Review of Pepper Spray By Eziwho Azunwo

Title: Pepper Spray

Genre: Drama

Author: Eziwho Emenike Azunwo

Year of Publication: 2025

Edited & Published in Nigeria by: Covenant Daystar Publishers, Port Harcourt

Pagination: 88

Reviewer: Nuan, Jemimah

Institution: Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Department of Theatre and Film studies

Introduction

In Pepper Spray Emenike Azunwo metaphorically addresses the subject of greed using the concept of land grabbing that has become a serious problem in Nigeria and many other parts of the world. Mr. Nsitem in this text represents the class of people in society who can go to any length to make money not thinking of the consequences. People who make money at the expense of others damning the effect of their action on the lives that cheat to enrich themselves eventually get their reward in the cold hand of death. On the other hand, Mr. Nsirim represents those who believe in legitimate means of wealth, work and save for their retirement in a legitimate way. Unfortunately, they sometimes fall into the hands of wicked men like Mr. Nsitem who take advantage of them and swindle them of their hard earned money. The text among others helps us to ask questions about life and injustice, why evil seem to prevail of good. Pepper Spray is a social commentary of how today’s society works; full of challenges and confrontations that one often did not plan or pray for. In the end, evil may hold, but divine justice never fails.

The play is about a man "Mr. Nsitem" who seems to have a tragic end to his own life because of greed, betrayal and deceit.

Synopsis of the Scenes in Pepper Spray

SCENE 1

This scene basically talks about Mr. And Mrs. Nsirim. Mr. Nsirim who is retired. The scene opens with a dialogue between the couple where Mrs. Nsirim complains about not being helped by her husband. This conversation then develops into a playful one which is then interrupted by Akani who comes to break the news of Kinika's death (Kinika, one of Mr. Nsirim's associates who is part of the property owners who bought lands have now been reclaimed)

The next scene opens with the chairman of property owners and Wosu who are in a conversation when they are barged on by Mr. Nsirim who seems to have almost lost his mind because of the situation at hand but is then calmed by the chairman and Wosu. The chairman then tells him that he would call for a general meeting to meet with affected property owners but Nsirim wants to take laws into his own hands and therefore after listening just stands up and barges out of the chairman’s office and says "the people involved should watch their back".

The third scene starts with a troubled Nsirim who is seen lost in deep thought that he didn't notice when his wife walks in until she calls his name. Mrs. Nsirim who is worried about her husband's health because He is overthinking that is as a result of the demolition of His buildings which He used almost 80% of his retirement benefits and also savings to fund. He tries to act calm but is not although he tried to be as composed for his wife and then asks for a stroll.

The scene shifts to the living room of Mr. Nsitem who is referred to as "Honourable". Ofokor explains the tragic incident of the passing of one of the property owners but Nsitem immediately waves it off telling him that "in business, you don't enter with a faint heart and expect to strike gold" (Azunwo, 2025, 49).

They go further with the conversation and we learn that it was because of a better offer from a real estate company he sells it off. Though the other people paid and had documents backing their claim, he still went on with the demolishment and explained to Ofokor his friend who was concerned about the repercussions from the court that he is forgetting who he (Mr. Nsitem) was he tells him that he got it covered and that Ofokor should follow him to the signing off of the property to the real estate company and after that, He (Mr. Nsitem) would host Ofokor.

The fifth scene reveals Nsitem and Ofokor with the real estate company's representatives Kane and Grace to sign the final arrangements and make the payments. Mr. Nsitem is then informed that he would need to be at the inauguration so as to build confidence of the buyer and also integrity of the company. He obliges and then receives his payment.

SCENE 6

This scene opens in a pastor’s office. The pastor is Nsirim’s "Daddy in the lord". Nsirim comes to him to inform him about what happened to him unknowing to him that the pastor already knows from "spiritual revelation". The pastor then asks about his plan to get the money back but Nsirim's answer is not really convincing to the pastor as he feels he is trying insight violence but then advises him to follow everything legally.

SCENE 7

This scene is the meeting of the property owners presided over by their chairman. After he addresses them, opinions and point of views were discussed as to how they can collect the money immediately but then the chairman tells them to be calm and let peace reign and "let law teach him (Nsitem) a lesson". He continues to assure them that they would be fully compensated.

SCENE 8

This scene can be seen as both the climax and also the denouement. This scene is set in Mr. Nsitem's living where he is seen "enjoying" himself with drinks and meat on his table before Kane (the real estate company's representative) comes into his house with 3 men and confronted him as the court had placed strict orders to keep off the land as the said land is in dispute. Even as Mr. Nsitem had been caught for foul play, he still insists that he is right until an "unidentified" man comes in and shoots him 5 times, leading to his death.

Major Themes in Pepper Spray

1. Greed and Corruption

The whole story teaches about greed, it shows man’s hunger for money. Nsitem has been blinded by making profit and he resells the same land he sold to some group of people to another buyer and doesn’t even feel guilty. He calls it “business,” but it is done at the detriment of others as we note in the play that Kinika dies, Nsirim loses everything even his mind. But at the end, Nsitem is killed. Though corruption looks good at the beginning, it always ends tragically.

1. Theme of justice

This theme teaches us that what goes around comes around. Mr. Nsitem thought he was untouchable because of his money and influence, but life had its own way to create balance and justice. After all his deceitful means, life still caught up with him even though not exactly through the court but through death. The play teaches us that even if the law or justice system (court) fails the common man, natural (Karma) or divine justice will take center stage. It is just a matter of time.

1. Theme of lack of Morals and Values

The play shows a society where morals and values have been abused and trampled upon. People tend to justify lies, betrayal, and greed just to survive. This theme examines Ofokor, who knows Mr. Nsitem’s actions are wrong but he keeps quiet because of loyalty and what he stands to gain. This character reflects how corruption has become normalized and how people now do the wrong things and see it as “business”. This theme is important as it serves as a mirror of moral decay in our society today.

1. Theme of women’s role as moral and emotional support system

Mrs. Nsirim seems to be the center of this theme. She stands as a moral and emotional support to her husband in the play in the sense that when her husband loses everything and was almost losing his mind through anger and overthinking, she always lends a voice of calmness, reminding Nsirim to trust God and take revenge out of his mind. This character shows that women hold the emotional and moral values in the home.

Character Analysis

1. Nsirim- A retired civil servant who is now an aggrieved land owner. Happily married to Mrs. Nsirim, they both live together and experience the tragedy of a wasted investment of almost 80% of Mr. Nsirim’s retirement benefit goes to the ground because of one man's greed. This situation (the land revocation) came as a rude shock to him as he almost lost his mind due to the news. He is seen as a calm character at the beginning but then turns a bit hostile after the land issue. Mr. Nsirim can be seen as a symbolic figure in the society used to represent all retirees who try to use their retirement benefits to better living for themselves but end up being swindled.
2. Mrs. Nsirim- The wife of Mr. Nsirim who is a retired civil servant. At the beginning of the play where she is in a conversation with her husband, we see that she has traits of feminism in her tone in the sense that she was seeking equality and "help" from her husband since she was the only one "doing everything"… She's also seen as a very caring wife. She tries to calm her husband down after she heard about the land revocation issue and it is also perceived that she was the one who informed the pastor about the situation of the land.
3. Chairman- He is the chairman of the aggrieved property owners and also lost his property in the unlawful revocation of lands sold to them. He seems to be a calm and commanding voice to the association and encourages them to be calm and they would be refunded accordingly. He is also a law abiding character because despite all the suggestions of violence from the members of the association, he tells them to maintain peace and let the law teach the offender a lesson.
    
4. Pastor Alate- He is a Spiritual Father and a guide. Mr. Nsirim refers to him as his "Daddy in the Lord". Mr. Nsirim goes to him for advice and prayers. He also advises Mr. Nsirim to follow up the land issue with legal backing but it seems Mr. Nsirim had other plans.
5. Mr. Nsitem- A very cunning business man who can be seen as the chief swindler in the play... Referred to as Honourable, He initially sells the land for a group of people called the property owners group but then revokes the land unlawfully and resells to another company which is a real estate company because of the higher profit margin. He is seen as a man without trust because "no one can trust him and he trusts no one". This was portrayed by him when the person he calls his friend and close associate (Ofokor) follows him to sign and seal the deal with the real estate company, when he got paid, his friend asked to see the alert but he was not willing to show. This shows distrust. Also, he is seen a very powerful man in the society therefore using this status to get whatever he wanted and was not even afraid of going to court for the unlawful land revocation because maybe he had people up there to help him get out. He is a symbolic character that shows the ills of these "big men" in the society today who use what they have to oppress and sometimes cheat other people... And also note that cases like this are not farfetched though as this matter of land revocation has been witnessed in today’s society.
6. Ofokor- This is a close associate of Mr. Nsitem. He tends to be a considerate person though he follows his friend for both good and shady deals... He told Mr. Nsitem about the death of one of the aggrieved property owners and also suggested a refund for the remaining aggrieved property owners. He can be seen as a weak character who has to be humble and keep quiet in dire situations to get what he wants from the "Honourable". He also can be seen as a symbolic figure in the society. Like the people around these "influential men" just for what they would get even if it is at the detriment of others, they sell their humanity just to follow someone they know is not right so as to curry favor from them. Ofokor also seems to be easily influenced by money.

Literature Review

Azunwo’s Pepper Spray addresses a socially relevant and morally disturbing and legally important issue of land grabbing a factor that is carried out by greedy individuals who are morally bankrupt and have mastered how to manipulate the justice system to their advantage. Odoemene (2015) describes land grabbing as “the forced acquisition of land without valid consent and reasonable commitment to the future survival of the dispossessed.” The definition is captures what Pepper Spray as a text represents and Odoemene further argues what proper land acquisition should entail; “(1) primacy of the local/indigenous peoples, (2) valid consent, and (3) non-coercion” (p. 6). All of these conditions above were violated by Mr. Nsitem and his evil collaborators.

Also, land grabbers seem to be succeeding in their evil trade because of what stakeholders in Lagos State lands and housing matters attribute to “greed and illiteracy”. Although this position may be correct, but Mr. Festus Arimoro is of a different view, as he contends;

They employ the services of the best lawyers money can hire, warm up to deals racketeers and facilitators who are well connected to the seat of power. They curry the alliance of first-class traditional rulers who would sometimes initiate the crisis through some spurious petitions to the police or state governors, or, in some instances, they may precipitate phantom inter-boundary violence that would prompt some compromised highly-placed government officials to deploy the machinery of government to move in and do their bidding (“Lords of the bush: Inside Nigeria’s scary world of land-grabbing cartels,” 2020).

Arimoro’s position seems valid as this editorial holds:

Land grabbing has evolved into a well-oiled machine, driven by a mix of traditional rulers, rogue government officials, and unscrupulous developers. These actors exploit legal loopholes, forge documents, and sometimes use brute force to seize lands that are either communal, under legal dispute, or already owned by unsuspecting buyers. In Lagos, Abuja, and major cities, entire communities have been displaced overnight, only to see their ancestral lands transformed into luxury estates or commercial hubs without proper compensation (“Lords of the bush: Inside Nigeria’s scary world of land-grabbing cartels,” 2020, para.2).
 

Therefore, Pepper Spray aligns with the moral that Oyedepo’s Doom in the Dimes teaches about greed through the character Owoeje whose lust for money is similar to that of Mr. Nsitem. These kinds of characters pursue their love for money to their ultimate destruction. “Another moral lesson in Oyedepo’s Doom in the Dimes is that, we should not be greedy. It is my belief that greed must have pushed Owoeje into this satanic idea. Today, greed is one of the main sources of corruption in Nigeria” ((Ioraa, 2017, p. 186).

Conclusion / Recommendation

Amongst others, capturing social ills in dramatic literature has a way of enlightening and educating readers through the medium of entertainment. The issue of land grabbing and the other evils that goes with it has been a terrible devastation to individuals, communities, organizations and families in some cases, communities have been robbed of their wellbeing as expanse of land meant for large scale farming have been lost to greedy land grabbers, precious lives lost in the process alongside hard earned monies. If this dangerous trend isn’t arrested and critically addressed, it might lead to another form of migration that will impact society and communities adversely and negatively impact development.

In the light of the above, one may recommend the intervention of government in enacting policies and laws that will control incidences of land grabbing that has become a trend.

Secondly, offenders when caught should be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to other would be offenders.

Conspirators and collaborators no matter how highly placed, should not be shielded or given clemency otherwise, they would be emboldened to encourage this evil act.

REFERENCES

Azunwo, E. E. (2024). Pepper Spray. Covenant Daystar Publishers, Nigeria.

Ioraa, J. S. (2017). Themes and moral lessons in a Nigerian tragic drama: A study of Stella Oyedepo’s

Doom in the Dimes [MAIDJAD, Vol. 2]. https://maidjad.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/THEMES-AND-MORAL-LESSONS-IN-A-NIGERIAN-TRAGIC-DRAMA.pdf

Lords of the bush: Inside Nigeria’s scary world of land-grabbing cartels. (2020, September 16). Nigeria Property Forum. https://www.nigeriapropertyforum.com/t/lords-of-the-bush-inside-nigeria-s-scary-world-of-land-grabbing-cartels/1099