AFRICAN DRAMA
Frank Ogodo Ogeche: Harvest of Corruption
Comment on Aloho as a victim of circumstance in the play.
Explanation
Aloho is the protagonist of the play. She is a young graduate who has migrated from her village to the city in search of a job and ends up being victimized. She eventually loses her life during the process of child birth.
Aloho is a victim. She finds herself unable to secure a job several years after graduating from the university with a decent degree in Mass Communication - Second Class Upper. It is her desperation to secure a job to take care of herself, her mother and her siblings that drivers her to the city and into the hands of her exploiters. Significantly, she is ushered into a life of vice by her university friend, Ochuole.
The main predator is Chief Haladu Ade-Amaka, Minister of External Relations. His offer of a job to Aloho as a protocol officer is merely a front. He exploits her both as a drug trafficker, and, as a sexual partner, he lures the unsuspecting girl into a false sense of security. She is thus not fully aware of what she is getting into when she is instructed to take a package to America. She does have some misgivigs but she is instructed to acquiescence by the Chief: "Remember, I don't tolerate failures, but I have a way I reward hard work and success, so be careful,"he tells her.
On both fronts, she suffers. Aloho is caught while trafficking drugs and spends some time in detention. This leaves her emaciated and traumatised. When she is released she is a different person altogether, having lost faith in both man and God. As she says," I have gone beyond understanding Christian doctrine." In the meantime, Chief has sexually exploiting her. This results in pregnancy which ultimately claims her life. Throughout her life, therefore, Aloho appears to have been a victim.
Aloho, however, does bear some responsibility for her predicatment. she does not listen to the sensible advice of her friend, Ogeyi, who warns her not to associate with the morally lax Ochuole, in the first place. When she is offered a job in the Ministry of External Relations, Ogeyi tries, without success, to dissuade her from taking up the offer. Ogeyi is also persistent in her warning to Aloho not to travel to America on an errand for the Chief, but she will not listen. Aloho also turns a deaf ear to Ogeyi's protestations when she makes up her mind to terminate the pregnancy. In the end, she loses her life.
In spite of Aloho's stubbornness, part of the responsibility for her predicament should rest on the exploiters: Chief Ade-Amaka, Ochuole and Madam Hoha.
Points to note:
(a) Aloho's undergraduate's years of relationship with her friends Ogeyi and Ochuole.
(b) Aloho's desperation for a job after graduation to take care of herself and family.
(c) Aloho's entanglement by Ochuole, who introduces her to Chief Haladu Ade-Amaka, her boss.
(d) Chief Haladu Ade-Amaka's exploitation for sex and illicit business.
(e) Aloho's arrest and detention release and pregnancy.
(f) Aloho's attermpt to abort and death.