in their geo-political environment. Against this background, the typical contemporary Nigerian dramatists stand out in their commentaries through their works, toward the social, economic, political and communal acculturation and reengineering of the Nigerian space. This paper examines the themes of anti-terrorism and socio-political acculturation in Ahmed Yerima’s Heart of Stone and Pari, against the background of the overwhelming national challenge of growing insurgencies, terrorism, and impunities, in various parts of the Nigerian geo-political space. One-on-one interviews, case study analysis and focused group discussions, are largely employed, and data collected, subjected to content analysis. The selected Yerima’s works are instructively contributory to the socio-political acculturation and concientisation of the Nigerian polity against the ills of terrorism and growing insurgencies in the society