By Tolu Ayileka
The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has hosted the first ever theatre festival of Explosion to mark the 2021 Eid El Fitr.
Powered by Artswax Communications and Theatre for Value Initiative, the programme got the esteemed audience thrilled with the epic plays, ‘Jagabanism’ and ‘A flag to Follow’.
The former written by a broadcast journalist cum theatre arts practitioner, Ola Awakan and performed by the children theatre troupe, Gifted Steppers was directed by Ihuoma Harrison.
The theatre show was the first at the Lagos Theatre in Igando since it was built alongside three others in Oregun, Badagry and Epe by the former governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode.
The host, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Honourable Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf was on hand to see the energetic performance by the talented but disadvantaged children.
She commended the efforts of the organisers and all the young talents that performed the play, JAGABANISM.
Akinbile-Yusuf also encouraged that the history and culture of Lagos state should be held in high esteem and promoted to all around the state and beyond through theatre.
The Commissioner confessed that she was thrilled by the performance of the Gifted steppers kids. She applauded the playwright, Ola Awakan and the director, Ihuoma Harrison for putting together the piece.
She reiterated the State Government’s support for creative minds in Lagos through the execution of the THEMES agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu.
According to the writer of the play and initiator of the Theatre Explosion project, Ola Awakan, Jagabanism is a story that tells the history, culture and struggles of Lagos through the eyes of the former governor of Lagos, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He stated that “I wrote this story three years ago as a way of documenting the story of how our great state attained its present enviable status, and to tell the stories of those who have positively impacted in the development and building of the state to what it is now.”
“the idea is to inspire and remind the present and coming generations of the spirit of Lagos”, he continued.
The event also had another play titled ‘A Flag to follow’ as written and directed by Matilda Azum. It address social vices bedevilling the nation.
The theatre event designed to encourage creativity and talents discovery in Lagos was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos, Princess Adenike Adedoyin- Ajayi and President, Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Mr. David Oriyomi and other guests.
There were other performances such as Comedy, Dance and Poetry.
Add Comment