Managing Nigeria's diversity for sustainable development: The role of the theatre

For Nigeria to achieve sustainable development amidst her diversity there is the need for an integrated and inter-disciplinary policy planning and management which transcends the parochial, legal, political, environmental, economic and ethical boundaries thatabound in our folds. Deploying the qualitative research method under the historical and content analysis modalities, this paper uses the case study approach in interrogating the role of the theatre in the management of Nigeria’s diversity towards achieving sustainable development. Managing diversity means acknowledging people's differences and recognizing these differences as valuable. It enhances good management practices by preventing discrimination and promoting inclusiveness as good management alone will not necessarily help one to work effectively with a diverse workforce. This paper, therefore, analyses and provides evidences on how the theatre has fared in this regard with reference to Bakare Ojo Rasaki’s Drums of War. The study is hinged on the National Integration Theory as it investigates how Nigeria has managed its diversity with such instruments as quota system, federal character principle and their effects on sustainable development. The findings with reference to the play text analysed showed that theatre helps us to see different perspectives from our own. It shows us humanity, psychology, motivations, conflict and resolution. More so, the respondents get to witness the trajectory of persons other than themselves. Artists put themselves into emotional and intellectual situations that may never arise in their personal lives. Theatre promotes and gives power to truth, to take risks and to advocate for new and diverse voices. It also demonstrates that theatre is immediate, evolving, continually different and ever accommodating.