Literature, which is a mirror of society because it reflects its values and ills, ought to be given a greater attention in our school curriculum in order to instill essential ethical and political values into the youth for healthy nations, especially in Africa
This is why I find “Parliament of Owls” a very valuable play for not only the youth but also to any aspiring democrat with a liberal mind.
In the play, the author Adipo Sidang, in a soft but realistic way, paints a picture of political hypocrisy and betrayal through the witty use of animal characters to expose the contemporary uncouth political systems.
In the play, the leadership of the bird kingdom pretends to care about the subjects but in truth, they are the birds’ tormentors.
Osogo tells Red String that he is spreading the latest false information that because of the owls, the kingdom is secure, the kingdom is safe and that the neighbours are a great threat to the survival of the birds, yet these are the same neighbours Red String and other leaders invite to his night feasts at Roya Trees where they dine on the flesh of fellow birds.
These leaders, like Red String, brag to have pushed Python out of the kingdom because of the widespread invasion of birds’ nests but Osogo finds this assertion a fallacy because Python is a friend of the court.
The birds accomplish their projected indignation on their imaginary enemies by throwing them into Python’s cave as they ran the gallows and Python was their hangman.
The author presents leaders of the bird kingdom as being notorious religious people who only preach water but drink wine: That is why Red String is convincing Arumi Tidi to propagate lies and propaganda about the Moonlight Bill, which takes away the rights of the birds to freely move and associate at night.
This does not augur well with the birds but Arumi Tidi is expected to support it to have a great advantage as it secures them.
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Red String goes ahead to advise Arumi Tindi to appeal to the birds and convince them that the Bill should be passed because it was a divine revelation from the gods.
The reader has to note that in the absence of the Moonlight Bill, Arumi Tindi stealthily orders the capture of one of the rats as part of the ingredients of his routine delicious soup at the banquet in the Hotel Rayal Trees – where one has to bribe the king in order to attend.
The members of Parliament are portrayed in the personality of Feathered Beak, who is a Member of Parliament of Owls. He pretends to respect the birds’ kingdom but champions his whims- he lies to the Speaker that he has received reliable information that Feathered Beak with other opposition Owls have incited other birds to protest against the Moonlight Bill outside Parliament.
He provokes the Speaker by calling him mad in order to maliciously order the sacking of Money Bag whom he alleges to have recommended unqualified vultures to hold a position on the bench.
It is ironic that Parliament of Owls leaders, including Money Bags, heap false praises on Arumi Tindi after his death, when it is an open secret that they are the ones who killed him!
The Parliament of Owls exposes human indifference, hypocrisy and betrayal that gnaw society’s systems while they are still in their veil of comfort.
By Enock Okong’o
The writer is a senior reporter for Education News and a cultural advisor.
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