Ex-president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Prof Olu Obafemi, has drummed support for President Muhammadu Buhari in his war against corruption.

The playwright said the president should extend the war to address the change of attitude of Nigerians.

Obafemi told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital after the staging of his play titled: Night of mystical beast by 100 level students of the Department of English, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

Said he: "It is a good thing and I think every sane Nigerian will support the ongoing war against corruption. Corruption is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our society and any effort aimed at uprooting it is welcomed. But the problems of the Nigerian society now cannot be solved only by stopping corruption.

"There is a rot image of our society now and the battle that is going on has not really touched the attitude of Nigerians. The policeman at the checkpoint is still taking his bribe; I heard that the firemen are talking of better fire. The academics, workers are still carrying on as if nothing has happened. There is a deep attitudinal change that needs to be addressed. There is need for fundamental reorientation of national psyche so that it does not get worst after the war against corruption."

The professor of Literature added that plays and theatre are veritable platforms for societal change and transformation.

"If we as playwrights don't see how plays can influence a change, then there is no point writing plays. We have a fundamental believe that literature and theatre can serve as an instrument for social transformation but don't let us misconstrue that play itself can change the society. Plays are to point alternatives to society. May be these students we are teaching would at the end of the day become change agents in the society.

"When the Ogundes were here, they also suffered punishments. They were arrested and his plays banned, but he made his point. So, if a play is good it will have an enduring value and we don't know who is going to learn from it. I believe that there is a positive dimension in play writing and literature," he said

On the play, he said: "It is an epic play which runs through the ages; from pre-colonial, the colonial, the independence and post independence eras. The whole essence is to see how in the process of history society develops, learns its lessons and it is meant to improve. As you know, the political nationalists fought for the independence, but you find out that the instruments of oppression did not disappear even when we took over government.

"In fact, cultural nationalists and unionists became enemies of government and the gates of prisons began to open and close in on them, whereas the politicians became opulent, lascivious, corrupt both morally and physically and there was again the need for further change.There was cynicism and disillusionment in the community to the extent that the prostitutes did not trust the whole process of transformation because they suffered cynical pessimism because of government failure.

"Society is ruled by all kinds of myths; religion capitalism and so on which are deplored for the exploitation of people. The book is calling for liberation of consciousness; for people to be aware of the need for social transformation based on an understanding of the problems of the society and how to free themselves."