New Lease of Life in Abuja Theatre
Who is afraid of Adams Oshiomhole? This is not a question that probes the might of the Edo State governor. It is, however, a question exploring the extent of his fury as the former comrade-leader of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
It is also the title of one of the two plays staged at StyleCom Ventures’ maiden edition of the Style Arts and Culture Fiesta during the Guest Writer Session of the Abuja Writers Forum (AWF) in Merit House on October 29.
Written by the playwright, Godswill Okiyi, the play depicted the plight of workers and the insensitivities they face in the line of duty. A communications lecturer and advertising practitioner, Mr. Okiyi shared that he was inspired to write the play based on an office fire in Lagos where workers died in a plastic company around 2001. The case was unresolved and justice was not served. “This event informed my thinking and formed the nucleus for the play,” Mr. Okiyi said. His play, therefore, took a labour-activist approach with his cast’s NLC chants of solidarity forever.
The founder of the AWF, Dr. Emman Shehu, was impressed by both plays: “I’ve seen both scripts in their raw form. I am glad my observations were taken into consideration.” Shehu also told Saturday Sun that featuring the plays in the October Guest Writer session showed the fusion of the various forms of literature. He went on to say that showcasing the plays was a good way of helping the playwrights with their creative process.
The event started hot with the first play, Prince Abiathar Zadok’s Hell is a Woman, which ironically does not allude to the famous quote: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Prince Zadok described his play as essentially a metaphor which focuses on the anomalies a society faces when control is in the wrong hands. “All of us become women when we sit down and fold our arms when we should stand up and say a loud ‘no’ to the ills we see around,” he said. He added that the play’s ironical nature shows the female protagonist, Peace, taking the place of a man and her lover, Bobby becomes worse than a wobbling ship at sea without a sense of direction. Prince Zadok stressed that “the woman in the play is a symbolic reflection of a people, not a sex.” Prior to the plays, the special guest of the event, the novelist, poet and playwright, Lady Gesiere Brisibe-Dorgu, incited writers in her speech on “The Impact of Writers on Society”. She advised all writers to use to full advantage their right to freedom of expression in the constitution.
“Drama is one of the avenues through which this can be achieved,” she said. “Creative persons have an obligation to share their knowledge and passion with the world. Their power of expression echoes the fears and aspirations of society. They are co-creators with the Supreme Creator,” she said.
