Theatre Scholars have reemphasized the significance of stage productions for cultural preservation and nation-building.
This was at the play performance of “Echoes of the Drums” written by Award-winning broadcast journalist Ola Awakan and performed by students of the Department of Theatre Arts and Music at Lagos State University.
The playwright who witnessed the production applauded the 200-level students for their brilliant performance, which exceeded the audience’s expectations, given their level of studentship. Ola Awakan said LASU is the first tertiary institution to perform the play, “Echoes of the Drums” after the premiere by the National Troupe of Nigeria in 2022 in Lagos for Nigeria’s 62nd Independence and in April 2024 by the Guild of Theatre Arts Drummers in Abuja.
The performance was a practical examination for the department’s 200-level students and was part of the requirements for the Theatre Workshop Course. The production was supervised by two lecturers, Dr Yeside Dosumu-Lawal and Mr Hungbo Kotin.
According to the Head of the Department, Dr. Babafemi Babatope, “It was a nicely written script. The performance itself was good. It was done by 200-level students who had just been introduced to theatre. Given the level of their studentship, I think they did very well and the hallmark of any good performance is entertainment.”
“You saw how the audience was agog with laughter and applause. And the African audience is a polaroid audience. It is wait-and-get feedback, If the play is good, you get your right on the spot with their clap offering. So, based on the fact that theatre should entertain, it was entertaining. The audience was thrilled. Based on the fact that theatre should communicate, it absolutely communicates meaningful things. Based on the fact that theatre should educate, these people are educated about their cultural heritage. So, for me, it is a well-done play and well-received by the audience.”
He spoke about the impact of the play on the students. “The production is an epic play that dates back to Yoruba history. And you saw the use of the drum, you saw the costumes, you saw the various mannerisms of cultural display that can be identified with the Yoruba people. So, this audience which is largely young people has been taken into some kind of theatrical voyage into their culture, and by so doing, culture is being preserved’, Dr Babatope added.
Theatre scholar, Professor Sola Fosudo posits that theatre has great significance for nation-building. He said, “Theatre gives direction to society. Some of the plays we do in the theatre are meant to teach some life lessons about how society should live but I am not sure that the kind of society we have accords that kind of regard to what we do, of course, some of the plays we do are for cultural preservation and also national development to talk about how we should preserve our culture and live together as a community of people”
“Echoes of the drums” is a drum-drama written in 2005 and published into play-text in 2024. It uses drum instrumentation to advocate unity, peace and cultural preservation. The play revolves around the clan of drummers and how the adventure of a triplet, Ayanlade, Onlude and Awogbola’s exploit brought out the potency of drums.
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