Reviewed By David Kerr
Francis Nyamnjoh (2003). The Convert, Botwana, Mmegi Publishing House, 44pp.
This play tackles the theatrically attractive but ethically complex issue of Christian fundamentalism. Nyamnjoh, as a sociologist is well qualified to explore the social problems and psychological pressures which give rise to the born-again phenomenon, and the strong appeal of fundamentalist religion. The Convert, however is no schematic sociological tract. It deals with the conflicting imperatives in 21st century Africa, which push ordinary people into extraordinary situations, and provides no easy solutions to the issues raised.
Although the play revolves around the Ultimate Church of Christ and the four main characters affected by it, the audience is given a deftly sketched picture of a corrupt world beyond it, lacking in spiritual or community values. We see the corruption in the hopeless task Charity has "chasing files in an ocean of shacks in the Ministry of Money". It is also hinted at in the difficulty Damien faces trying to climb the educational ladder, seeking "spillovers of sexually transmitted marks". More widely, we feel the anomie which haunts the lives of young people, so many of whom are totally disillusioned with life that police have to guard the city lake from suicide attempts.
In this context, it is hardly surprising that young people like Charity, and eventually Peter, find a sense of solidarity, self-esteem and community identity in the fellowship of born-again Christianity. Nyamnjoh presents this process in a subtle manner. The characterisation, for example is remarkable for its avoidance of any obvious protagonist; the audience is allowed no clear character with whom to identify. The four main characters, Pastor, Damien, Charity and Peter have both virtues and flaws, each providing insights into ways the consumer-oriented materialism of modern life impacts upon African spirituality and community values.
In some ways, the African American Pastor is the simplest character. He is a hypocritical preacher, who uses a charismatic hold over his flock to enrich himself. Peter says of him, "The Pastor has turned God into a trickster, that preys on innocence and naivety". Nyamnjoh adds complexity to this character, however, by showing the Pastor in Act II scene 3 having conscience-driven nightmares.
Damien is hypocritical in another way. He hides his cold-hearted, sensual attitude behind a mask of cheerful sympathy, with enough success to seduce Charity. But he too is haunted by a guilty conscience in the form of a voice. Nevertheless, in the final act of running away from Charity’s death at the hands of an abortionist, Damien ignores that voice of conscience. At the moment when the audience is beginning to identify with Damien, the author dampens the empathy, and switches attention to Peter.
Charity is a young woman who, as she explains in her eloquent, public testimony to the church congregation, has repudiated her addiction to material goods and to what the Pastor calls "illicit caresses, thirsty kisses". Although she is now a fervent, born-again Christian, the audience is always aware that there is a danger of her backsliding under the influence of her specious admirer, Damien. Nyamnjoh never mentions the word AIDS in the dialogue, but its presence haunts the play, and Charity’s clinging to the simple morality of the Ultimate Church of Christ, shows one way in which young people can attempt to make sense of that scourge. Her failure to survive the battle between abstinence and hormonal instincts, gives her death at the hands of the abortionist a pathetic quality.
Peter is the "convert" of the title, but in some ways is the most difficult character to understand. His fanatical opposition to the Ultimate Church of Christ provides a useful mouthpiece for the author’s condemnation of the Pastor’s hypocrisy. Yet Peter’s abrupt conversion to born-again Christianity at the end, soaked as it is in dramatic irony, does not seem too far-fetched, given the emotional stress caused by the sudden death of his friend and kinswoman, Charity. As the traditional bonds of kinship begin to unravel in 21st century Africa, the meta-communities of fundamentalist religion, however artificial and shallow they may be, appear to offer some form of moral certainty, to youths thirsty for guidance.
The conclusion of the play presents no easy resolution to the ambiguities raised in the earlier scenes. At the level of plot there are unanswered questions. Does Damien get away with the manslaughter of Charity? Is the guilt from that crisis transferred to the Pastor? Even if the Pastor escapes that false charge, are his crimes of extortion revealed? Is Peter’s conversion permanent and genuine, or simply a temporary attack of escapist piety? Does the Ultimate Church of Christ recover from the pastor’s sudden disappearance?
The open-ended denouement also affects the themes. Nyamnjoh seems to condemn the hypocrisy of the Pastor and the naivety of his followers, while offering a compassionate understanding of the social and psychological pressures, which drive young men and women into the arms of fundamentalist Christianity. The audience is left to ponder these complex issues, with greater insight, but with no pat solution to the problems raised.
David Kerr
Has taught at Universities of Malawi, Zambia and Botswana. Currently he lectures at King Alfred’s College, Winchester, England and is consultant on theatre for development purposes. He is author of African Popular Theatre from Pre-colonial to Modern Times (Heinemann, 1995) and Dance, Media Entertainment and Popular Theatre in South East Africa (Bayreuth University Press, 1997). He has authored and directed numerous playscripts and productions, and facilitated numerous drama workshops.
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