National Troupe celebrates Soyinka’s gift to Arts in unique ways

Drama Forty years ago, Nigeria joined the league of Nobel laureates when their own Wole Soyinka was awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature, making him the first Nigeria and African to receive the prize. 

As part of activities to honour and celebrate him for the feat, National Troupe of Nigeria organised many activities, but the one that took the centre stage was performance of one of his plays, Death and the King’s Horseman.

The Cinema hall 2, venue of the event was filled to the brim as people from all walks of life especially lovers of theatre came to identify with the course.

The play was another superlative re-enactment of the age long practice of the people of South West by the beautiful cast that met all the requirements of a good play.

The work, which dramatises the old Oyo tradition which requires a chief (Elesin Oba) to (voluntarily?) must commit suicide before the burial of the late Alaafin, so that the horseman’s spirit can clear the way for the transition of the Alaafin’s spirit celebrates the culture and language of the Yoruba in an impressive way. 

Written by the Nobel Laureate in his youthful days, the play captures the clash of tradition with modernity.

 The play which was directed by Mike Anyanwu tried to explore the tragic consequences associated with diminished sensibility and understanding of intercultural behaviour, communication and tolerance.

•A scene from the play, Death and Kings Horseman •A scene from the play, Death and Kings Horseman From the way the hall was decorated and the choice of the cast, one would not but conclude that the National Troupe attached a lot of importance to the play and that paid off with the scintillating display by the cast, coupled with the music and dance that took the audience back to the old days. Some of the actors that include thoroughbred thespians, like Toyin Oshinaike, Yemi Oyewo and Lara Akinsola gave a good account of themselves as professionals through the interpretation of the lines. Also old and new artistes of the troupe, including Funmi Abe, Kehinde Musa and Emmanuel Adejumo, also thrilled the crowd.

With a well designed stage, good drummers that provided the real beats, songs and elaborate dance which, however, faded into ritual and tragic notes towards the end, when Elesin’s dillying-dallying and the colonial authorities’ move to stop his death caused a crisis. Unfortunately, the death that would have been a heroic one ends up being that of ignominy as Elesin ’s son, Olunde, just returning from England where he had studied, has to sacrifice his life for the sake of continuity.

It was a complete performance that provided the needed theatrical entertainment that is fast fading away.

 Before the beginning of the performance, there was a Committee for Relevant Arts ( CORA) Arts Stampede that held a discussion on 40 years of the play that deliberated on its cultural and political importance, with a panel led by media executive and dramatist, Ben Tomoloju. Also on the panel were Tunji Azeez, Temi Esan and Segun Adefila. Also there was an exhibition in honour of Professor Soyinka, co-ordinated by Olu Ajayi that displayed some works from Soyinka’s personal collection. The works captured his childhood days, schools, professional life, his work and others. Speaking at the event, the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, commended the cast, director, the troupe and the playwright. Mohammed who recalled how, in 1986, Nigeria was inducted into the hall of fame of the producers of Nobel laureates with Soyinka’s winning of the Nobel Prize for Literature said, “Professor Soyinka’s literary creativity, ingenuity and contributions to the growth and development of literature and dramatic arts can easily be described as legendary. He has continued to play vital roles in the development of arts, culture and democracy in Nigeria and around the world. On behalf of the ministry, I salute him and wish him longer life so that this exemplary Nigerian and global citizen can continue to make us proud.” Earlier, Artistic Director and CEO of National Troupe, Mr.Akin Adejuwon had explained that the staging of the production is more propitious because it is thirty years this year since Africa and indeed the world joined Nigeria in celebrating Professor Wole Soyinka’s award of the Nobel Prize for Literature. The play which was staged at the Cinema hall 11 of the National theatre was witnessed by many notable Nigerians .

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/national-troupe-celebrates-soyinkas-gift-arts-unique-ways/