The live theatre arena is beginning to witness the debut of young thespians. Although largely untrained, but brimming with talent and enthusiasm, these fledglings are symbols that the performing arts in Nigeria may yet experience a renaissance and engorged vibrancy, 20 years down the lane.
(http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Pupils-of-Liham-Preparatory-School-on-stage.jpg) (http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Pupils-of-Liham-Preparatory-School-on-stage.jpg) Pupils of Liham Preparatory School on stage
From the celebration of Children's Day on May 27 to Democracy Day on May 29 and more recently, to the June 5 finale event which crowned the National Schools Dramatised Storytelling Competition for 2013, young actors – within the Primary and Secondary School levels– have brought stages across Nigeria alive in emotive dramatisation and intense stage craft which belies their experience and exposure to theatre practice.
Similar threads ran through the different works presented by the young thespians in Lagos and Abuja– beautiful rendition, energetic delivery, appropriate costumes which fitted the characters and storyline and most of the pupils were confident in their delivery, making their presentation convincing.
Nigeria's foremost theatre group, National Troupe of Nigeria, NTN, in collaboration with Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (a non-governmental organisation run by Bikiya Graham-Douglas) and with support from other arts loving organisations, debuted the drama/storytelling competition for school children last year. The success of the first edition held solely in Lagos, necessitated NTN to expand the competition's scope in 2013 to include participants in the nation's capital, Abuja.
In Abuja, over 50 schools took part in the preliminary stage which climaxed on Friday, May 31 with the Abuja grand finale featuring six of the top primary and secondary schools that made it to the finals. Government Secondary School, Lugbe presented a centenary play titled 'Our Journey Here' and it was adjudged the best out of the six schools. Other schools which made it to the finals included Crest International School Mararaba; School for the Gifted Gwagwalada; Government Secondary School, Garki and Federal Government Girls College, Bwari. Ideal Basic School, Kubwa emerged winner in the primary school category.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, more than 80 schools participated in this year's competition. A total of 13 finalists emerged (for the Primary and Secondary categories) including Grandmates Secondary School; Muritala Mohammed Airport School; King's College; University of Lagos Women Society School, Akoka; Marywood Girls College, Ebute-Metta; Starfield College, Agege; Liham Preparatory School; Golden Bells N/P School, Orile-Iganmu; Ijero Baptist Church N/P School; St. Bernadette N/P School, Akoka; Mind-builders N/P School; Brilliant Child College and Model International College. Liham Preparatory School emerged the winner (primary) and Brilliant Child College (secondary).
Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of NTN, Martin Adaji, disclosed that plans were underway to extend the programme to more states of the federation, adding that the vision was to have a national dramatised story telling competition for schools and colleges in the country. "The importance of this programme to national development cannot be over emphasised. Apart from encouraging the preservation and promotion of Nigeria culture, which is one of our key mandates, storytelling tradition which we are inculcating in our youth through this programme could be effectively utilised to achieve national integration".
Meanwhile, stakeholders who are stimulating the engagement of young children in live theatre and providing platforms for this forms of expression from the youngsters have marvelled at the latent creative talent in Nigerian children given the right motivation.
During the last Democracy Day commemoration in Abuja, an Abuja based outfit, Our Village Square Children Theatre seized the opportunity to return to the stage with their play, "The Labours of Our Heroes". After their performance, the Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA, Mr. Izuchukwu Okeke could not hide his admiration for the excellent show put up by the kids. "For me, it is a mind-blowing experience and a testament to the abundance of raw talents that exists in this country. I must commend the organisers and encourage them to keep up the good work of engaging these young ones in positive creative ventures like this".
"The Labours of Our Heroes" was produced by Victor Maji, as one of Sledge Media's annual children theatre initiative, and directed by Ter Akaa, who ensured the actors attained the best element both in characterisation and interpretation of the different roles. Perhaps, the evidence that they were kids and not professionally trained actors was not in their act but in their stature and size.
With the full complement of costumes, make-up and light, the show turned out to be a delight and the audience, among who were the representatives of the Ministry of Women Affairs and the National Orientation Agency, could not stop commending the effort of the kids.
The play opened in different homes and playgrounds where young children were seen hurrying up their household chores in other to make it down to the Village Square where they, in the "Tales by Moonlight" format, listened to various tales and fables.
Deploying the multiple narrating approach, the students soon take up roles as actors in the own story, dramatising the story as narrated by the three narrators. It was a mixture of good and bad moments of the Nigerian history.
The close to one-hour play chronicled Nigeria's journey as a nation, from the pre- Lord Lugard era, to the present day government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, clearly depicting such periods in our history, such as the various military coups, the Option A4, June 12 and so on.
The part of the play which depicted the second coming of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the emergence of late Shehu Musa Yar'Adua as his successor, and of course the latter's eventual death while still in office drew a thunderous applause from the audience in appreciation of the various actors that played those roles with artistic brilliance.
Theatre, over time, has been proved to be a veritable means of entertainment and education and children are drawn to programmes and events which allow them room to showcase their creativity. Likewise, during last month's Children's Day, House of Phoebe, a children's talent enhancement company based in Lagos organised a programme tagged 'ArtsFun' where over 50 schools converged at the SOS Children Village, Isolo to be trained in photography, creative writing, drama and visual arts. One of the facilitators of the programme, Olayiwola Awakan, a poet and playwright, expressed amazement at the turn out of children who were simply eager to learn new creative skills.
"I saw the passion in the children as they exhibited their innate potentials... and as a facilitator, one of the major things that I emphasised on was that "Nigerian children need to rise up to their responsibility by connecting with their creativity. It is their right! This, I believe, should be the basis for the commemoration of Children's Day and not mere festivity where the children would merry and continue wallowing in the hardship and threat posed to them by the nation. I hope there would be a rethink and next year's commemoration will be tailored towards creativity enhancement".
National Mirror