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ACADEMIC SUPREMACY AND OBSESSION FOR POWER IN 
ASIGBO’SWAR OF THE TIN GODS AND ONCE UPON A 

SCHOOL 
 

Steve James Itsewah 
Department of Theatre and Media Arts 

Federal University, Lafia. 
Nasarawa State. 

Tel: 08023522522, 08094314418 
Email: Itsewah@yahoo.com/ stemokhai@yahoo.com 

 
and 

 
Oluwatoyin Olokodana-James 

Department of creative arts 
University of lagos 

Tel: 08023427172, 08094314417 
Email: olokodanajames@gmail.com/ olokodanajames@yahoo.com 

Abstract 

The fact remains that in every professions of the world over, the 
phenomenon of supremacy and obsession for power is humanly 
inbuilt, human thirst for power in every endeavor and claim of 
superiority over one and other has been order of the day. Everyone 
want to be something or somebody in life, by so doing goes to any 
length to acquire such feat regardless what happen to the other 
person(s) in the course of their pursuance of such feat. They crush 
anyone who crosses them, even their family members. The 
academics are not an exception in this race of life endeavor. The 
academics have been thrown into a confused state of ignorance, a war 
zone and political arena where power tussle and war of supremacy is 
the order of the day. The questions therefore are; how did we get 
here? When did we get to this mess? And are we not suppose be 
intellectuals who should know better and teach others? These and 
many other questions are the bases for this paper and Asigbo’s ‘War
of the tin gods’ and ‘Once upon a school’ are plays that exposed the
insensitivities of the academics to these dangerous epidemic that is 
ravaging our institutions. The paper tried to ex-rays the damages and 
decay that these two neglected epidemics (supremacy and obsession 
for power) have done to academics and academic system in Nigeria, 
by exploring the sociological realism as its theoretical base.   



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Introduction 

In the world over, high institutions are almost the same probably in 
structures with governing bodies that administer the day to day activities 
in order to achieve the set up goals of such institution. As such, it is seen 
as a community of its own where learning and research are the order of 
the day, but not without the politics of scramble for positions here and 
there, promotions from one step to another therefore calls for competitions 
amongst both the academics and the non-academics. The scramble for 
loyalty of colleagues and the students for post and position in the 
institution gives room for back biting, rumor spreading and gangsterism 
amongst the lecturers and the students. The claim of superiority of all sort 
rears its ugly head as people who are supposed to be more knowledgeable 
than the others in area of academics, either in teaching, playwriting, 
directing or otherwise engage in in dirty war of complexity.  Set-up, witch-
hunting gang-up against each other and hot chase for position drives the 
wheel of lecturing in our society. However, one cannot rule out politics in 
all facet of our life endeavor even in our different homes but the politics 
that is trending in our high institution is unhealthy, grievous and un-call 
for, because it is affecting the educational system and the students 
involved. Therefore, it is worrisome to see how decay and rotten our 
educational system have become due to supremacy war and thirst for 
power and position which Asigbo in his plays, ‘The war of tin gods’ and
‘Once upon a school enumerated. 

About The Plays: War of The Tin Gods 

The play ‘War of the tin gods’ is satirical advancement of two giant
playwrights in academics who fight for supremacy in playwriting and the 
accusation of being either too advanced or watering in language and plots. 
The claim is that one believed he writes for the elites and the other for the 
common man on the street. They both claim superiority over each other of 
their affluence in the academics and the society at large. Their ego are also 
robbed on their followers/disciples who believed so much in them and 
their works regardless what critics or people say about them. Woye and 
Emi are the character used in play, it is crystal clear that the two of them 
attended the same school and both are playwright of good repute, and are 
always on each other’s neck.  

Once Upon A School 



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It is a play that exposed the antics and dubiousness of lecturers’ desirous
for power in our institutions and the length at which they can go to get 
their desire achieved. Their plots and plans to eliminate whosoever is on 
their way, no matter how high and mighty he/she may be was alighted in 
the play. The use of student most especially girls in setting up colleagues 
to achieve/acquire their goals was the in thing in the play, also is the issue 
of betrayer of trust after attaining power. The play emphases on these 
immoralities and lack of honest associated with activities of students, the 
lecturers and the University administrators who insist on imbibing 
ennobling qualities. It is a play that used typical issues to interrogate and 
analyses the prevalent social and academic problems inherent in an 
academic institutions.      

Analysis of War of The Tin Gods 

 
Pig. 1 

The characters and events described in this play are entirely the 
author’s imagination and bear no semblance whatsoever to person(s) 
dead or living. Any resemblance is therefore unequivocally 
fortuitous. (Asigbo, v).  



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Though Asigbo’s claim(s) may be tenable in some quarters but starting
from the play’s cover page which is out-rightly suggestive and there 
cannot be any denial of the fact that the two caricatures on the cover page 
(pig1) are resemblance of very prominent playwrights among Nigerian 
academics. Asigbo claimed he did not mention anyone’s name either
living or dead, that the names in his play are fictions. That can only be 
genuine to the new generation set of students and not the old generation 
of academics who knows or experienced the cold war that went on 
between the two giant playwrights in Ibadan then. With Asigo’s claim
above, that kite can only fly within the new generation of students and 
even at that, the new set of scholars these days are wide read and they 
cannot be pushed around like puppet on the string. Even the lines in the 
play give it all out. For instance;  

Olodumare:  When did you notice this! Mean this arrogant and 
disrespectful nature of his? 

Zuluike:  Back then at UCI when he was still fledge writer. 

Looking at the speeches here, the playwright cannot deny the fact that UCI 
is not an acronym for University College Ibadan now University of 
Ibadan, the great fountain of knowledge where most of our great 
playwrights drank/acquired their educational skills and water of 
knowledge. Moreover, resemblance or pronunciation of names of major 
characters and other names in the play gave an indication that characters 
in the play are colleagues or contemporaries. Names like Chebe, Zuluike, 
Aba and Aki are related to many other playwrights in Woye and Emi’s
category. The cover page of the play ‘War of the tin gods’ speaks volume
of the playwright’s (Asigbo) intent and imagination, denial of any sorts  
can only be for people that are neither in theatre or academics. However, 
one can give it to him that as a playwright, one also has the right as a critic 
or analyst to read/interpret or give contextual in-depth meaning to a work 
of art.  Yerima (50) posits: 

Art survives a man because it flows from man’s very essence and
being. It allows man to express himself. It is used as a tool for 
distinguishing truth from falsehood, illusion from reality. It grows 
from man’s overriding belief, his origin, his religion and his history,
allows man to face the constant ambivalence of existence which is 
the conflict between false consciousness and human nature.      

However, that the playwright said he does not refer to anybody whatsoever 
will allow us to just analysis that play based on its content and context 



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based on our knowledge and belief. Woye in the play is an Ogunian 
believer while Emi is Eshu believer; both deities are of Yoruba mythology. 
Ogun is god of iron who destroys its enemies in fierce battle while Eshu 
is god of mischief and trickster contrary to the biblical devil. Woye is 
believed in some quarters to be proud and pompous in his writings, using 
advanced vocabularies meant only for the elites above the common man’s
knowledge. However, Emi writes in a simple language that suits the 
common man. Woye accuses Emi of dearth of vocabularies, which 
brought about war of superiority between them. But the two tried to defend 
their stand and superiority in the text: 

Olodumare: Children, the world of the dead is a part of the living 
and the gulf that separates us must constantly be bridged by 
creatures stubborn and willful. Let therefore the two 
ancestors in question to pit their wits against each other to 
determine who is the master of his art. Let Woye Ogun and 
Emi Eshu stand out for this epic contest. 

Woye: Impossible! Because my spirit has leapt into this land of the 
fleshless, must my body here be taken for a commoner’s?
How can it be told that I, poison pen of my generation, 
scourge of megalomaniacs, the sublime artist himself am 
pitted against this purveyor of discordant note and nursery 
rhymes? 

Emi: I beg your pardon! My art is populist not elitist. I am sensitive 
and responsive to the needs of the masses. I am committed. 

Woye: Committed? Ha! Ha! Don’t make me laugh where were you 
in ’65 when single handedly . I held up a radio station at a 
gun point? Where were you in ’67 when I dodged
Ogbunigwes and defied the orders of a tyrant to visit Biafra? 
What of ’94 when I confronted the stone-age despot? My 
friend commitment must be tangle not nebulous. 

Emi: It is a question of perception. My works urge unity and mass 
action. Shall I cry war when peace is honorable? 

Notwithstanding, the two have points in their favor and they have right to 
their opinions and stands but some quick questions come to mind, do we 
really need this bigotry in the field of art?, are we all talented same way? 
Is creativity limited to a certain genre of art? I presume NO, because as 
our faces are different so are our thinking and perception of thing differ. 
However, as human, it is bound to happen because we are jealous and 



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insatiable animals, even God who created us confirmed that He is a jealous 
God.  The jealousy is pronounced in the text with venom when the two 
begin to eulogies their deities; 

Woye:   Ogun o! Ogun o! Ogun the fabled wisdom! Warrior who 
gorges himself with blood.  

Ogun of the indestructible will. You the axe headed one! 
Nourisher of my art. Lone warrior of   the winding road! 
Conqueror of the abyss. Artist, technologist and bulwark of 
my art! Ogun o! Will you stand by and watch this affront to 
your favorite ward          

Agbako: Are you done? 

Woye:    Yes. 

Agbako: Emi Eshu… You have Olodumare leave to pray to your 
patron god. 

Emi:  I really do not believe in deities and divinities, myth and 
mystification but for purposes of their fable attributes. I 
make my prayer to Eshu, the quintessential trickster. Eshe 
ee! Eshu ee! Confuser of men’s brain. God or retribution
who never forget injury. Who defeat even the wise in their 
own games. I sing your oriki you who throw a stone today 
and it lands yesterday. You with the wit to spin a bloodless 
revolution. Sharpen my wit against this conceited son of 
Ogun. Revenge this slight on your favorite ward and you 
Orunmila give me wisdom. 

Agbako: Are you done? 

Emi: Yes. 

Olodumare: Now child, what displeases you inWoye Ogun’s work? 

Emi: Everything! In fact, his entire philosophy is repugnant and 
repulsive. Instead of water he asks for blood. Instead of the 
spoon he demands for the knife. He attempts to foist an 
oriental philosophy that has the bondman scrambling for 
seppuke on the masters wish on us,  

Olodumare: Can you prove these allegations?    



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Emi:  I accuse him of theatrical apartheid! I accuse him of grand 
design to decimate the proletariat through his specious 
strong breed philosophy.  

Woye: Is this not the height of phantasmagoria? Have you not taken 
leave of your sense? My friend, what I advocate is Ogunnian 
hero not some reject of the world. 

Emi: Obstreperous! Tell me, why is it always the poor who are called 
to sacrifice? Why is it always the wretched, never a wealthy 
man, never the son of a king, who is suddenly discovered to 
bear the mark of destiny at difficult moment, and pushed on 
to fulfill himself in suicidal task in your plays?  

Woye: Are these the insipid charges I must encounter from this 
impetuous upstart?  Are you not treading the path of self-
immolation? Tell me, in which of my works is a strong breed 
made a commoner? My carriers are not discovered by 
accident. Their blood says they are the strong breed and they 
spend their lives in blessing on account of it. Read my works 
and you will discover that my carriers are not discovered 
fortuitously. 

Emi: What of your obsession with deities and divinities, myth and 
mystifications? Why your beguiling preoccupation with 
gods and phantoms. 

With those conversations above, one could feel the supremacy tussle 
between the two playwrights, the envy, open jealousy and gruesome 
hatred between the two which has affected most of their 
followers’/disciples’ forbearance in present academics. These issues still
linger in the academics till date amongst the big wigs and the upcoming, 
issues of clicks, caucus and godfatherism has become an epidemic and 
cankerworm in the high institution that is eating deeply into the fabric of 
our co-existence. War of words has become the weapon in which we throw 
like missile the destroy ourselves not minding the gravity of its effect and 
the aftermath. We use words freely and carelessly on each other as if we 
will never reconcile, forgetting that words are like egg when broken can 
never be coupled together again. This is the case of Woye and Emi in this 
play, the used words freely on each other and names calling that pierces 
like two edged sword. Sincerely the war of supremacy has forever being 
and will continue to be as long as human being are concern and not only 
in the academic but in the world over, academics must take caution.  



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Aki and Aba are representation of the stunt followership of these two 
playwrights, the die-hard Woyeist and Emist who believed in their 
doctrine, philosophy and ideology about life and academics prowess. They 
can go to any length to defend their masters come rain come shine, it was 
evident in the play when they got to Oledumare to request for one of the 
ancestor/playwright to return for impartment of knowledge. 

Olodumare: That will do. Now, will my children from the living 
world ask question of Woye Ogun? 

Aba: No question, Olodumare! Woye Ogun is my mentor, the 
quintessential artist, inspirer and bulwark of our continental 
literature….. 

Aki: Speak for yourself! There is denying the fact that he is a great 
playwright…. 

Woye: The greatest son, the greatest.    

Olodumare: You emissaries of the living what do you have to say? 

Aba: Can you not hear the voice of humility clamoring and pleading 
for the return of the bleeding genius? Do you not experience 
this anguish of an impoverished humility panting like a tired 
dog from a dearth of sublime wisdom? Let woye ogun return 
with us.. 

Aki: Once again you go too far! When did we arrive at that decision? 
Surely emi eshu is the better choice. 

Those are the voices of their disciples/followers then which till echoes till 
now all over, none of them will succumb for each other, so the enmity and 
supremacy war lingers to no end in sight in our institutions, all over 
Nigeria. Few are those who are not loyal to one theatre guru or the other. 

Once Upon A School Analysed 

The play ‘Once upon a school’ is a typical replica of our high institutions 
and the nation at large. A nation where obsession for power is eminent, 
back biting and setup reign supreme. A people full of hatred, liars and 
insensitivity in dealing with each other has been the order of the day, 
where no one cares what comes out of any action taken even at death. 
Asigbo chronicles the obsession for power in Nigeria through the high 
institution with the characters of the lecturers and their professors with the 
syndrome of pull him down, setup and deceit. Wariboko is likened to a 



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typical Nigeria politician who wants a position by all means and could go 
to any mile to get it, even if it means assassinating and maiming the 
opponent. The politics played in our Universities these days is outrageous 
and deadly not considering the aftermath of it outcome all that matters is 
the power and when they get the power, every other things become history 
including those who brought them to power. Asigbo (199) asserts: 

Through chairman [wariboko] the ugly picture of distorted social 
relations in Nigeria as a nation is painted. Some political [academics] 
aspirants when in search of power and recognition try to be level-
headed with their fellow citizens; but the moment they see 
themselves at the corridor of power, discard the same people who put 
them through to such elevated positions.   

Agema (233) also posits: 
The political plot of Africa is interesting and many times, depressing. 
It is one that has repeated itself since independence with only actors 
changing. At the time of poll, the actors promise heaven, speak 
jargons and pose as messiahs. Such terms as transformation’,
change’, continuity’ and the like are slogans that fill the air. It takes
only a while before we see the truth of their lies. 

All the assertions above played out in the character of Wariboko who 
wanted the position of the head of the department (HOD) by all means, a 
position occupied by a professor and a superior at that, but his obsession 
for power and affluence brought out the human greed and selfishness in 
him to plot the professor’s downfall by using Chuks who has axe to grand
with the professor. Chucks in the play is like our new generation of 
student(s) who will not strive to read or do the needful for academic 
excellence but always finding a short cut to success thereby vulnerable to 
be used as a bate for setup. However, the use of girls to bring down male 
lecturers is rampant and outrageous in our University, it has been there 
and continues to be there till the end, but still the male lecturers do not 
learn from occurrences that befall their colleagues. This is the case of the 
professor who could not take away his eyes off all that is under shirt which 
almost caused him his life hard earned professorship. The intrigues and 
antics of politics played in the University and the nation at large is ex-
rayed in this play. Sometimes getting to a position is not as worse as 
seeking the life of the opponent. For instance, after Wariboko got the 
HODship and was feeling insecure, all he wanted next is the professor out 
of the system. 

Chucks:      Really? 



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Wariboko: Yes. Hurriedly. If you’re ready to do me a little favor in
return? 

Chucks:     Just tell me what to do sir and I will do it 

Wariboko: Okay, I will lay my card on the table. You know I want 
Prof out of the system as much as I think you now do. Okay, 
let me not beat about the bush. What I want you to do is this.. 
set Prof up for blackmail so we can dictate our terms to him. 

Chucks:   How am I supposed to do that sir? 

Wariboko: Think about it chucks, think about it, if you want to pass 
Prof’s course. I will leave you to figure out the best way. 

What a way to stampede and blackmail a citizen, most especially a student 
who is desperate to pass a course by all means with sentiment. This is the 
exact way our politicians rope the unsuspected citizens into mischiefs and 
dangerous mission. With such mouthwatering offer(s), anybody can go to 
any length to get such job done which was the case of Chuck in the play 
using his girlfriend (Angela) as bate to get the professor. This has been the 
trend in our Universities and the nation at large. It has happened in Osun 
State University, Kwara State University, Lagos State University, 
University of Lagos where many lecturers were sack out-rightly out of 
blackmail or setup.   

In-Depth Analytical Prowess Of Asigbo As a Playwright 

The intellectual world of the twenty century was based on the 
mystification of ideological ‘isms’. The world force then to great
extent, was predicated, influences, framework, terminologies and 
analysis of such terminologies has set and stable patterns. Artistes 
could project their ideologies mystifications and positions in reality 
and turn them into symbolic imageries in their works, giving specific 
significations of meaning and theme to them. Yerima (50) 

The two plays have a serious impact on the society and the students who 
will either read or study Asigbo as a playwright and moreover those who 
do not know much about the war of supremacy of the two giant 
playwrights of our generation. Asigbo as academics has a reputable 
prowess in writing, with these two plays in review, he has presented 
himself a prolific writer who satirized situation around him and give 
meaning to life impending results. However, Asigbo, though trying to 
dodge the fact about the reality that faces us as academics most especially 



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the two playwrights, claiming superiority over each other, he managed to 
carve a way to express his consternation over this ugly situation. First and 
foremost, as an artist that he is, Asigbo used his creative ingenuity to 
project his dismay. Also as academics and mirror of the society, he has 
proven that he has the duty and obligation to express his pain through 
writing hence the plays. Agema (237) quoting Ojo-Ade’s statement
asserts: 

The artist serves the community and mirrors the life of people. The 
essentials of his art are commitment to the culture and responsibility 
within the society. From the vintage point, the writer chooses to 
depict reality as he would like it to be or paint a picture of present 
pollution, thus challenging the public to seek solution to the 
problems.  

However, the playwright has the liberty whatsoever to put on paper his 
thoughts, perception and arguably his stand on any given issue in society 
because he stands as prophet or mirror. He is not bereft of his society’s
situations and happenings but sometimes though bias in some quarters. 
Therefore, Asigbo being a writer, academics and cultural activist who has 
canvased the nook and crannies of the University domain as administrator, 
supervisor and teacher, have seen and conquered, and by so doing, he 
needs to document his experiences via these two plays and some others. 
His experiences in University politics, the antics of his fellow lecturing 
colleagues in scrambling for position and the play of supremacy of rank 
and works of art has informed these play no doubt. His outpour and 
expressiveness satirized the insensitivities and gullibility of the academics 
in bit to gain relevance by all means. This is also borne out of his artistic 
ingenuity and love for his profession. Olokodana (64) asserts:            

WilliamsWordsworth’s expressive theory argues that expressiveness 
is the core of every literary work since every work of art is essentially 
the internal made external. The constituent of a work of art result 
from a creative process under the impulse of feelings combined with 
author’s perceptions and thought. The primary source and subject
matter are the actions of the writer’s mind and perhaps some external
influence; but these are still converted appropriately from facts to 
literature by the power of the writer’s expressiveness.    

Conclusion  

Conclusively, Asigbo has no doubt expressed his thoughts, feelings and 
grudges about the academic setting through these two plays, painting it the 
way it was and it is now. Looking at the foundation of the dwindling 



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University system from the fight of the two giants in playwriting genre 
which has affected the new generation of lecturers and lecturing. 
Projecting the act of godfatherism, blackmailing, backstabbing, setup, 
examination racketeering and many other epidemics that are ravaging the 
University system which represents Nigeria both in politics and social 
interaction that needs urgent attention. These two plays by our astute and 
inexhaustible professor of theatre is a clarion call to all and sunder to wake 
up to reality of life and stop chasing shadow, lecturers are teachers, 
mentors and evangelists who are to lead for others to follow. Therefore, if 
the teacher so to say is ignorant of issues concerning him how will he 
impact knowledge or mentor the student(s) he is supposed to guide aright. 
Asigbo has put on paper his own view about the issues concerning the 
academics and academic from his purview, perspective, perception and 
thoughts but systematically dodged the fact that Wole Soyinka (Woye) 
and Ola Rotimi (Emi) were two giant playwright mention in ‘war of the
tin gods’, though he has the liberty to his opinion likewise I do have such
liberty to think otherwise, I stand to be corrected. However, it is bestowed 
on everyone in the academic system to take precautions not to run fowl of 
these cancerous wind of blackmail and setup that is blowing across the 
University environ and even in the country as a nation. 

Work Cited 

Agema, Su’eddie. ‘Why I No Go Laugh: A Realist/Post-Colonial Reading Of 
Dul Johnson’s Melancholia’ In The Abuja Communication Oklobia, 
A. (Ed) Vol. 3 No 2. Sevhage: Makurdi. Pp. 233-239. 

Asigbo, Alex. ‘The Playwright As Environmentalist: A Reading Of Greg 
Mbajiorgu’s Wake Up Everyone’ In New Frontiers, A Journal In The 
Humanities. Ejue, O. (Ed). Vol. 1 No. 1. Sevhage: Makurdi. 2016. 
Pp. 194-203. 

---------- War Of The Tin Gods. A Play. Valid: Akwa. 2008. 
----------- Once Upon A School. A Play. Valid: Akwa. 2001. 
Olokodana-James, Olokodana. ‘The counteractive power of feminism and 

womanism: A pyscho-Analysical Discourse Of Osita Ezenwanabe’s
Adaugo And Stella Oyedepo’sThe Rebellion Of The Bumpy-
Chested In Snapshots Of The Female Ethos, Essay On Women In 
Drama And Culture In Africa. Methuselah, J. and Evwierhoma M 
(Eds). Concept: Lagos. Pp. 61-77.  

Yerima, Ahmed. Culture, Drama And National Ethos. Ebony: Ibadan. 2015.  
 


