GENDER DISPLACEMENT IN SELECTED NIGERIAN PLAYS

Abstract

This study examined the representation of gender displacement in selected Nigerian plays, with particular focus on the marginalization of women within patriarchal social structures. Nigerian drama has long reflected societal realities in which cultural traditions and male dominance often place women in subordinate positions. The study adopted a qualitative research design and employed textual content analysis of Zulu Sofola’s Wedlock of the Gods, J. P. Clark’s The Wives’ Revolt, and Ahmed Yerima’s Jakadiya. The analysis focused on significant scenes, dialogues, character interactions, dramatic actions, and conflicts relating to social, cultural, economic, political, and psychological dimensions of gender displacement. The study was anchored on Feminist Theory and Womanism. Feminist Theory provided a framework for examining patriarchal oppression, female subordination, denial of autonomy, and gender inequality, while Womanism emphasized the experiences of African women within family, cultural, and communal structures. The analysis revealed that Wedlock of the Gods portrays Ogwoma’s displacement through forced marriage, cultural expectations, and the denial of her freedom to determine her emotional and marital life. The Wives’ Revolt dramatizes women’s economic and social exclusion through unequal communal resource distribution and depicts their collective resistance against male domination. In Jakadiya, Bilikisu’s experiences of slavery, sexual objectification, reproductive control, and exclusion within the royal institution demonstrate the intersection of gender, social status, and institutional power. Across the three plays, women are presented not only as victims of discrimination, exclusion, and cultural oppression but also as agents who resist, negotiate, and challenge oppressive structures. The study further found that Nigerian dramatists reconstruct female identity by portraying women as capable of exercising agency and participating in social transformation. It concludes that Nigerian drama functions not only as a reflection of gender inequality but also as an instrument of social criticism and transformation. Through dramatic representation of oppression and resistance, the selected plays promote gender consciousness and advocate dignity, justice, empowerment, recognition, and equal participation for women in society.