The gown theatrically united with the town in Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, last week when the students of Adekunle Ajasin University, based in the town, staged a play titled ‘All for Peace’. The performance was powered by Thespian Family Theatre and Productions, which is collaborating with some 14 universities across Nigeria to use theatre to create awareness for the environment. It is the second in the Komuniti Theatre Project series which started about weeks ago at BOWEN University, Iwo, with the staging of Rasaki Ojo Bakare’s Ekun Omi.
After first performing ‘All for Peace’ on AAUA campus, the cast and crew headed for the town where they mingled with market people and others, spreading the gospel of the environment as they invited them to watch the play. They performed in the town, including at the palace. The Head of the Department of Performing Arts at the University, Dr Abayomi Agboade Adegbamigbe, expressed delight at the experience. He is happy that the team was able to relate with the public with the play, while the students also had practical experience of functional drama.
‘All for Peace’ is woven around a group of 16 off-campus students in Ogunlowo’s multi-tenanted ramshackle building located next to a canal. Aside from its deplorable state of disrepair, only one toilet serves the entire house with a pipe channelling the waste directly to the canal.
The Department adds in a note that at the centre of all of these is Peace Opeifa whose parents decide to see where she lives off-campus after having been treated for typhoid and diarrhea for the umpteenth time. Upon seeing where Peace lives, her mother expresses a strong desire that Peace be evacuated immediately. The father, however, prevails on her to allow Peace to stay till the end of the semester. Trouble begins when the landlord, Ogunlowo, increases the rent. The students register their displeasure at the landlord’s refusal to carry out repairs and maintenance of the building which leads to a face-off between him and Zico (a student).
“Ogunlowo succeeds in getting Zico detained at the police station. Peace dashes to her villa to protect her belongings from getting damaged by the imminent rain. Soon the rain begins to pour. The flood rises and overwhelms the canal and the wall gives in to the flood leaving Peace at the mercy of the ferocious flood. Peace is washed away by the raging flood…
According to the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Thespian Family Theatre and Productions, Mrs Ayo Jaiyesinmi, the Komuniti Project will straddle BOWEN and AUUA, Dennis Osadebe University, Osun State University, Lagos State University, Ojo and Imo State University.
Also hosting the train are Ekiti State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Kaduna State University, Kogi State University, University of Abuja, University of Port Harcourt,University of Lafia
And University of Lokoja.
Jaiyesimi adds in a statement: “For over 20 years, THESPIAN Family Theatre & Productions has been dedicated to using visual storytelling to drive social and behavioral change through community-focused initiatives. This season, our spotlight is on the environment, a critical issue that demands attention. We are aligning our focus with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and zeroing in on SDGs 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 13, 14, and 15.
“The environment plays a vital role in our lives, and it is our responsibility to care for it and maintain ecological balance. Despite measures and propaganda, apathy remains a significant challenge. Therefore, we have taken a personal approach to address this issue. We are engaging with the community and community groups through workshops, readings, stage plays, competitions, and roadshows to reinforce government efforts and global interventions.”
She explains that the creative sector, particularly the performing arts, has the power to inspire social change by presenting vivid pictures of current situations, the need for change, and the benefits of collective action.
“We are collaborating with 14 universities in 2024/25 to drive awareness and social change. These universities will participate in workshops, scriptwriting, and performances to showcase environmental issues and promote sustainable practices,” she further notes.