Bush allowance and alienation: a challenge to African leadership and development in Kaine Agary’s <i>Yellow-Yellow</i>

Abstract

African countries have experienced various forms of alienation both from natural occurrences and human forces. Environmental hazards have displaced some people from their parents and their ancestral homes. On the other hand, exploitation, privatization and uneven distribution of natural resources of the people by few privileged individuals, especially the politicians, have also alienated the people from their environment. Attempt to agitate or these factors of displacement and alienation often leads to a compromise and reliance on meager allocation of bush allowance which serves as compensation to the people. It is no doubt that this denial of collective participation of people in decision, especially as it concerns their welfare and natural minerals, has contributed to poor leadership and under development of Africa amidst her abundant resources. The alienation of people from decision has become some sort of abortion of dreams and suppression/ obliteration of ingenuity capable of transformation and development. This study is a qualitative research which seeks to textually explore the concept of bush allowance and alienation in Agary’s Yellow-Yellow in order to examine the extent they affect leadership quality and development in Africa, especially in Niger-delta of Nigeria. To do this the principle of Eco-centrism and the theory of Empowerment are used as analytical models as well as theoretical framework. Findings revealed that exploitation of natural minerals by those in authority has more adverse effects on the people than the environmental forces. The alienation of people from the decision making process creates imbalance and violence in society which deter development especially in Africa. This study also shows that over dependence in bush allowance affects self development and empowerment. The study therefore concludes that the development of a people is in their hands.

Keywords: Bush allowance, leadership, alienation, development, Yellow-Yellow