American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences                cover
Open Access

American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

ISSN (Online): 2378-7031

DOI: 10.46568/arjhss

Vol. 9, Issue 1 2023 Open Access

Drama and Disability in Africa: Analysing Abdallah’s the Witch of Mopti

Daniel Appiah-Adjei, Tabitha Harriet Deh

Abstract
This study employs Mohammed Ben Abdallah’s play The Witch of Mopti,(1989) which espouses the insane majority, and the sane minority in the political dispensation of African states. The objective is to examine the interdisciplinary approach to psychological issues, especially, on mental health in Africa, focusing on the role of the playwright and his/ her drama. It also sets out to juxtapose the effect of characters considered the “Sane minority” and the “Insane majority” in the play to some social, religious, political and cultural occurrences in the development of African countries. How does the playwright’s drama (play production) contribute to the rehabilitation and development of people who are mentally confused between tradition and modernity? We employed Qualitative research method basing my findings on content analysis of the play, and purposive one on one interviews with some dramatists and political practitioners for the data collection. The paper, finally presents divergent views on the axiom “majority carries the vote.” The debate continues whether, in reality, the psychological position supporting this axiom has changed or not, especially, in the political dispensations of African democratic governance.