Agbero Leadership: A Review of Shakespeare's King Lear by Samuel Oluwaseun Adeyemi
Like some inexplicable phenomenon controlled by an awesome metaphysical force, life is a continuum. A human being develops from an embryo and after nine months he is born. He in turn begets another and in the fullness of time, he ceases to perform on stage. Just before heading for the exit door, he takes a bow and is greeted with an ovation, a thunderous applause or heavy booing - depending on his performance.
The basic plot of the play, King Lear, is like a fairy tale. It tells of how King Lear, the King of Britain, in old age chooses to retire and divide up Britain among his three daughters - Goneril, Regan and Cordellia. But there is a caveat! The daughters must first be married and they must tell the old man how much they love him. Like freed captives, the two eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, open their 'sugar manufacturing mouth' and their flattery goes to their father's head. In his euphoria King Lear rewards them with land and with the zeal and skill of a professional matchmaker, gives his two daughters in marriage to the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall respectively.
However, the youngest daughter, Cordellia, who is not given in to flattery refuses to pander to her father's foolish whims and gets nothing from her father's estate. The Earl of Kent who tries to be Cordelia’s 'spokesperson', 'Public Relations Officer' and the 'Corporate Affairs Manager' is caught in the crossfire. Following which he is banished and sent into exile by King Lear.Consequently, the foolish question and actions of King Lear lead to grave disorder in the realm and to the destruction of Lear and his family.
The thematic line of treachery and deceit that runs throughout the play is mirrored in the sub-plot, where another aged father casts out a virtuous son (Edgar) when the bastard son (Edmund) who covets his brother’s inheritance manages to pull the wool over his father’s (Gloucester) eyes.
The sycophants in King Lear, Goneril, Regan and Edmund are no better than the miscreants on the streets of Lagos, popularly known as 'Agbero' or 'Area Boys' who intimidate and at the same time eulogize their 'victims' like King Lear and Gloucester in order to obtain some Naira!
The play underscores the importance of leaders and managers not giving in to their emotions when making decisions which ought to be based on empirical facts, sound judgment and the ability to see beyond the horizon.
As leaders we should be wary of people that massage our ego by flattering us. As William Shakespeare aptly puts it: 'there is dagger in men's smile.'
The basic plot of the play, King Lear, is like a fairy tale. It tells of how King Lear, the King of Britain, in old age chooses to retire and divide up Britain among his three daughters - Goneril, Regan and Cordellia. But there is a caveat! The daughters must first be married and they must tell the old man how much they love him. Like freed captives, the two eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, open their 'sugar manufacturing mouth' and their flattery goes to their father's head. In his euphoria King Lear rewards them with land and with the zeal and skill of a professional matchmaker, gives his two daughters in marriage to the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall respectively.
However, the youngest daughter, Cordellia, who is not given in to flattery refuses to pander to her father's foolish whims and gets nothing from her father's estate. The Earl of Kent who tries to be Cordelia’s 'spokesperson', 'Public Relations Officer' and the 'Corporate Affairs Manager' is caught in the crossfire. Following which he is banished and sent into exile by King Lear.Consequently, the foolish question and actions of King Lear lead to grave disorder in the realm and to the destruction of Lear and his family.
The thematic line of treachery and deceit that runs throughout the play is mirrored in the sub-plot, where another aged father casts out a virtuous son (Edgar) when the bastard son (Edmund) who covets his brother’s inheritance manages to pull the wool over his father’s (Gloucester) eyes.
The sycophants in King Lear, Goneril, Regan and Edmund are no better than the miscreants on the streets of Lagos, popularly known as 'Agbero' or 'Area Boys' who intimidate and at the same time eulogize their 'victims' like King Lear and Gloucester in order to obtain some Naira!
The play underscores the importance of leaders and managers not giving in to their emotions when making decisions which ought to be based on empirical facts, sound judgment and the ability to see beyond the horizon.
As leaders we should be wary of people that massage our ego by flattering us. As William Shakespeare aptly puts it: 'there is dagger in men's smile.'
posted by Wunmi Segun at 1:03 PM
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