Sociopolitical Oppression and Suppression in Soyinka’s A Play of Giant

Abstract

The concept of oppression is one of the most vital concepts in contemporary political discourses in the literary works. This concept has some interdisciplinary characteristics which are associated with culture, religion, sociology and politics. Therefore, this paper critically explores various sociopolitical oppression and suppression of Africans by their leaders (fellow Africans) in most parts of the continent as portrayed by Wole Soyinka. The paper reveals how African leaders misuse power, serve their personal interest instead of the citizens who voted them to power. In the Play of Giant, Soyinka uses satire to depict the attitude of many African leaders towards their citizens. It shows that the leaders have less sympathy towards the masses. It also shows inferiority complex, dictatorship, abuse of power, intolerance, immorality, and insensitiveness of African leaders which are all against the African cultures but inherited from colonialism.