Every 4th day of February has been set aside by the United Nations for the commemoration of the International Day of Human Fraternity and its essence according to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres is to reaffirm commitment to bridge divides, fostering religious understanding and cooperation among people of all cultures and beliefs. In his words, ‘Together, let us forge a path towards a more peaceful, just and harmonious world for all’.
As the world marks the 2024 commemoration, in Nigeria, an award-winning Broadcast Journalist and Dramatist, Ola Awakan is using Artswax Communications to collaborate with Just Theatre House to take his play “The Madness That Cures My Land” as directed by a prolific theatre manager, Ifeanyi Eziukwu, on a tour of some Nigerian Universities to create awareness on the essence of the celebration of the International Day of Human Fraternity, with the global theme, human fraternity for peace and cooperation.
“The Madness That Cures My Land”, which premiered in Lagos and Abuja in December 2023, is a satire that exposes some social misdemeanours in society from the basis of human interaction and tolerance. The play touches on the relationship between the family and the larger society. It also examines the impact and friction of the connections among families and how such relationships can balloon into either a bigger crisis or a factor for development, hence, preaching a better human fraternity for society uplift by advocating religious tolerance, communal love, peace, and understanding for the greater good of humanity. It frowns at man’s inhumanity to man.
The Universities that have shown interest in hosting the play on their various campuses within the month of February are the Lagos State University LASU on the 12th of February, the University of Lagos UNILAG, Olabisi Onabanjo University OOU, Ogun State, and the University of Ibadan UI. Other tertiary institutions are also open to the window of February for collaboration.
Among the other activities set aside for the tour, some facilitators who are educationists, politicians, culture ambassadors, and religious leaders will be joining the convener, Ola Awakan to underline to the students and schools’ management the need to join the crusade to raise awareness about different cultures and religions, or beliefs, and the promotion of tolerance, which involves societal acceptance and respect for religious and cultural diversity, including about religious expression.
The objective of this tour is in line with the United Nation’s recommendation that “Education, in particular at school, should contribute in a meaningful way to promoting tolerance and the elimination of discrimination based on religion or belief”.
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