ANALYSIS OF FEMALE GENITAL CIRCUMCISION IN MABEL EVWIERHOMA’S THE CUT ACROSS

Abstract

Female Genital Circumcision (FGC) refers to the total or partial removal of external genitals in women and girls. According to the World Health Organization (2016), approximately 91.5 million girls and women in Africa, age ten and above, have undergone FGC. The concern surrounding the high prevalence of FGC in Nigeria has been at the forefront of literary discourse. Contemporary Nigerian playwrights and dramatists, in particular, engage with this thematic concern. The Cut Across written by Mabel Evwierhoma and published in 2022, exemplifies this exploration. The thrust of this paper is to examine the implications of Female Genital Circumcision on femalecharacters within the context of this drama. Drawing on the realism theory advanced by Henrik Ibsen, the paper concludes that, due to the psychological and physical consequences of FGC, The Cut Across advocates for a modern approach specifically, mentorship to prevent promiscuity among girls