LEADERSHIP FAILURE AND HUMAN BRUTALITY IN IGBA OGBOLE’S ARROWS OF ANGUISH

Abstract

This paper titled Leadership Failure and Human Brutality in Ogbole’s Arrows of Anguish probes leadership failure in a society and attributes its cause to the high level of insensitivity and ineptitude of leaders.  The insensitivity of leaders poses a great challenge for people especially the Oladam Community; challenges ranging from neglect of the educational sector, lack of basic amenities, and corruption.  The paper also investigates human brutality that emanates from corruption, jealousy, envy, and betrayal which are some major themes in Arrows of Anguish.  As a qualitative study, the paper adopts realism as a theoretical framework in its analysis. Realism is a literary movement that began in the nineteenth century and was applied to novels when there was advancement of science and technology, and it bothers itself with how true life is depicted in a text. This paper concerns itself with the realism of subject matter as classified by George Becker to elucidate the themes portrayed in the text and how real they are and can apply to the society. Using realism in its analysis, the paper establishes that self-sacrifice and selflessness are good leadership styles and attributes that can develop a people and a community.  The paper finds that only selfless leaders enhance the society as they are sensitive to a people’s plight; and that only when people rid themselves of jealousy, envy, and betrayal would there be a cordial interrelationship. The paper therefore concludes that Arrows of Anguish is a committed text that relates themes that are observable in Nigeria and implores readers to emulate good leadership style emphasising selflessness and sacrifice of people for a better society.