Youth Education and Intercultural Interaction as Panacea to Ethnic Conflict: Theatre to the Rescue

Abstract

It is obvious that broad world view provided by education can douse tension, discrimination, reduce hate speech and minimize aggression. Education is a weapon of mass instruction and has been powerful enough to push ignorance to the background. More so, it has become a prime function of education to illuminate the world with ideas and in its nature to unite the world through inventions and technological developments. Arguably, education has also introduced strange norms and vices especially among youth circles. But, because habits are hard to modify, the onus falls on the theatre that thrives on burlesques, parody, polar attitudes and modification of character to use the stage effectively for correction and preservation. Methodically, this paper x-rays selected theatre performances that have tried to reduce ethnic conflicts in Nigeria using the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO) as theoretical backings. Through role playing on stage and in the classroom, the paper redirects the attention of the youth and government towards reorientation and sustainable values. The findings reveal that theatre has the capacity to influence minds and can engineer behavioral change which by extension ensures peaceful co-existence and sustainable developments. Thus, the paper recommends that History, Culture and Youth Education be incorporated in the secondary school curriculum. Also, if theatre performances with topical themes are sponsored for the benefit of the youths, it will increase tolerance. The research concludes that performing youth education in the classroom, at grass root level and public spaces will subtly promote nation building and integration.