Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche

Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche

Introduction to the play, Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche

The play, Harvest of Corruption is written to condemn the ills of the contemporary Nigerian society. As a satire, the play illustrates how corruption like a canker worm has eaten deep into the fabrics of our society, Nigeria and affects institutions like the arm forces, the judiciary, other arms of government and ministries.

The play is all about Aloho, an unemployed university graduate whose joblessness has thrown into worries, making her desperate to take any job without considering the conditions of work. Having encountered her friend Ochuole her journey to more misery began.

About the Author

Frank Ogodo Ogbeche is from Yala in Cross River State, Nigeria. He studied Communication Arts and currently works as a Senior Council Affairs Officer in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). He is a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and has to his credit a number of plays and poems including The Intruder and the Promises of the Gods.

 

PLOT of the play, Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche

Aloho, the protagonist of the drama, meets Ochuole, her old school mate who works with the Ministry of External Relations as the Chief Administrative Officer. Having compassion over her classmate, Ochuole offers to help Aloho secure a job by speaking with the Minister of External Relations, Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka on her behalf. Aloho finally secures the job as Ochuole promised and started working as one of Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka’s protocol officers. Moreover, what is unknown to Aloho is that she does not know that Ochuole is actually perpetrating criminal activities with the Minister, especially drug trafficking. The usual spot for their illegal duties is Madam Hoha’s hotel.

Aloho first duty, is to deliver a package to a client in the United States of America. Unknown to her, what is packaged for her to deliver is cocaine. Aloho gets arrested at the airport by custom officials who handed her over to drug law enforcement officers and Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka uses his influence and bribery to persuade the judge to set Aloho free.

Prior to the drug case, Aloho had an affair with the Minister but found out after she was acquitted by the judge. She tries to abort the baby but failed. She later died during child birth. However, an honest police officer, ACP Yakubu started investigations into illegal activities that have been going on in the ministry of External Affairs. Ayo, a clerk in the office of Chief Haladu-Amaka provided the police with documents of evidence which were used to bring the minister and his accomplices to the court. Ogeyi, who is Aloho’s friend after Aloho’s death, swore to revenge her friend. So, she went and reported Chief to the police. Eventually, justice was achieved as Chief and his confederates were brought to book and prosecuted accordingly.

SETTING of the play, Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche

The play is set in Jabu, a fictional Nigerian city. Much of the action takes place in different locations- Ogeyi’s apartment in Pannya, Darkin, Ministry of External Relations in Maisama, and Madam Hoha’s hotel at Darkin, Police Headquarters and the Court Room. The play was written during the period of transition to democratic government.

TYPE OF DRAMA

The Play is a satire. A satire is any literary work that exposes the ill and vices of individuals and the entire society with the motive of bringing a positive change. The play attempts to illustrate the rotten aspects of the society like the judiciary, arm forces and the executives. It also exposes the havoc desperation can rain down on an individual. Truly, it is Aloho’s desperation for a job that landed her into the miry clay of death.

The play is also a tragedy – a play with unhappy ending, especially the death of the protagonist. The protagonist, struggles to get a job and landed herself into a deadly trouble.

 

CHARACTERS of the play, Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche

1. ALOHO

Aloho is the protagonist of the play. A young university female graduate desperately searching for a job. In her desperation, she ignorantly becomes part of a criminal network involved in drug trafficking, though her friend’s constant warning to keep away from notorious Ochuole. Aloho is arrested and detained for drug trafficking. After her release, she finds out that she is pregnant for Chief Haladu-Amaka and eventually dies during child-birth. The author uses Aloho’s character to portray the ordeals of many young and jobless Nigerian graduates, how they are easily taken advantage of and lured into crime in their desperation to find a source of income.

2. OCHUOLE

Ochuole, Aloho’s classmate in the University, is portrayed as a notorious and wayward girl who works as Chief Administrative Officer at the Ministry of External Relations, though not as intelligent as Aloho when they were in school. She aids Chief’s sexually immoral lifestyle by providing him with ladies. She lures Aloho into drug trafficking in the guise of helping her to secure a job with the Ministry of External Relations.

3. CHIEF ADE HALADU-AMAKA

Chief Ade is the Minister of External Relations who symbolizes the corrupt government officials. He is the ring leader of a criminal network of drug peddlers and engages in bribery, large scale embezzlement of public funds, sexual immorality and fraud. His character is ironical. As a Minister of External Relations, he is supposed to promote his country’s image in the comity of nations. On the contrary, Chief Haladu-Amaka in his many acts of illegality disgrace the dignity of the government and the country at large.

4. OGEYI

Ogeyi is Aloho’s best friend who knows everything about Aloho and her peddling with Chief Ade. Aloho lives with Ogeyi in her small apartment in Pannya. She tries to discourage Aloho from taking Ochuole’s job offer and warns her to keep away from Ochuole. After the demise of Aloho, she seeks justice for Aloho by reporting Chief to the police. She symbolizes the voice of reason in the play.

 

5. MADAM HOHA

Madam Hoha is the owner of Akpara Hotel. The hotel is where Chief and his confederate meet to plan their criminal activities. She is sentenced to ten years imprisonment with hard labour alongside Ochuole and her hotel was sealed.

6. ACP YAKUBU Yakubu

ACP YAKUBU Yakubu is an Assistant Commissioner of Police who in the play stands out as an incorruptible and honest police officer. He withstood pressures from the Commissioner to stop investigating Chief’s activities at the Ministry of External Relations. however, his investigations led to the arrest and prosecution of Chief, Ochuole, Madam Hoha, the Commissioner of Police and the corrupt Justice Odili.

 

Other characters are

Alice

Mrs. Obi

Okpotu

Constable Ojo

 

THEMES of the play, Harvest of Corruption by Frank Ogodo Ogbeche

1. Retribution

This is the central theme of the play. The main idea is that a man reaps what he sows. All the corrupt characters are brought to book in the end. Chief is convicted and sentenced to twenty-five years in imprisonment with hard labour and ordered to refund the embezzled funds. This punishment is his harvest of corruption. The humiliation suffered by Aloho for drug trafficking, her pregnancy and death also portray her harvest of corruption. Ochuole and Madam Hoha are sentenced to ten years in imprisonment with hard labour while Madam Hoha’s hotel is also sealed. This is their harvest of corruption. Justice Odili and the Commissioner of Police are sentenced to twenty years in imprisonment for receiving bribe. Ayo, the clerk is also punished as he is sentenced to five years imprisonment for receiving a bribe.

2. Unemployment

The play portrays the rate of unemployment in our society and what people pass through while searching for job. Aloho’s frustration on joblessness led her into the nest of evil doers, an encounter which subsequently led to her death.

3. Desperation

This attitude has led so many people into adverse conditions that are even worse than death. Aloho’s desperation to acquire a job blinded her into accepting a camouflaged job used for drug trafficking.

4. Fate

One must note that people have different fate in life and stop comparing and storming into action based on what we see in other people. Have Aloho paid attention to situations, she would have noticed that her notorious and academically dull classmate could not have landed such a lucrative job unless something is on the line. Rather she gets startled by Ochuole’s splendour and complained on why she cannot get such a job since she is more intelligent than Ochuole.

5. Corruption

Bribery and corruption are exposed in this play on a large-scale embezzlement of public funds in official quarters, drug trafficking, sexual immorality perpetuated by highly placed personalities who are supposed to be policy makers and law enforcement officers. The playwright shows how corruption penetrates government institutions and every fabric of the society as well as the devastating effect corruption has on our everyday life.

6. Betrayal of Public Trust

The minister, betrayed the trust placed in him by virtue of the public office he holds through large-scale embezzlement of public funds, forgery, fraud and bribery. The author advocates a political, social and moral re-birth. Likewise, clerk Ayo also betrayed the trust government placed on him by secreting taking government confidential documents.