Beyond the script: Interpreting Iyorwuese Hagher’s lamp of peace as a metaphor for Nigeria’s unity

Since the emergence of literary drama in Nigeria, it has been the concern of all playwrights over the years to have a progressive society with the new order that allows the masses to be free from contradictions that hinder the growth and development of the Nigerian state.These contradictions shape the social visions and ideological frameworks that inspire playwrights to create works aimed at liberating society from such contradictions and social problems, which have the potential to cause further harm. It is against this backdrop thatthis paper looks at Iyorwuese Hagher’s Lamp of Peace beyond the level of the script but through its thorough handling of the contradictions of peace building in Nigeria which for many years has remained inimical to the development and unity of Nigeria as a nation. The scope of this paper is within the praxis of Hagher’s Lamp of Peace as its primary source of data; however, other secondary sources that add value to the paper are referred to and duly acknowledged. The paper being an empirical study builds on qualitative method and adopts the textual analysis as its tool for analysing the variable under review. The paper adopts the agenda-setting theory as its framework to underpin its arguments. Through the lenses of the study text, the playwright aptly captures the issue of war and how wars are tantamount to causing unending fracas in any sane society whose dream is to develop politically, economically and socially in all its spheres. In any case, the playwright in the concluding part shows that a play such as this have the capacity of propelling nationaldialogue that can bring peace and unity in the country.