PARLIAMENT OF OWLS ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS [PDF]

Wafula Wekati

Parliament owls essays questions answers

PARLIAMENT OF OWLS ESSAYS AND ANSWERS
Bad governance can lead to the downfall of a government. Write an essay to support this statement citing illustrations from Adipo Sidang's play Parliament of Owls.

A major undoing for most dictatorial governments is ruling against the wishes of the people. When citizens get tired, they overthrow the leaders of such a government ultimately resulting in its downfall.

Parliament of owls lacks inclusivity and power is controlled exclusively by the owls. Royal Owl, Money Bags and other owls have the monopoly of power. Red String claims that night birds and omnivores will always rule, with owls at the helm. The day birds and grain-eaters will never have a chance to run the kingdom. The owls are also immune to the laws. They are arrogant because they wield the instruments of power. Parliament of owls only serves the owls. Money Bags says that the revered trees of owls are for the chosen few. Not all birds can access it. The owls believed that God chose them to rule the Kingdom because of their intelligence. Other birds like Sparrow, Weaver, Ostrich, Guinea fowl, Parrot, Crested crane among others decide to form a coalition to fight against owls who are arrogant and greedy. Some owls like Iron Lady and Feathered Beak are ready to fight against the backwardness of parliament of owls. Birds can be heard singing freedom songs planning to stage a struggle for freedom against the owls. Even night birds plan a demonstration at parliament of owls and royal trees to fight against the oppressive Moonlight Law and other bad laws. They chant anti-owl slogans. This is because they are tired of bad leaders like Money Bags. The once powerful Money Bags is relieved of all his duties and is arrested unceremoniously. When the golden beads are stolen, parliament of owls crumbles. Without the beads Royal Owl is powerless. Even Police Owl ignores him. Eventually he is chased out of parliament of owls as he gives out a cowardly cry. Oyundi is crowned queen. Bad governance results in the downfall of most dictatorial regimes. (2-3, 7, 11, 15, 24, 42, 44, 46, 50, 56-57, 58, 118, 120, 123-125, 128)

Dictatorial governments usually collapse because of their inkling of passing bad laws which oppress citizens. In Parliament of Owls, the laws favor owls. The owls ban moonlight twittering past 6 p.m. and flying from tree to tree. They remain immune to these oppressive laws. Red String plans to ban hammering at the trees to frustrate Tel Tel who refused to work with parliament of owls by sneaking in a clause in the laws which would outlaw the activity. The moonlight bill, sponsored by Money Bags with the blessings of Royal Owl, would impose a curfew forcing all birds to sleep by sunset. Only the two leaders and their cronies enjoy the benefits of the bill and the resultant tax that will go to royal trees. The bill undermines the rights of other night birds that twitter in the moonlight and omnivores that hunt at night, introduces illegal taxes and gags any opposition. The law allows money Bags to loot. It gives room for robbery, violence and assassinations. Money Bags organised snakes to raid birds nests and steal their eggs creating insecurity and introducing the Law of Bird Protection for his own benefit. The birds suffer because any bird found flouting the law would be arrested. The birds organized a demonstration styled ‘Moonlight protest’ to protest against the Moonlight Bill outside parliament. They plan a fully fledged struggle for freedom against the owls. Demonstrations against Moonlight Law and other laws contribute to the downfall of parliament of owls. Oyundi vows to fight against all the bad laws and make the kingdom great again. She comes up with a plan to unite the oppressed birds with a view of toppling the oppressive regime and changing the laws to have fair representation. Money Bags and Royal Owl are toppled. Money Bags is arrested. Parliament of owls scrambles because of passing laws that go against the wishes of the people and only benefit the ruling elite. (P3, 6-7, 16-17, 21, 31-34, 36-37, 40, 42, 44, 52, 66, 69, 72, 74-75, 92)

Some governments fall because of unlawful arrest and detentions of dissenting citizens. Tel Tel is arrested when she refuses to work with the owls. She is accused of treason. Arum Tidi tells Red String to arrest Tel Tel on a trumped up charge of sound pollution. Money Bags orders that Oyundi is arrested. The new laws passed by the parliament of owls make citizens susceptible to arrests, in the event that they flout any section of it. Money Bags and Royal Owl use Police Owl to intimidate and arrest anyone who refuses to play ball; for example, Tel Tel, Feathered Beak and Iron Lady. Veteran P, a journalist, has been arrested several times thanks to what Money Bags feels is irresponsible reporting especially, the call for fairness and an attack of the idea of hooting and looting. When Tel Tel escapes from detention, Royal Owl proclaims that she is wanted, dead or alive, promising to reward anyone who brings her to him. Downcast citizens like Oyundi, Tel Tel and others orchestrate a takeover that results in the downfall of the government. Money Bags is relieved of all his duties, stripped of his royal titles and state commendations, arrested and cuffed by two Police Owls. His accomplices are also bound to serve life in prison for treason. Ultimately, Royal Owl also falls and his futile attempt to have Oyundi arrested bears no fruit. He is chased out of parliament and his position is taken over by his arch nemesis, Oyundi. (P 13-14, 16-17, 47, 74-75, 79, 84, 98-99, 103, 106, 112, 117, 120, 124)

Run away murder and assassination can result in the collapse of some governments. Parliament of owls falls because it does nothing to curb the killing and murdering of day birds and grain-eaters which is orchestrated by omnivores and night birds. Python acts as the hangman for the owls. Thirty three weavers are massacred by the ruling elite. There are plans to kill birds that have taken a stand to fight for good governance like Straight Eyed. Money Bags and Royal Owl are responsible for the massacre of the weavers. Those who oppose their bad governance are tortured and murdered at royal trees. When parliament of owls falls, Osogo dedicates that day to all his relatives killed in cold blood by Money Bags and his goons. A moment of silence is observed for all birds killed in the struggle including Arum Tidi and Osogo’s kin. Owls use Arum Tidi to spread propaganda but have a plan to kill him afterwards. One Eyed is contracted to kill him. They make it seem like he committed suicide. Nightingale was under instructions not to use the ambulance for seven days. Arum Tidi was killed because he had a damaging dossier on a scandal that implicates Money Bags and royal trees. They kill him because they feel he is a traitor. This leads to the downfall of parliament of owls. Money Bags loses his power and prestige when he is relieved of all his duties and stripped of all his titles and commendations. He is cuffed and arrested. Royal Owl loses his powers when Oyundi and her associates get hold of the golden bead. Royal Owl becomes powerless and is humiliated when is chased out of parliament. The birds sing a sarcastic song to mock Royal all after his downfall. (P 3-4, 9, 13, 34, 36, 42, 52, 59, 61, 64-65, 72, 114, 123, 127-128)

In conclusion, the downfall of many bad governments results from opposition fuelled by bad governance.

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Wednesday 12 June 2024