Inter-Ethnic Performance and the Aesthetics of National Reconciliation: Theatre as a Laboratory for Nigerian Pluralism

This dissertation investigates the potential and limitations of theatre as a laboratory for national reconciliation in multi-ethnic Nigeria, developing an original theoretical framework for understanding inter-ethnic performance aesthetics. Nigeria's national unity project is a permanent work in progress, perpetually challenged by ethnic competition, religious division, and historical grievances. Theatre, with its capacity to embody multiple perspectives simultaneously and create shared affective experiences across social divides, has been proposed as a space of rehearsal for national pluralism. The research examines fifteen inter-ethnic collaborative theatre projects conducted between 2015 and 2024 across conflict-affected regions including Plateau State, Southern Kaduna, and the Niger Delta, employing a mixed methodology combining performance ethnography, practitioner interviews, and outcome evaluation research. The dissertation develops an original concept of reconciliatory aesthetics, denoting the specific performance conventions, spatial arrangements, and participatory structures that most effectively generate inter-ethnic empathetic engagement. The research finds that reconciliatory aesthetics are highly context-dependent and that performance interventions designed without adequate communal ownership and follow-up structures generate limited durable impact. The dissertation concludes with a prescriptive framework for ethically grounded inter-ethnic performance practice in Nigeria. Keywords: inter-ethnic performance, national reconciliation, reconciliatory aesthetics, Nigerian pluralism, conflict theatre.