Sexual Abuse and its Implication in Nigerian Universities: A Reflection of David Bolaji’s TaniMola, A Satirical Folk Opera

Abstract

Satire is a potent literary art used to critique and redress illicit acts in societies. It is one of the artistic weapons from time immemorial used by literary writers and art musicians for correcting societal ills. Also, this phenomenon, within the context of academia, has been used to unmask the perpetrators of evils and unlawful acts prevalent at different levels of the Nigerian university system and political system of governance. This study examines sexual abuse and its implication for Nigerian universities while reflecting on the illicit behaviours illustrated in David Bolaji’s Tanimola (2011), a satirical folk opera. The paper exposes male lecturers’ sexual molestation of female students and the stigmatisation of sexual assault victims. In addition, it unravels other illicit acts within the University community in Nigeria and how each identified unlawful act is treated with irony, humour, and contempt within the framework of TaniMola. Adopting the principle of Ethics and Moral Theory presented by Strahovnik (2018) for textual analyses of the libretto, plots, and scenes in Tanimola, the article submits that as the university system passes through different transitions, there is a need for caution on the part of male lecturers concerning sexual assaults being perpetuated on female students. The study pointed out that every institution has roles to play in the crusade against the illicit acts of female sexual abuse in Nigerian universities if gender fairness is guaranteed and the education standard is to be improved.