Evangelical Motifs in the Dramas of Austin Anigala

This article examines evangelical motifs in Austin E. Anigala’s Riddles of Life, The Living Dead, and Cold Wings of Darkness. Using qualitative literary research and close textual analysis, it considers how dialogue, characterisation, conflict, symbolism, and plot development represent Christian witness and spiritual change. The analysis identifies recurring motifs of warning, confrontation with sin, resistance, fear, syncretism, spiritual awakening, delayed decision, and redemption. In Riddles of Life, evangelism appears through Bini’s warnings and Enumah’s eventual recognition of the need for repentance. The Living Dead presents Christian witness as marginalised by fear and reliance on traditional spiritual protection, while Cold Wings of Darkness dramatises a conflict between Christian faith, scepticism, materialism, and destructive spiritual forces. Across the three plays, Anigala presents evangelism as a process that requires more than proclamation: it involves moral credibility, personal choice, and a willingness to confront social and spiritual contradictions. The article contributes to the study of Nigerian drama by showing how evangelical motifs function as both thematic concerns and dramatic devices.