Robustness

Kalu Uka’s introduction of J. P. Clark appears to be the best so far written about about him. It is therefore quoted it for you here. Obviously, since Prof. Uka is a playwright and a poet he seems well positioned to give a good introduction of a fellow poet. As a poet, he convey so much in within such a small space. J. P. Clark, according to him.

was born in the eastern Ijaw area…

of what is now called Delta State in Nigeria in 1935 out of the mixture of rain forest, delta jungle, riverine

mangrove and water-spirits culture of Warri, Clark (Bekederemo) clearly brings a philosophy of man and his environment which informs his theatre. The sagas and epics of the Ijaw, the festive Ekine drama and its conventions, as well as the borrowed elements

of classical western European drama…have all been, in one form or another, fused into prevalent themes, techniques and tone of J. P.

Clark’s plays. (75)

J. P. Clark retired as a professor from the University of Lagos. He set up a theatre group with his wife, Ebun Clark, who is also a dramatist. Our discussion on Clark here is strictly on his theatre.

It is difficult to say that this particular play is set in the colonial, pre-colonial or post independence Nigeria. The physical setting is always clear. The plays represent an overlapping of the past into the present. In Ozzidi for instance, Ozzidi is both the actor and narrator. The narrator exists in the modern era where cars and national politics exist but the hero, Ozzidi himself is a legendary hero who lived with his exploits in the past.

However, by the end of the play, the past and the present are blended as Ozzidi and the narrator emerge triumphantly in the end.

His first play is Song of a Goat (1961) which appears to the most popular. In this plays, through certain allusions, one could say that it is set in modern Nigeria of the 60s. the actions of the characters which reflect a village that has not be touched by any element of modernity contradicts the seemingly contemporary setting of the play. This ambiguity helps the playwright to achieve his purpose of evoking his traditional background, their norms and taboo.

Incest is a taboo in this culture that requires atonement. Although Zifa is impotent and hides it from his wife, his wife Ebiere should not have had a sexual intercourse with his husband’s younger brother Tonye. She should have realized that in their culture that any

“sexual intercourse wider deviant conditions requires propitiation if the families involved are not to be cursed” (Wren II).

Some of these early plays adopt the five act structure. The hero Zifa is a wealthy man in his society. Unfortunately he is impotent and also bears a family curse. His wife as stated

earlier takes in a lover. Zifa discovers the pregnancy. But his aunt Orukokere who has the gift of prophecy foresaw the tragic end of the play but nobody listens to her.

In his proud rage (tragic flaw) instead of calling his brothers to resolve the issue by offering the right sacrifices for propitiation and atonement, he slaughters a goat as asks his bother to force the head of the goat into the pot (error of judgment) which is an impossible task. Like the classical Oedipus, he allows pride to rule his life so he defies the gods, the seer and indeed the clan.

The slaughtering of goat in this play for sacrifice has terrible consequences because it is done for the wrong reason. So symbolically it indicates his unacceptability of his brother, his wife and their illicit relationship. Tonye hangs himself while Ebiere collapses. As Zifa leaves the compound apparently to kill himself because a neighbour describes his suicidal strides to the sea.

Clark does evoke traditional ways of life of his people. He makes use of riddles a lot, and draws images from his surrounding. The image of a house is used by Ebiere to present to the Masseur her husband’s refusal to have sexual intercourse with her

…it is not my fault. I keep my house Open by night and day

But my Lord will not come in Why? Who bares him?

I do not hinder him…

My house his its door open I said (Clark)

Masseur later confronts Zifa but with riddles and the image of farmland. Zifa who comes from the same cultural background understands easily.

Masseur: …you have allowed the piece of fertile ground made over to

you to run fallow with elephant grass

Zifa: …what do you mean

Masseur: …anyone can see the ears and the Tassels of the grass from afar off Zifa: …has she told you something

You can see that not only novelists draw from oral literature, playwrights also do. Other plays by J. P. Clark are Ozzidi (1966), The Raft (1964), The Masquerade.