Laughing to Keep from Crying: Postcolonial Satire in Igoni Barrett’s <iBlackass</i>

Abstract

Nigeria is fast degenerating in the 21st century into a sort of socio-political wasteland. This paper portrays the disdain and subsequent indictment of the Nigerian government which constantly exploits its citizenry. The paper attempts to examine postcolonial satire in Igoni Barrett’s debut novel, Blackass (2015). Postcolonial satire apart from inducing readers with laughter at colonial histories, seemingly uncrown legacies of imperialism. Hence, the essay aims at showing how Barrett handles postcolonial satire to deconstruct variegated concepts like race, class, gender, power, ambivalence, culture, language, hybridity, and diaspora in the concourse of this paper. The meanings and features of satire and Postcolonialism as concepts are explicated. The paper also demonstrates Barrett’s dynamic handling of identity, sexuality, white/ racial privileging in 21st century Nigerian situation. The novel uses satiric modes to re-view the concepts of whiteness and foreignness and ultimately interrogating 21st century Nigerian society that still bears the burdens of colonial hangovers while being servitude to imperialism. This literary investigation proves that even in the 21st century contemporary Nigerian society, the colonial white skin means privilege and opportunities; while, the colonized black skin still means denial and denigration. It further mocks; yet, appeals for Nigerians to shun the excessive crave for all things west above what is found in the homeland.

Keywords: Satire, Postcolonialism, Igoni Barrett, Nigerial Literature, Blackass