Observations on theatre

I thought I knew all the dark corners of recent Yorkshire history, but somehow the story of David Oluwale had escaped me. There is a passing reference to the body of a Nigerian man being found face down in the River Aire in David Peace’s Red Riding novels, but I lost it among all the other horrors those violent books have to offer.

I took some pride in rescuing the memory of Oluwale from oblivion, thanks to a serendipitous moment in the National Archives when I discovered the case files. But the publication of my book about the Oluwale case didn’t quite extinguish my strong feeling that this historic injustice deserved wider public acknowledgement. Now, 40 years on from Oluwale’s death, his story is being told in an Eclipse Theatre production that puts the man centre-stage and gives him the voice he was denied in life.

David Oluwale came to this country from Lagos in 1949 as a stowaway and lived a normal life in Leeds until a violent encounter with the police four years later. During a short prison sentence, he began to suffer hallucinations and was committed to an asylum. He didn’t emerge until 1961. On his release, he was reduced to sleeping rough in abandoned buildings and shop doorways.

In the last year of his life, two Leeds police officers took a special interest in him. They set out at night in search of the man they called Playmate. On several occasions they drove Oluwale miles out of the city and dumped him, convinced that in clearing him from their patch they were performing a useful public service. They urinated on him as he slept and made him perform “penances”, such as banging his head on the pavement. On charge sheets his nationality was entered as “Wog”.

On 4 May 1969, Oluwale’s body was dragged from the River Aire. He was committed to a pauper’s grave but the injustices continued. During the trial of Geoff Ellerker and Ken Kitching in November 1971, Oluwale was repeatedly likened to a wild animal.

Yet despite his low status, and the strong atmosphere of Powellism and racism in early-1970s Britain, some justice was done. The two officers were found guilty of some, if not the most serious, charges, and jailed. That there was a partly successful resolution was down to an unusual investigating officer, John Perkins, who defied the prevailing culture in pursuit of justice.

Crucially, Perkins viewed Oluwale as a victim and not as an aggressive criminal, a stereotype that has vitiated investigations into the deaths of black people from Kelso Cochrane in 1959 to Stephen Lawrence and beyond. In the many hundreds of death-in-custody cases since Oluwale, no police officer has been prosecuted successfully, despite inquest juries in the coroner’s court often returning verdicts of unlawful killing. Such statistics challenge the post-Macpherson narrative of progress.

For these reasons, the Oluwale case ought to be remembered and its lessons learned. Like that of Stephen Lawrence, it is a measure by which we can assess the quality of justice in this country today. It urges on us constant vigilance.

Kester Aspden’s book “The Hounding of David Oluwale” has been adapted for the stage by Oladipo Agboluaje. It is now touring the country, including performances at the Hackney Empire, London E8 (24-28 March). For details of all performances go to: www.eclipsetheatre.org.uk

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