Tropical Journal of Arts and Humanities 2(2), 8-17, 2020 ISSN: 2645-2529 (Print) 2645-2537 (Online) Available online at credencepressltd.com DOI: 10.47524/tjah.v2i2.8
Modern Nigerian drama and its generation of playwrights
Alex Roy-Omoni Department of English and Literary Studies Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria Email: [email protected]
Abstract Many scholars have written on the beginning and development of modern Nigerian drama. This paper is an attempt to do same, with reference to the views expressed, divergent as they are, by these scholars, on the beginning and development of Nigerian drama from its inception to the present. These views are matched so that the forms of modern Nigerian drama and the different generations of Nigerian playwrights are re-visited, for proper documentation and reference.
Key words: Modern, Generation, Nigerian Drama, Forms and Pioneering Efforts
Introduction groups has produced innovative playwrights Different attempts have been made by and significant and innumerable works of scholars and critics to document Nigerian drama. In fact, in a broader perspective, drama from its inception to date. Notable Nigerian literature of which Nigerian drama among them are Oyin Ogunba‟s “Theatre in is a sub-genre, is now, according to Ezechi Africa”, an article in Presence Africaine Onyerionwu and Allwell Abalogu (55), the (1966), Joel Adedeji‟s 1966 Ph.D Thesis at hotbed of African literature, judging from its Ibadan titled “The Alarinjo Theatre: A Study qualitative and quantitative outputs. Abiola of Yoruba Theatrical Art Form from its Irele‟s corroboration of this statement is Earliest Beginning to the Present Time” and very relevant today. According to him, his article “Oral Tradition and the “literary creation is the one area of Contemporary Theatre in Nigeria” in contemporary endeavour and achievement in Research in African Literatures (1971). which Nigeria has an undisputed claim to Others are Yemi Ogunbiyi‟s edited Drama supremacy in Africa” (101). Irele‟s and Theatre in Nigeria (1981 & 2014), statement is still relevant today because the Biodun Jeyifo‟s The Yoruba Travelling plays published in Nigeria by Nigerian Theatre in Nigeria (1984), Chris Dunton‟s playwrights since 1990 to date are Make Man Talk True (1991), and Olu unprecedented. Obafemi‟s Contemporary Nigerian Theatre (1996) which Osita Okagbue describes as Modern Nigerian drama: Its beginning “the first comprehensive study of It will be difficult to take a statistics of the contemporary Nigerian theatre” (146). number of plays written between 1990 and However, an attempt is made here, to now, compared to the one taken by Bernth summarise all these writers‟ views as to the Lindfors in 1982 where he presents a table historical development of modern Nigerian of Nigerian plays published between 1952 drama from its inception to date. Nigeria as and 1967: an African nation with multifarious cultural
8 Alex Roy-Omoni: Modern Nigerian drama and its generation of playwrights
Year Number of plays published 1952 0 1953 0 1954 0 1955 0 1956 4 1957 0 1958 0 1959 0 1960 0 1961 1 1962 1 1963 7 1964 6 1965 4 1966 3 1967 2_ 28
The above statistics shows that Shakespeare‟s Julius Caesar into Efik, his between 1952 and 1967 (16 years), only native language. twenty eight plays were published. The Henshaw‟s pioneering dramatic implication of the above is that modem upsurge was followed by Wole Soyinka‟s Nigerian drama (written Nigerian drama) debut in 1958. From then onward, started in 1956 with the publication of four playwrights and theatre scholars began to plays. Remi Ademola Adedokun (11) sprout and thrive in their diversified groups. informs us that the heritage of written drama Since 1958 when Wole Soyinka‟s The in Nigeria (modem Nigerian drama) Swamp Dwellers and The Lion and the ostensibly began in 1956 with the Jewel were produced, as Gerald Moore (78) publication of James Ene Henshaw‟s This Is makes us to understand, traces of African Our Chance. He reveals that James Ene oriented works of Nigerian playwrights Henshaw, a medical practitioner, was the started to appear, including J.P. Clark‟s first notable Nigerian playwright. This Is Song of a Goat, The Raft, Ozidi and The Our Chance was followed subsequently by Masquerade. The creativity of the Ibadan Medicine for Love (1961), Children of the School of Drama as well as the Goddess (1964), Dinner for Promotion encouragement derived from the attainment (1965) and Jewels of the Shrine (1965) all of political independence in 1960, promoted by Henshaw. His other plays include A Man more seriousness and productivity in of Character, Companion for a Chief and writing, leading to increased fame for Enough Is Enough. At the time of modem Nigerian drama. Since it would be Henshaw‟s demise on August 16, 2007, he difficult to enumerate all the Nigerian had just finished translating William playwrights since 1956 to date, it is better to
Tropical Journal of Arts and Humanities, Volume 2, Number 2, 2020 9 Alex Roy-Omoni: Modern Nigerian drama and its generation of playwrights look at modem Nigerian drama from the preceded modem Nigeria drama will suffice point of view of its generation of writers and because of their basic influence on modem their thematic concerns. Nigerian drama as already pointed out. As Adedokun reveals, “Alarinjo” theatre is a Pioneering efforts Yoruba traditional theatre which evolved Despite the above insight into the beginning from the masquerade cult. Masking, of modem Nigerian drama, its historical chanting, dancing and drumming are basic excursion would be incomplete without elements of this theatre. “Alarinjo” theatre, taking a backward glance to its predecessor. Adedokun further reveals, grew from a One basic reason for this is that the thematic religious motive of ancestral worship to the concerns of Nigerian playwrights from 1956 secular court entertainment. The word can easily be traced to the dramatic events “Alarinjo”, he says, is a derivative before the inception. Most of these events appellation meaning „common itinerant were in the oral traditions of the towns and dancer” and it is an equivalence of the villages where these playwrights come from “Travelling Theatre” of Ogunde and his and from where they borrowed their themes colleagues, though they are not the same in which they incorporate into their plays. form, style and content. Joel Adedeji‟s What this means is that in preliterate “„Alarinjo‟: The Traditional Yoruba Nigeria, there were festivals, rituals and Travelling Theatre” is a good reference other traditional performances and which point. According to him, the Alarinjo Nigerian playwrights had to incorporate into theatres first emerged from the dramatic their works. This is why, in his theory of roots of the Egungun (masquerade) in evolutionism in drama, Clark traces the ancestor worship and was first performed on origin of Nigerian drama to the tribal myths, Wednesday, February 22, 1826 in the palace rituals and lore. He asserts that: of the Alaafin of Qyo (27). Biodun Jeyifo‟s We believe that, as the roots of book, The Yoruba Popular Travelling the European drama go back to Theatre of Nigeria is also a good reference the Egyptian Osiris and the point. Greek Dionysius, so are the In their (Adedeji, Adedokun and origins of Nigerian drama Jeyifo) submissions, apart from the richness likely to be found in the early of the “Alarinjo” theatre in cultural content, religious and magical versatility of its artists in music, dance, ceremonies and festivals of the folklore and spectacle, the fact is also there people of this century. (56) that the Alarinjo theatre which predated the 1946 emergence of modem Yoruba Prior to the founding of the Travelling Theatre of Hubert Ogunde, had University College, Ibadan and its an imperishable tradition upon which the associated theatrical and dramatic activities, modem travelling theatre heavily relied for and dating from the pre-colonial times, continuity; and from which the literary numerous performances had provided theatre could leave an eclectic taste. After theatrical atmosphere in Nigeria. These the era of Alarinjo, Yoruba travelling ranged from the traditional African theatre, which Darah (5) prefers to call performance genres like the masquerade, “Itinerant Theatre” came on board. The ritual displays, festivals, storytelling, dance, leader of the park was Hubert Ogunde who music, etc. It was at this time that “Alarinjo” formed his first opera group: African theatre thrived. Research Music Party in 1944, four years A peep into this “Alarinjo” theatre before the establishment of the University and then folk theatre which of course College Ibadan. It will be recalled that J.P.
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Clark in his classification of Nigerian pamphlets of the literature appeared in drama, prefers to group this folk theatre of Onitsha in 1947. Obiechina explains the Ogunde and others as part of modem important position of Onitsha Market Nigerian drama. Darah, Jeyifo and others Literature in the beginnings of literary have written much on folk theatre in drama in Nigeria. Onoriose would rather Nigeria. Apart from Hubert Ogunde, often prefer to classify all literatures produced referred to as the doyen of Nigerian drama, during this period as popular literature others are Duro Ladipo, Moses Olaiya ( The which he says “marks the commencement of founder of The Alawada Theatre), Oyin Nigeria‟s endeavour at literary creativity in Adejobi, Kola Ogunmola, Isola Ogunsola ( the English Language” (86). Referring to the also known as I Show Pepper), Lere Paimo, literature at Onitsha, Donatus Nwoga posits Ade Love, to mention a few. While listing that locally published pamphlet novels and one hundred and fifteen different groups in plays commonly called Nigerian this category, Jeyifo reveals that it is Chapbooks, began to appear in 1947 in virtually impossible to obtain the accurate market bookstalls (26). Supporting Nwoga‟s number of Travelling Theatre groups that view, Obiechina reveals that the first existed in any one given period (200). Nigerian play (not under the rubrics of Ogunde alone, the pioneer folk theatre serious literature) was written by the title, practitioner, produced many plays which Veronica My Daughter by Ogali A. Ogali. were acted all over the country. Many of Others are My Seven Daughters Are After these plays were satires to expose the ills of Young Boys by Nathan Njoku and The the colonial administrators, even the Western Crisis and the Army Take Over of Nigerian leaders after independence. 1966 by an anonymous writer. Dapo While the folk theatre practitioners Adelugba also informs us that in 1950 (of were busy with their performances, a course before 1956 when the first serious theatrical and dramatic writing that was play in Nigeria was written), Nigeria held classed as “Onitsha Market Literature” her first Arts Festival which included lively which pioneered literary writing in drama competitions in literature and drama. And and prose, emerged in the 1940s. Many that from 1956, the School of Drama at the scholars had written much on this. Notable University College Ibadan began to produce among them are G.G. Darah, Emmanuel plays by Nigerian playwrights. Obiechina, Obi Maduakor, and a host of Yemi Ogunbiyi also points out that others. Darah‟s explanation will serve a Onitsha Market Literature has been ascribed useful purpose. According to him, Onitsha with the quality of providing “clues towards Market Literature which he refers to as “The understanding the earliest forms of Onitsha Literary Renaissance”, was an contemporary Nigerian literary drama such intellectual revolution involving a whole as Igu‟s John in the Romance of True Love range of writers, readers, journalists, traders, and Ogali‟s Veronica My Daughter (25-26). booksellers, printers and teenage students What this has shown is that apart from the (6). In the introduction to his book, Onitsha traditional drama, “Alarinjo” and Modern Literature, Obiechina informs us that one of Travelling Theatre which predate modern the major factors that influenced the ideas Nigerian drama, Onitsha Market Literature found in Onitsha Market Literature is the also provides the necessary illuminating African folklore tradition. He submits that force in the history and evolution of Modern “the pamphlet‟s constant combination of Nigerian Drama before the establishment of entertainment with didactic intent derives the School of Drama in the University directly from the African folktale” (19). College, Ibadan. According to Obiechina, the first popular
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Forms of modern Nigerian drama and the theatre for development In their discussions of the various features (Community based) as the major forms of or forms of Nigerian drama, scholars and Nigerian drama. Biodun Jeyifo‟s critics have come out with contradictory but categorisation, however, is along ideological slightly related groupings. For example, J. P. lines. According to him, Nigerian drama is Clark, in his “Aspects of Nigerian Drama”, divided into the Conservative, the Reformist divides Nigerian drama into traditional and and the Revolutionary. modem drama. He makes it clear that From the above varied forms of traditional drama had existed before the Nigerian drama by scholars and critics, Ola establishment or coming of modem drama. Rotimi‟s typology appeals to us. We have According to him, traditional Nigerian been able to discover that modern Nigerian drama includes sacred (religious) and drama sprouted from the School of Drama secular drama. In his analysis of sacred when the seed of educational theatre was drama, he identifies ancestral worships of planted in the University College Ibadan, the gods and festivals. Secular drama to him now University of Ibadan. This “tendril” includes myths, plays, masquerades, age (modern Nigerian drama) developed groups and cults. Modem Nigerian drama, significantly between 1956 and 1970 and he says, includes folk theatre (as practised since then, it has continued to soar, owing to by Hubert Ogunde, Kola Ogunmola and a the number of published works. host of others) and literary drama (written plays). Generations of Nigerian playwrights and In his own categorisation, Ola their thematic concerns Rotimi posits that Nigerian drama falls into Critics have disagreed on the use of the four major forms: Ritual drama, Traditional word “generation” to classify the different drama, Folk opera and Nigerian drama. sects or groups of playwrights, especially Saint Gbilekaa‟s typology is twofold: Nigerian playwrights. To some of them, the Traditional and Modem (Literary Drama). word is inadequate. While some like Traditional as far as he is concerned, Ogunbiyi prefer the word. Wumi Raji rather involves dramatic rituals (festivals, sacred prefers the word “age”. According to him, ceremonies and masquerades), popular “in adopting the term in this essay, however, tradition and Yoruba travelling theatre. As I take the factor of change into for Olu Obafemi, who decides to take a cue consideration” (624). However, he cautions from the radical English critic, Ratmond that his update is not rigid because “writers Williams, Nigerian drama can be classified do not retire” (624). He buttresses his point into Residual, Dominant and the Emergent by observing that Wole Soyinka, J. P. Clark drama. Residual drama in Nigeria, according and others “who have been grouped together to him, refers to those indigenous dramatic in the first generation have continued to forms which include the ritual and festival produce, right to the present moment” (624). performances involving dramatic elements, Allwell Abalogu Onukaogu and the indigenous dramatic heritages of local Ezechi Onyerionwu had earlier drawn communities and the early contemporary attention to this when they observed that, indigenous theatres. Dominant drama, he “writers like Femi Osofisan, Olu Obafemi, says, embraces literary drama of English Tess Onwueme, Niyi Osundare, Emeka expression and the emergent drama mainly Nwabueze, among others, have „reinvented‟ comprises the “young generation of themselves as significant voices of the dramatists.” Michael Etherton in his own present time, after also having featured categorisation, identifies the traditional prominently in other generations of the drama, the arts theatre (University based) Nigerian dramatic trade” (174-175). In our
Tropical Journal of Arts and Humanities, Volume 2, Number 2, 2020 12 Alex Roy-Omoni: Modern Nigerian drama and its generation of playwrights study, we shall opt for the word of Ibadan. Axworthy‟s list of first generation “generation” to categorise the different of Nigerian playwrights is an extension to groups of Nigerian playwrights from the Kofoworolola‟s. He includes Joel Adedeji, inception of modern Nigerian drama to date. James Henshaw and Sonny Oti who all This is an addition to Raji‟s 2014 update on wrote before 1967. According to Axworthy, the developments that have greeted Nigerian these playwrights wrote plays that dealt with dramatic writing since 1981. social and traditional issues and that “all In his study of the trends in the these playwrights stasrted to write plays that theory and criticism of African drama, Ziky can be considered traditional and historical O. Kofoworola lists three generations of plays. These writers started to go back into Nigerian playwrights. According to him, the history and awaken the cultural values of the first generation of Nigerian playwrights rich history of Nigerians” (qtd in Yerima, comprises Wole Soyinka, J.P. Clark, Ola 67). Roimi, Wale Ogunyemi, Kalu Uka and Zulu The second generation of Nigerian Sofola. He draws attention to the fact that playwrights, according to Kowoforola, the categorisations are not based on the age comprises renowned playwrights like Femi grades of the playwrights and they are not Osofisan (who Muyiwa Awodiya sees as strictly meant to reflect the ethnic and socio- Soyinka‟s heir apparent), Henry Iyorwuese cultural background of the playwrights. He Hagher, Olu Obafemi, Bode Sowande, Tess observes that the writings of the playwrights Onwueme, Bode Osanyin and Effiong of the various categories cannot be strictly Johnson. According to him, this generation classified as some kind of water-tight of Nigerian playwrights employed the compartmentalised categorisation. He radical approach through their Marxist and further observes that in spite of the above, Socialist Ideologies as ways of achieving some distinctive factors can be recognised in liberation struggles by the African nations. the categorisations. According to him, the This view of a change in the thematic pre- first generation of Nigerian playwrights occupations of the second generation of “were produced at the throes or the dawn of Nigerian playwrights from their first Nigerian independence” (27). He goes generation counterparts had earlier in 1981 further to mention the significant features of been canvassed by Yemi Ogunbiyi. that period which include the struggles for Ogunbiyi‟s list of the second generation independence from the colonial hegemony, Nigerian playwrights is somewhat different the search for cultural identity by the new from that of Kofoworola. Ogunbiyi‟s list Nigerian nationhood and the transition include Fela Davis, Comish Ekiye, Soji phenomena brought about by modem system Simpson, Kole Omotosho, Mezi Nzewi, of government, education, socio-economic Laolu Ogunniyi, Zulu Sofola, Ahmed changes and the need for political stability Yerima and Wale Ogunyemi whom he, (28). though arguably, says is “by far the most Kofoworola‟s explanation of the prolific of these writers”(36). Others that he thematic canvas of the first generation of had included which Kofoworola also Nigerian playwrights is a confirmation of mentions are Femi Osofisan, Bode Osanyin Geoffrey Axworthy‟s treatise in the and Bode Sowande. Ogunbiyi reveals that interview he granted Ahmed Yerima after he “this crop of playwrights are set apart from left Nigeria in 1967. Axworthy was the first their first compatriots not necessarily by any expatriate of the Ibadan School of Drama. substantial age difference (where it does He was invited to Ibadan in 1956 by exist at all) but rather by temperament and Professor (Mrs.) Molly Mahood, also an vision” (36). Geoffrey Axworthy in the expatriate, the then first female Dean of Arts interview he granted Ahmed Yerima in
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1982, corroborates Ogunbiyi‟s statement by use literature as a weapon of social change” saying that in the late 1970s and 1980s (33). (which by implication refers to the second Raji disagrees with Ogunbiyi who generation of Nigerian playwrights), the listed Zulu Sofola and Wale Ogunyemi as trend of theatre and drama in Nigeria belonging to the second generation. Raji witnessed a great change. According to him, says these two writers belong to the first and there was a change from the “old guard” of not second generation. Raji further adds Olu writers (by implication first generation) who Obafemi and Tess Onwueme to the list of wrote of pre-and post-independence, and the second generation, which Ogunbiyi historical and traditional writers, to a more omitted. Emphasising the thematic concern committed set of writers. His own list tallies of the second generation, Raji says: with that of Kofoworola. As for Olu Almost to the last person, the Obafemi, the second generation of Nigerian dramatists are socially conscious, dramatists includes Femi Osofisan, Kole anchoring their works on Omotosho, Bode Sowande, Tunde Fatunde ideologies which admittedly have and Tess Onwueme. He says the plays of western origins but which have these writers “deal urgently with been carefully adopted into contemporary social problems in Nigeria indigenous contexts. Advancing with the aim of raising mass awareness of a the theme of inevitability of social positive revolutionary alternative to the change, they demonstrate an present decadence” (168). He goes further to attitude of openness towards say that these playwrights deal with subjects different aspects of inherited as topical as the phenomenon of armed traditions, refining them to suit the robbery, students‟ rampage, class struggle, moods of the postcolonial corruption, fierce anti-capitalism and moment… (636). feminist concerns” (168). According to him, theirs is to use their drama to effect social Kofoworola‟s typology of third change. generation of Nigerian playwrights includes Austin Ovigue Asagba‟s view is in Emeka Nwabueze, Sam Ukala, Ahmed line with that expressed by the earlier Yerima (whom Ogunbiyi classifies under mentioned critics. According to him, the second generation), S.O.O Amali, Ayo theatre of the 1970s and 1980s were: Akinwale, U.B. Ahmed and Julie Okoh. Raji characterized by profuse includes Uko Atai, Esiaba Irobi and Taiwo ideological concerns aimed at Oloruntoba-Oju to the list. He is of the view enlightenment and education that the third generation wrote from the late of the masses ... The 1990s and eighties to the end of the nineties (1985- beyond have ushered in a new 1999). thinking process, As for their thematic concern, characterized by the yearning Kofoworola argues that these are folkloric for democratic values, human playwrights who have continued to adapt the rights, freedom and improved resources of oral traditions in their plays. social life for the masses. (82) Critics of twenty-first century Nigerian drama notably Mabel Evwierhoma, Ezechi Muyiwa Awodiya‟s study agrees Onyerionwu, Allwell Abalogu Onukaogu totally with the above. Though in his own and a host of others, agree that old writers list, he adds Niyi Osundare. In his own like Osofisan, Obafemi, Onwueme, view, he says “the thrust of the revolt of the Osundare, Nwabueze, Julie Okoh and second generation of Nigerian writers is to others, have not stopped writing even in the
Tropical Journal of Arts and Humanities, Volume 2, Number 2, 2020 14 Alex Roy-Omoni: Modern Nigerian drama and its generation of playwrights twenty-first century. Evwierhoma sees them would have been incapable of securing slots as writers that have “reinvented” themselves of any special worth in earlier generations of in order to be part of the new generation of Nigerian drama” (l76). These writers write Nigerian playwrights. Of the new on different issues “from all angles”. There millennium playwrights, Evwierhoma posits is no manifesto that guards the new writings. that: Writers are free to write on any area of We are going to see younger human endeavour. The proliferation of writers and then we are going themes, as Onukaogu and Onyerionwu to see writers who have observe, include, “family squabbles, traversed the generational intimate relationships, community gaps, reinventing their own existential struggles, womanist agitators creativity in trying to adapt to against malevolent cultural practices and technological innovations, to even magic realism” (177). Furthermore, problem and developmental they observe that the new millennium issues. (qtd in Onukaogu and Nigerian playwrights‟ thematic concerns Onyerionwu, 174). also include “historical reconstructions and adaptations, which have complemented the Raji corroborates this view when he natural, understandable propensity to posits that, Wole Soyinka, J. P. Clark and capture contemporary realities” (177). In others “who have been grouped together in addition to the above, many have continued the first generation have continued to to adapt the resources of oral traditions in produce, right to the present moment” (624). their plays. Notable among these old writers who have “reinvented” themselves as significant Conclusion voices in the new millennium are Rasaki What this brief historical survey of modern Ojo Bakare (Once Upon a Tower (2000), Nigerian drama has revealed is that modern Niyi Osundare (The State Visit (2002), Julie Nigerian drama right from its inception in Okoh (Aisha (2005) and Closed Doors 1956 has recorded four generations of its (2006), Tess Onwueme Why The Elephant playwrights up to the twenty-first century. Has No Butt (2000); Shakara: Dance-Hall Each generation has produced well known Queen (2000) and Then She Said It (2002)), playwrights and its thematic pre- Femi Osofisan Women of Owu (2006), and occupations. The fourth generation does not Sam Ukala (Fumes of Fuel (2009), to have a major thematic underpinning. It mention a few. discusses various issues from domestic The new millennium has ushered in violence, child abuse, examination the fourth generation of Nigerian malpractice, marital problems, playwrights. The new millennium writers environmental degradation, and (twenty-first century writers) include Hope incorporation of oral elements in their Eghagha, Isiaka Aliagan, Chris Anyokwu, writings to mention a few. The various John Iwuh, Onyebuchi Nwosu, Chris Ngozi groupings of the playwrights into Okoro, Chukwuma Anyanwu, Peter Omoko, generations have shown some slight Augustine Anigala, Felix Akinsipe, Helen differences but generally, they have revealed Hahila, Stephen Kekeghe, Alex Roy-Omoni, some notable creative artistes in the area of and others. As for their thematic drama in Nigeria. preoccupation, Onukaogu and Onyeriowu posit that the Nigerian drama of the twenty- Works cited first century is characterised by “a Adedeji, Joel. “Oral Tradition and the proliferation of themes, some of which Contemporary Theatre in Nigeria”.
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