25: POWER, MARGINALIZATION, AND THE CRISIS OF CONTEMPORARY NIGERIA IN WOLE SOYINKA'S THE BEATIFICATION OF AREA BOY

This study examines the interconnected themes of power, marginalization, and national crisis in Wole Soyinka's The Beatification of Area Boy: A Lagosian Kaleidoscope. Although the play has received considerable scholarly attention for its satire on corruption, military authoritarianism, and urban disorder, relatively little attention has been devoted to how Soyinka constructs marginalization as a product of unequal power relations and institutional failure. This article addresses that gap by undertaking a character-centered analysis of Sanda, Miseyi, Mama Put, Judge, the Soldiers, and the Area Boys. Guided by Semiotic Theory and Social Constructionism, the study adopts qualitative textual analysis with particular attention to plot development in order to examine how characterization, symbolism, satire, dialogue, and setting communicate Soyinka's critique of postcolonial governance and social inequality. The study argues that the "Area Boy" is reconstructed as a political and cultural symbol of the fractured Nigerian state rather than as a mere urban delinquent. It further demonstrates that the crisis confronting contemporary Nigeria is sustained by the interaction of institutional decay, abuse of power, economic exclusion, and the erosion of ethical leadership. The article concludes that Soyinka advocates inclusive governance, accountable institutions, social justice, and responsible citizenship as essential conditions for national renewal. The study contributes to existing scholarship by providing a fresh interpretation that foregrounds the relationship between power, marginalization, and national crisis in one of Soyinka's most significant dramatic works.