TRIAL OF BROTHER JERO

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF “THE TRIALS OF BROTHER JERO” Soyinka captures worldwide issues by using a West African setting. The satirical message in the text is conveyed through ridiculing of the vice and follies of the contemporary Nigeria society via religious institution. His fictive output belongs to the horatian mode of satire which ridicules the follies with the intention of correcting society. Through symbolism, comedy and irony, the aberrant and corrupt nature of our religious leaders are exposed. Moral decadence, prevalent in the society is also dealt with. The text centre around a bar beach prophet Jero who pretends to be a true prophet but in the actual sense, he is a cheat, a rogue, and in fact the devil’s incarnate. As the play unfolds Soyinka presents prophet Jero as a representative of hypocritical religious and political leader. He presents him in a humors and comical way that we see through the front of the holy hermit which he put on for the benefit of his deluded worshippers. The wrong mentality or orientation of some so called prophet is brought to the force prophet hood ought to be a call to selfless and sacrificial living towards God and mankind. However, prophets like Jero don’t have this mentality. To Jero it’s a business, a profit making venture, the easiest way to meet ones material needs, in one word a trade just as he call it. The Trials of Brother Jero is a lighthearted satirical comedy based on the activities of phoney beach prophet, Jero, Brother Jeroboam. The satire is there, but it is almost concealed by the predominating humor which depends on a series of undiscovered identities which threaten at any moment to become known and upset the beach prophet’s house of cards.
As this rickety structure is rocked by one threat after another the comedy of the play is generated. Brother Jero is a self-confressed rogue who trades on the insecurities of his flock (his ‘customers’ as he calls the in a moment of candour). ‘I know they are