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Play Summary (scene-by-scene)

Scene One Office Corridor Ochuole meets Aloho in an office corridor at the ministry of External Relations. They both express their pleasant surprise to meet each other after several years of graduation. Aloho has come to the ministry to see if she could get a job. To her surprise, Ochuole happens to be the Chief Administration officer to the Hon. Minister in charge of the ministry. Ochuole then promises Aloho a job with the Minister and instructs her to come the following day that she will have spoken to the minister then. They both depart in good faith. Ogayi’s Residence Aloho enters with hunger and refuses to tell her friend, Ogeyi, the outcome of where she has gone for job, until she gets an answer to where food is. She finally settles down, after eating, and asks Ogeyi to guess who she meets at the ministry. Ogeyi expresses her surprise to know it’s Ochuole, the campus bad girl. She however warns Aloho to stay away from her, knowing who she is, right from campus. Aloho, ...

Characterization

Characterization is the character analysis of the actors and actresses that are involved in the play, Harvest of Corruption . This analysis is based on the role they play, what they say and what other characters say about them. Let’s discuss them one after the other. Aloho · Aloho is a flat character in the play. · She is an applicant who has searched for job for so long after graduation. Her search for employment brought her to Jabu. · She is first presented as a born-again Christian lady; however, her desperacy for job makes her compromise her faith. This is illustrated in her dialogue with Ogeyi: “( She frowns at Ogeyi .) God’s time! God’s time! When will that God’s time come? Do you want me to die a wretch waiting for God’s time? ...”pg. 9 · ...

Commissioner

He is a poor leader who does not represent the law enforcement agency of Jecassa well. He is expected to kick against corruption but the reversed is the case. He shamelessly encourages corruption by supporting Chief in his corrupt business of drug trafficking. See pg. 20 “Chief, there was no problem at all. Your goods are safely in the warehouse. I directed the DPO there to personally supervise the operations.” The goods he is talking about here is cocaine. · He is highly corrupt and loves money more than his duty. He never thinks twice on compromising on the code of conduct of his profession as a policeman for lust of money and other material things. Let’s consider what he says here: “(Seeing an opening, he cashes in.) Chief, the boys are getting more expensive to handle. They continue to demand for increased pay and you know what you give for expenses. … This smuggling racket is becoming too hot to handle you know, the risk involve...

Madam Hoha

She is the proprietress of Akpara Hotel, the hideout for Chief’s drug activities. · She works with Ochuole in the Business of using innocent ladies for prostitution and drug trafficking. · All that matters to her is money and does not care whatever happens next. This is shown in her dialogue with Chief: “(…) It’s a matter of cash, Chief.” Pg.14 · Her hotel is the store house for Chief’s drug. · She is also a corrupt character who is mainly driven by her lust and desire for money. The Judge even testifies to this: “Madam Hoha and … your love of money and appetite to pursue it is indescribable”… pg. 120

Ochuole

Ochuole is the Chief Administration officer in the Ministry of External Relation · She is Chief’s puppet, ‘runs girl’ and mistress. · She also recruits drug pushers for him while she gets her cut from the proceed. · She is a perverse lady right from the university. See what Ogeyi has to say about her: “…And why should you get yourself involved with Ochuole of all people, why? That girl, who has soiled the reputations of all decent girls in this Jabu. Is that the girl you ran into? I won’t have you associating with her.” Pg.8 · She takes advantage of innocent friends. This is illustrated in the way she uses Aloho and some other friends of hers to get what she wants. Consider this that she has to say: “…Ehen! Madam Hoha! That reminds me, one of my friends is in town. She needs a job very desperately. I ...

Chief Haladu Ade-Amaka

Mere considering the name, Haladu Ade-Amaka is metaphorical. The playwright deliberately coins the name from the three major tribes in Nigeria. Haladu represents the corrupt Hausa politicians; Ade represents that of the corrupt Yoruba politicians while Amaka represents the corrupt Igbo politicians. · He is the honourable minister of External Relations of Jacassan · He metaphorically represents the modern day corrupt politicians who are never satisfied embezzling and bribing their way out jail. · He is an irresponsible state man · He falsifies figures and embezzles government fund. This is illustrated in how he embezzles two point one billion naira. He also uses Ochuole’s office to embezzle five point eight million naira. · He engages ...