THE ROLE OF EDITORIAL CARTOONS IN THE DEMOCRATISATION PROCESS IN NIGERIA; A STUDY OF SELECTED WORKS OF THREE NIGERIAN CARTOONISTS

ABSTRACT

Political Cartoons otherwise known as Editorial Cartoons are single panels of graphics that are satire of political events.  Apart from serving as a corrective measure, they also serve as historical documents and are a ‘snapshot’ of the political climate of a given period.

Over the years cartoons have shaped public opinions on societal issues that have sometimes resulted in tragedies in the manner in which information is transmitted to the public.

In 2005, over 300 people were killed in the Northern part of Nigeria during a religious riot fuelled by a Danish Editorial Cartoon publication which satirized the Islamic religious leader, Muhammed. Such occurrences show that cartoons are a formidable force and could serve as mirrors of the society.

Cartoons have played a major role in the democratisation process in Nigeria particularly during the military era. The Newspapers are awash with various images depicting the ills in the society.  The themes range from corruption, political instability to electoral fraud.

This thesis examines the role played by editorial cartoons in the democratisation process in Nigeria. It focuses on the military era between 1983 and 1999: this period being the last phase of military incursion into Nigerian politics.

Thirty published editorials cartoons by three renowned cartoonists: Josy Ajiboye, Adeboye Adegbenro and Akin Onipede are studied and analysed to establish their roles in documenting what is regarded as the ‘Khaki’ years of oppression in Nigeria.

The analysis carried out reveals that cartoons played vital role in documenting, critiquing and reflecting social and political issues.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Contents                                                                                   Page

Title Page                                                                                     i

Declaration                                                                                   ii

Certification          iii Dedication          iv

Acknowledgement                                                                         v

Abstract                                                                                        ix

Table of Contents                                                                           x

 

         CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction                                                                           1

1.1 Statement of Problem                                                             4

1.2 Purpose of The Study                                                             4

1.3 Research Question                                                                  4

1.4 Significant of Study                                                                4

1.5 Scope of The Study                                                                5

1.6 Methodology                                                                         5

1.7 Limitation of The Study                                                          6

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

Literature Review

2.0    Historical Background                                                             7

2.1    History of Cartooning in Nigeria                                             11

2.2     Forms of Satirisation in Nigeria                                              11

2.3     Modern Cartooning in Nigeria                                                12

2.4     Theoretical Frame Work                                                        17

2.5     Review of Literature                                                             18

CHAPTER THREE

3.0     Background of The Three Cartoonists                                      21

3.1     An Overview of Nigerian Democratisation Process

between 1983 and 1994                                                         24

 

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     An Analysis of Selected Editorial Cartoons                              30

4.1     Analysis of Cartoons by Adeboye Adegbenro                           31

4.2     Analysis of Cartoons by Josy Ajiboye                                      42

4.3     Analysis of Cartoons by Akin Onipede                                    54

 

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0     Summary and Conclusion                                                      66

BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                               68

CHAPTER ONE

 

1.0   Introduction

Background of the Study

‘The political cartoon has been one of the most powerful weapons through the ages … dictators of the right and the left fear the political cartoonists more than they do the atomic bomb. No totalitarian government can afford to be ridiculed’ (DeSousa & Medhurst, 1982: 202).

Editorial cartoons are single panel graphics that comment on political events and policy, and serve both to define the significant topics of political discourse and record them, thus creating a “snapshot” of the political climate in a given period. Cartoons have been seen from the humorous perspective and generally have not been studied for their rhetoric capabilities (Vinson, 1967: 35), however, the recent Jyllands-Posten’s Muhammad cartoons controversy in Denmark, which sparked violent protests around the world, speak to the continuing importance and potential power of cartoons as a medium of political communication.

Some scholars see cartoons as an important medium for the formation of public opinion on salient social issues (Agberia, 1993; Adekanmbi, 1997; Everette, 1974; Vinson, 1967). They are seen as “both opinion-molding and opinion-reflecting” (Caswell, 1982: 14), and they provide subtle frameworks within which to examine the life and political processes of a nation (DeSousa & Medhurst, 1982: 153). Cartoons are intended to transform otherwise complex and opaque social events and situations into quick and easily readable depictions that facilitate comprehension of the nature of social issues and events (Agberia, 1993: 33). In doing so, they present society with visually palpable and hyper-ritualized depictions (selectively exaggerated portions of ‘reality’) that attempt to reveal the essence and meaning of social events.

Editorial cartoons are defined as “a graphic presentation typically designed in a onepanel, non-continuing format to make an independent statement or observation on political events or social policy” (Edwards & Winkler, 1987: 306), they often employ humor or irony to point out shortcomings or hypocrisies within the political system. While many studies (including this one) use the terms “political cartoon” and “editorial cartoon” interchangeably, others differentiate between comic strips with political content, and single panel cartoons that make commentary on politics and policy. The latter would generally appear on the editorial page of a printed newspaper, and are the focus of this study.

Cartooning has been one of the most significant tools in propagating and promoting the cultural heritage in Nigeria. Editorial cartoons throughout Nigerian history reveal that they have served as unique windows useful in understanding local and national politics. Using imagery, metaphor, symbolism and other rhetorical devices, the cartoonist defines political situations and attempts to interpret them visually in a way that is both amusing and thought provoking. The exploits of Akinola Lasekan, with his editorial cartoons in the ‘West African Pilot’ in the 1940s and 50s reflect colonial life, and also depict the struggle for nationhood which later culminated in Nigeria’s independence in 1960 (Olaniyan, 2002: 5). In addition, cartoonists like Dele Jegede, Josy Ajiboye, Aliu Eroje, Boye Gbenro, Akin Onipede among others through their cartoons have decried the rapid deterioration of the Nigerian state, in the hands of corrupt political leaders. The metaphors and other figurative devices used in the visual language of editorial cartoons are often ‘powerful’ and the key purpose is to reflect and maintain power relationships in a given political structure. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, political cartoons, serve as a unique record of the particular events, attitudes and narratives present during a moment in political history (DeSousa & Medhurst, 1982: 75).

Editorial cartoons featured prominently during military rule in Nigeria. The period (1983-1999) witnessed remarkable events in the democratisation of the country. Characterised by abusive use of power by the military government beginning with General Muhammad

Buhari’s coup d’état on 31 December 1983, followed closely was the tenure of General Ibrahim Babangida, who was described as the “Maradona” of Nigerian politics due to his methods of politics visible in the annulment of the Presidential Election in 1993, and the eventual transmission to democratically elected president in 1999. Each of these developments elicited specific reactions from the Nigerian people and the editorial cartoonists of the time who as ‘visual journalists’ captured the sequence of the events in satirised-illustrations.

This study aims to examine the role editorial cartoons played in the transitional phase of Nigerian democracy. Selected published editorial cartoons by three Nigerian cartoonists will be analysed. The period 1983 to 1999 is brought to focus because it was the period that witnessed (till date) the last military era in Nigerian politics and it was a period on which the foundation of the present democracy was built.

1.1 Statement of Problem

Editorial cartoon has a long-standing tradition of merging social satire with political commentary in a society. It has in several situations, been the most direct medium for criticizing maladministration in governments (Agberia, 1993: 7). According to Onipede (2007: 2) the history of the struggle for democracy in Nigeria will not be complete without discussing the role of Nigerian cartoonists during the military era.

This study aims at exploring the role this genre of graphic art had played in documenting

and reflecting the socio-political conditions during democratisation period in Nigerian.

1.2 Purpose of the Study

The main objectives of this study is to establish that editorial cartoons play significant role in the society in which they are made and can serve as historical text in documenting and reflecting the socio-political state of affairs in Nigeria.

 

1.3 Research Question

This research seeks to answer the following research questions:

1. What are the roles of editorial cartoons in the Nigerian democratization process?
2. Do editorial cartoons reflect socio-political experiences?   Can editorial cartoons serve as historical text?

 

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study will throw more light on the role of editorial cartoon in the democratisation process of Nigeria. As there is a dearth of publications and research on the art of cartooning in Nigeria, the previous studies either focused on the works of  particular cartoonist  (Emi, 1980;

Oyo, 1993; Adejinle, 1987), or on formal analysis of styles in Nigerian cartoons (Olaniyan, 2005). This study will contribute to knowledge on the role of editorial cartoon not only in the development of the contemporary art but also its significance on the Nigeria political scene.

1.5 Scope of the Study

This study will focus on selected editorial cartoons by three professional cartoonists published in major Nigerian National Newspapers between 1983 and 1999. Thirty editorial cartoons by three cartoonists: Akin Onipede, Boye Gbenro and Josy Ajiboye, will be selected; ten works from each cartoonist published between 1983 and 1999. These cartoonists are outstanding and have been one of the few Nigerian cartoonists who used their works as a weapon against tyrannical military rule of the period.

1.6 Methodology

This study will focus on the qualitative analysis of data, which will draw heavily from primary and secondary sources to achieve its objectives. Primary sources will include oral interviews with the cartoonists whose works are being studied. Scholars and newspaper readers will also be interviewed. Copies of published editorial cartoons from 1983 to 1999 will be retrieved from these national dailies; National Concord, Sunday Concord, Sunday Times, A.M News, Tempo and The Punch, being the newspapers that featured the works of cartoonists under study in this period.   

Published and unpublished literary materials will be reviewed. This will involve gathering of information from books, journals, newspapers’ articles, exhibition brochures, magazines, internet etc. The Universities Libraries ( University of  Lagos, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University etc.) , Centre for Black Arts and Culture (CBAAC) library and Media houses ( Punch Newspaper, The Guardian, The Nation etc.) will be visited for these secondary materials.

Descriptive and historical methods will be used to analyse the data collected. The analysis will be chronological and comparative of the various factors of historical, political cultural and stylistic relevance to the study. Visual elements of the various works will be studied and analysed to establish the findings of the study.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

Since there is dearth of publications on cartoon scholarship in Nigeria, it is envisaged that getting enough secondary materials on editorial cartoons will be a major limitation of this study, majority of the data will be collected through fieldwork.

 

THE ROLE OF EDITORIAL CARTOONS IN THE DEMOCRATISATION PROCESS IN NIGERIA; A STUDY OF SELECTED WORKS OF THREE NIGERIAN CARTOONISTS.

Sharing is caring!