Review of "Such is Life" by Femi Osofisan

 

 

"Such is Life"  written by Femi Osofisan, is an engaging drama. A philosophical work is any work of art that seeks to engage the audience. It brings to the notice of the readers the happenings of the environment. It helps the reader to think about the happening and also propose solutions to the problems. No doubt, "Such is Life" is a philosophical work.

 

Femi Osofisan is a Nigerian. He was born in the year 1946. He is a Professor Emeritus of Theatre Arts, at the University of Ibadan. Femi Osofisan is one of the third-generation (Post-independent) writers who seek to criticize his society. Femi Osofisan is an internationally lauded playwright, scholar, poet, novelist, actor, director, songwriter, and activist known for his philosophical works such as "Tegonni", "The Women of Owu", "Morountodun", "Such is Life" etc. He seeks to open the eyes of people to their environment and correct the ills in society using fiction and folklore to represent reality. He wrote "Such is Life" in the year ... "Such is Life" and some other of his books are available in the French Language.

 

Femi Osofisan, in "Such is Life" painted the socioeconomic, and political problems in Nigeria, especially under the Military regime of Babangida. 

Femi Osofisan painted the socio-economic problem in the text using Juokwu, Obioma, and some other characters. "Such is Life" which was also known as "Midnight Black Out" started with the representation of the Marital Life of a university lecturer of Medicine called Juokwu and his wife Obioma who was one time married to the late Johnson. To escape poverty and mockery from the society/environment, Obioma had to re-marry to Juokwu. After the demise of her first husband, Obioma found the diary of her late husband. She went through it and discovered all the lies and tactics her late husband told and used for her whenever he was going out to meet his lovers. This created a great problem in Obioma's second marriage because she had the mentality that all men are liars. Whereas she was not innocent herself. She almost had an affair with Iberibe, her late husband's friend who came from Rio to Nigeria to profess his love for her. But he was late because Obioma had already remarried.

Obioma was right, Juokwu was not different from her late husband. Juokwu, unknown to his wife, calls Midnight Black Out" on Obioma to be able to go and meet his rollover the wife of Mr. Akubundu. Unfortunately, he was caught in Mr Akubundu's house. Obioma wanted to cause a scandal but Mr Akubundu on the other hand was afraid of scandal because of his political ambition.

 

Femi Osofisan shows moral decadence leads to marriage infidelity and mutual suspicion in Nigeria. He also reveals the grave consequences of the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) an economic program established by Babangida during the Military regime. SAP caused a lot of damage to Nigeria and reduced a lot of people into poverty. Femi Osofisan revealed the social, economic, and political abuse during the regime of Babangida. He also pointed to the reader the need to correct this problem.

 

In summary, the deep intention of Femi Osofisan for writing "Such is Life" is to draw readers' attention to the social economic, and political problems in Nigeria and to fight against the vices prevalent in post-independence Africa.