Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Ahmed Yerima's Once Upon Four Robbers occupies a significant place in the Nigerian literary canon, and continues to attract critical attention for the richness of its language and thematic concerns.

Despite the volume of criticism devoted to Once Upon Four Robbers, its use of dramatic irony in relation to gender roles has not been exhaustively examined, leaving room for closer textual analysis.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Ahmed Yerima's Once Upon Four Robbers is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its dramatic irony functions specifically in relation to gender roles. This study undertakes a close textual analysis to address that gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the use of dramatic irony in Ahmed Yerima's Once Upon Four Robbers.
2. To analyze how dramatic irony contributes to the portrayal of gender roles.
3. To assess the effectiveness of dramatic irony as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text.
4. To situate the findings within the broader context of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How is dramatic irony used in Ahmed Yerima's Once Upon Four Robbers?
2. In what ways does dramatic irony contribute to the portrayal of gender roles?
3. How effective is dramatic irony as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text?
4. How does this reading relate to the broader body of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to students and teachers of theatre arts, offering a close reading of Ahmed Yerima's Once Upon Four Robbers that can support classroom discussion and further critical work. It also contributes to the broader body of scholarship on Nigerian literary and linguistic studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to a close textual analysis of dramatic irony within Once Upon Four Robbers, reflecting a BSc-level scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.