The Jero Plays by Wole Soyinka consist of two short plays re-released as a collection in Both plays satirize Christianity and religious hypocrisy, particularly, the unquestioning devotion that many converts display towards their spiritual leaders, often exposing themselves to manipulation in the process. Brother Jero is a cunning beach diviner who woos customers penitents to his church by using Christian superstition for his own salvation.
For him, the church is a business. He says:. Brother Jero is suave while his followers are gullible. He lures people to his church by promising them material gains and promotions through prayer.
Chume his assistant often seeks for permission to beat his arrogant wife Amope but Brother Jero disagrees:. Three months down the road, Jero has still not paid her. He blames her for selling him a cape which he would not have needed if it were not for his church business. His lust for them at one point earns him a beating from an angry woman daughters of eve, he calls them. Chume is disappointed when he finds out that Brother Jero wants him to beat Amope for his own convenience.
To him the two are having a sexual affair behind his back. He says in Pidgin English:. As soon as dark, she go in meet in man….
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Soyinka received the Nobel Prize in Literature in She uses abusive language when talking to people like the fish seller, her husband and her debtor Brother Jero. Do you think my money is for the likes of you? She complains too much almost in every situation and against everybody she encounters.
She complains against her husband, against the fish seller, against the drum boy and against brother Jero. A chief of a Prophet, a swindler of a fish-seller and now that thing with lice on his head comes begging for money. Member of Parliament.
He is a senior member of the Federal house. We are told that he is a member of the federal house- a backbencher but with one eye on a ministerial post. He goes to Brother Jero every day to be taught the tricks in speech making but he never makes the speeches. He is too scared. He is one of those Brother Jero cheats with false prophesies that their dreams would be fulfilled.
Brother Jero prophesies that he would be appointed as a Minister for War. And he believes him. Soyinka has discussed different controversies that arise as a result of the kind of religion introduced in Africa which brought both hopes and disappointments.
Brother Jero is the main source of conflicts in the play. Most of the conflicts addressed in the play are personal conflicts involving the following individuals;. Conflict between Brother Jero and Old prophet. This conflict occurs as result of a quarrel over a piece of land at the beach where Brother Jero erects his church.
He decides to chase away the old Prophet despite the fact that he is the one who trained Brother Jero as a prophet. Conflict between Brother Jero and Amope. This conflict occurs because of the money Brother Jero owes Amope. She has sold him a Velvet cape for one pound and eight shillings but Brother Jero has been avoiding paying her claiming that his money is in the bank. This causes a serious conflict between the two. Conflict between Amope and the trader.
This occurs when Amope comments that her fish smells a bit. The two exchange hot potatoes and the fish trader decides to leave avoiding the unnecessary quarrel. Conflict between Chume and Amope. This conflict arises as a result of two major factors. One is from their personality traits. Amope is so hot-tempered that she evokes a quarrel over just a minor issue while Chume on his side seems to be so church-centred ignoring to provide for his own family.
Secondly the poor state at home stirs the conflict to the point where Amope regrets to have married a mere messenger and wishes he had been at least a sanitary inspector for it is a better job than a messenger. This causes a serious conflict in which case Chume seeks for permission from the Prophet to beat her but the permission is not granted. Conflict among the prophets. The prophets are quarrelling over a piece of land where to establish their churches. The conflict is so intense to the point that the town council had to intervene and divide the land peacefully among the prophets.
Betrayal has been portrayed in different scenarios. Brother Jero drives him away after a clash over the land at the beach where he later establishes his church.
He uses his position to exploit the ignorant mass and he calls them his customers. Furthermore, he does things that are morally contrary to the Christian faith in the name of religion like being lustful for women.
First he does not tell him the truth about his really life. He has a house at Ajete Settlement area and he keeps it a secret claiming that he sleeps at the beach. Secondly, he allows Chume to go and beat his wife after realising that she is the one he owes the money saying it is the will of God while he does so for his own interest.
He bought a Velvet Cape from her promising to pay for it but it has been three months and the debt is not paid. Moreover he keeps on avoiding her something that shows that he is not willing to pay for the Velvet cape. He uses that opportunity to exploit them since they are not aware that he is just a womaniser, a liar, and an exploiter.
He serves Brother Jero faithfully and with reverence and ends up becoming poorer and poorer as he has dedicated much of his time to church service leaving his family starving.
He asks Brother Jero to pray for him so that he may become rich one day. P is also ignorant as he is cheated by Brother Jero that he had a prophecy for him which showed that he would be appointed the minister for war. As it was his petty dream to become a minister he grows optimistic and asks Brother Jero to pray for him. In both cases the quarrels are stirred by minor things that are not strong enough to cause conflict for sensible and responsible people.
In one case, he exploits the petty trader Amope by buying a Velvet Cape from her promising to pay her but it has been three months and no payment is done. This is exploitation of the small scale businesswoman.
He fools them that he has no house to live in so that people give him money in terms of offerings to God. This makes him refer to them as customers and he takes his ministry as a trade. He has camouflaged himself behind the mask of Christianity to the point that his followers cannot distinguish between the real Jeroboam and the Prophet Jero.
He lies to his followers that he has no house and they believe him. He also tells them that he is a real prophet of God while in fact he is a self-professed prophet, a liar and a womaniser. He also cheats the M. The ignorant followers like Chume are so devoted to Church services so much that they even forget to take care of their families.
This is not what we expect of a religious leader. So he speaks from experience. They name their churches after sweet names that do not reflect their behaviours. He causes troubles to the woman to the point that she decides to camp at his door. Chume seeks the permission from the hypocritical prophet to beat his wife and the permission is granted because Brother Jero wants to revenge against Amope through Chume.
Chume forces Amope to go home so that he may quench his thirst by beating her. Soyinka finalises his comedy by showing that Chume became aware of the real man behind the mask. He shows awareness in the following scenarios. Her encounter with Brother Jero has revealed to her that he lacks the qualities of a Man of God because he is a dishonest man. Women occupy various positions and roles in this society.
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