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If you ever thought the only way theatre can appear on a wall is
through the projection of motion pictures, then you should have seen the recent
exhibition of memorabilia by the Lagos State Chapter of the National
Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners. Titled ‘Flying Time’ and
curated by Dotun Popoola, the show, the first of its kind in the history of the
association’s 22-year existence, is an envelope of reflections and
reminiscences. Items on display included photographs, costumes, brochures,
posters, pamphlets and properties of the plays performed between the 1960s and
the mid-1990s. Held at the National Gallery of Art in Iganmu from March 19 to
March 29 with Yemisi Shyllon as a special guest of honour at the opening
ceremony, the show has enjoyed a tremendous viewing that now calls for an
encore.

All exhibited materials were sourced from Muraina Oyelami, an
active member of the then Duro Ladipo International Theatre; Bayo Oduneye of
the then School of Drama (Department of Theatre Arts), University of Ibadan,
who later became Head of Department of Theatre Arts at the Olabisi Onabanjo
University, Ago-Iwoye; and Segun Olusola, whose photographic archive preserves
reminiscences of old theatre performances in Ibadan, Lagos and even outside
Nigeria. One of such photographs is a 1959 performance by the Players of the
Dawn, featuring Segun Olusola, Christopher Kolade, Wole Soyinka, Elsie
Thomas-Nkunne (later Elsie Olusola), etc. In the image, they are all in their
20s and 30s and exude youthful exuberance. Other materials came from Femi Tade,
Secretary, Caretaker Committee of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts
Practitioners (ANTP), Lagos State Chapter; Ile-Ona Museum of Art and Archival
Materials, Iragbiji, the National Troupe of Nigeria, Zmirage Multimedia Ltd,
Ajibulu-Moniya Gallery, Diamond Productions, and the families of Hubert Ogunde
and Adeyemi Afolayan (Ade Love).

Archival images

Apart from photographic clips from Hubert Ogunde’s 1982 film,
Aiye and those from Ade Love’s Iya Ni Wura and the 1977 performance of Wale
Ogunyemi’s Langbodo featuring the youthful, but energetic Phillip Okolo as
Akara Ogun, there was also a very intriguing and amusing photograph of Lere
Paimo (popularly known as Eda Onile-Ola) in one of Duro Ladipo’s plays, titled
Eda. It was a 1963 performance where Paimo played the role of Eda, which has
since then become his stage name. There were also posters of plays such as Oba
Koso by Duro Ladipo, Obanta by Hubert Ogunde, Kongi’s Harvest by Wole Soyinka,
Ori by Funmi Odusolu produced by Gbenga Sonuga, Eni Aye Kan by Femi Tade, The
Black Jacobins by C. L. R. James, Ibinu Akogun by Hakeem Abiodun, and No Longer
At Ease and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Also on view were two
full-length films by Nigeria’s foremost filmmaker, Francis Oladele featuring
Orlando Martins, Johnny Seka, Sunny Oti and Uganda’s Princess Elizabeth of Toro

Story of theatre as told
in pictures

The Nigerian theatre is like a cat with nine lives. Its
never-say-die stance in the face of crunching economic imbroglio could only
attest to its strength and consistent growth over the years. Otherwise, how do we
explain the stifling factors and crippling conditions against theatre practice?
What are the roles of the government at all levels? What efforts have been put
in place to ensure the profession thrives in an enabling environment? The
photographs on display have shown clearly that theatre practice once enjoyed
financial boost from government and funding agencies. Where then did we lose
it? How did today’s corporate bodies arrive at a stingy policy of supporting
theatre projects with mere products?

Really, is it impossible to look at the modern-day theatre
practice without due reference to the pioneering efforts of great individuals
whose selfless contributions laid the foundation upon which today’s artist
plies his trade. What are the efforts of the pioneers like Hubert Ogunde, Duro
Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola and other partakers of the travelling theatre
experiments? How did the English medium theatre come at par with the Yoruba
experiments? The Players of the Dawn, an amateur theatre group established by
Segun Oluosla and others in 1959 and the emergence of Wole Soyinka’s 1960
Masks, a professional group that relied heavily on the membership of The
Players in 1960: what practical evidence is there to show that indeed, those
efforts ever took effect? Answers abound in those photographs and posters
displayed on the walls of the National Gallery of Art for 11 days in
commemoration of this year’s International Theatre Day.

Memorabilia don’t lie

In Lagos, where theatre performances complemented the vibrancy
of Ibadan; the Mbari Mbayo experiments at Osogbo which produced great plays
that redefined the Nigerian essence as opposed to the reigning dogmatism to the
Western theatrical ideology; these are testimonies that have been captured in
words in volumes of books and academic papers written and presented at various
fora by Nigerians and non-Nigerians. These testimonies have been recounted
verbally to give vent to its authenticity. Lagos NANTAP takes the view that
memorabilia don’t lie, hence its insistence that: “With such physical
evidences, it becomes imperative to reinforce and re-authenticate those stories
that have been told either verbally or in textual form. This is what informs
our decision to source for memorabilia materials”. Indeed, nothing can be more
stimulating and refreshing to the memory like those photographs, posters and
other items of memorabilia on display.

Flying time is worthy of being taken around the country. Showing
our living legends in action rekindles the memories of those who were part of
the experience and naturally challenges and inspires this generation of
thespians. Reflections on, and reminiscences of, the activities of the past are
bound to either remind or instruct us about the past. That the pieces were
displayed in their raw form underscores their archival essence. This allowed
the viewer to further appreciate the real age and potency of truth and meaning
embedded in all materials.

How we got here

To capture theatre experiences of the past in juxtaposition with
the 21st-century experiments, the organisers decided to engage Bayo Oduneye and
Muraina Oyelami (pioneering member of the award-winning Duro Ladipo National
Theatre) whose vast combined knowledge ispriceless. Their interviews as
contained in the commemorative brochure are a rare revelation on the theatrical
activities of the past and how the magic of the time was achieved. The two
interviews are featured on the first few pages of the brochure. On the opposing
sides are another set of refreshing interviews granted by Segun Adefila, Artistic
Director of the Crown Troupe of Africa and Wole Oguntokun of the Renegade
Theatre. Their unfolding experiences are captured in their own words, to the
delight of the reader. The four interviews speak volumes about how we actually
got here. They also give us a slight insight into what to expect in
contemporary Nigerian theatre over the next ten years.

The Nigerian theatre artist might have celebrated this year’s International
Theatre Day in the usual Nigerian way that entails staging performances with
little or no support from the government or corporate sector. The exhibition
was a reflection on our actions and performances. The show achieved its desired
effect, which compelled the viewers to behold those priceless pieces and
mutter, “How time flies!”