The Corperstein

by Joseph David Ari

Description The play Corperstein is an outlook at the social malaise observable in the third stage of the NYSC exercise by Corps members, whose opportunism in the act is not true to type. The play tends to look at the onus upon which NYSC as a scheme was established as well as viewing play writing as not only, a source of entertainment or profit maximization but, as a tool for conscientization and socio-cultural development. Corperstein is about a jealously guided sociological perspective between two Corps members. The perspective which is of a sociological discourse, tries to give meaning to a less discussed matter of social relationship in our society, where young girls fall victims to Corps members serving in their locale. Tolu tries to "determine who is right in the concept of socio- romantic or sexual relationship," between boys and girls, which in a way illuminates the danger in an attitude, which accompany any individual who may feel that they are right in displaying some sort of cleverness which has the propensity to harm the other individual involved in the social act who often feel cheated. The environment in which the play is situated embroils the post NYSC orientation camp activities of Corps members, which in a technical conception housed the discussed concept. The play revolves majorly around Kola and Tolu, Corps members who were posted to the village of Oleagyida. Kola on one hand is a socialite who feels that simply asking a girl out is not only normal, but telling her lies (deception) about his intension and finally displacing her when he feels the fun is no longer there, without the slightest concern for her feelings, is how life is and how the game should be played. On the other hand, is Tolu, a young man of many theories, who believes that, it's only not fair, but it's equally fraudulent and criminal as well to think and practice Kola's conceptualization of socialization. While these issues might seem a bit intertwined, Corperstein tries to debunk issues in the patriarchal and matriarchal systems within societies, from whence the argument for and against certain pattern of social relationships emerged. The Feminists perspective is upheld in defence for women rights, domestic violence, gender inequality and the support for the girl child education is at the core.