“satire And Social Decay In Elnathan John’s Be(com)ing Nigerian And Adamu Usman’s Bivan’s House”

Abstract

Nigerian literature has historically functioned as a tool for political protest and social commentary, but contemporary writers continue to grapple with enduring crises of corruption, insecurity, and moral decay. This study interrogates how satire serves as a literary weapon against these socio-political distortions in Elnathan John’s Be(com)ing Nigerian (2019) and Adamu Usman Bivan’s Bivan’s House (2011). The research aims to examine how both authors deploy satirical aesthetics to expose systemic corruption, religious hypocrisy, and moral degeneration in postcolonial Nigeria. It also seeks to reveal how satire not only mirrors societal contradictions but also envisions moral reform and social justice. The study adopts a qualitative textual analysis, drawing on both primary texts and critical secondary materials to unravel the thematic and stylistic operations of satire. Anchored on Marxist literary theory, the analysis situates the texts within broader ideological and class struggles that shape Nigerian society. Through this lens, the research interprets the writers’ humorous yet incisive portrayals of political elites, bureaucratic corruption, and public complicity as reflective of structural contradictions inherent in Nigeria’s postcolonial experience. Findings indicate that John satirizes political absurdities through parody and irony, exposing the manipulation of religion and media as tools of exploitation, while Usman dramatizes the despair and resilience of ordinary citizens entrapped in corrupt systems. Both writers ultimately project ethical consciousness and civic responsibility as potential routes toward national renewal. The study concludes that satire in contemporary Nigerian prose remains a potent medium for social critique and moral interrogation, reaffirming literature’s role as a transformative agent in national discourse.