Arts, Humanity And Corruption: Post-Independence Disillusionment In Chimeka Garricks’ Tomorrow Died Yesterday

Literature mirrors the happenings in any given society and over a given milieu. This is because the literary artist does not operate in a vacuum. He draws his materials from his society, which reflect the happenings around him. In this paper entitled “Post-Independence Disillusionment in Chimeka Garricks’ Tomorrow Died Yesterday, the novelist satirised the corruption among the ruling class, and how the spirit of discernment has been long dead in the heart of the ruling class. The researchers made use of both primary and secondary sources in the process of data collection and analysis. The novel Tomorrow Died Yesterday is the primary source of data, while journals, texts and other library materials constituted the secondary sources of data. The researchers discovered that the society as portrayed by the novelist reeks of corruption, which gave birth to disillusionment, instances of oppression, exploitation, cruelty, suppression, inhumanity and, above all, class consciousness as they affect relationship between the rich and the poor. The researchers also observed that the expectations of the Asiama Community in the novel were shattered. The oil discovered by the government became a curse instead of a blessing to the Asiama Community as it denied them all sources of good living. As a result of the hardships the people faced, the researchers suggest that the leaders of oil companies and the government should endeavour to tackle the emergent problems which undermine the lives of the people. There is need for a new lease of life, justice and equity.