When Isiaka Aliagan’s “Olubu” was presented in Abuja

The event drew in a crowd of enthusiasts and critics who gathered to watch the play reading and interact with the playwright, who currently serves as the Special Assistant on Media to the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. The evening opened with the event’s host, Mr Suh Jeong Sun, director of the Korean Cultural Centre […]

The event drew in a crowd of enthusiasts and critics who gathered to watch the play reading and interact with the playwright, who currently serves as the Special Assistant on Media to the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

The evening opened with the event’s host, Mr Suh Jeong Sun, director of the Korean Cultural Centre welcoming guests to the event and pledged the centre’s continued support for the monthly event.

Nollywood actor Francis Duru then took the floor to read a couple of Korean poems. The first was titled “Birds, Birds” and the second is “Performance”. His reading was roundly applauded.

Mr. Suh then returned to read the same poems in the Korean language. The mainly Nigerian audience did not understand the language but they applauded all the same.

Actors from Arojah Royal Theatre then took to the stage to read portions of the play.

Aliagan’s play focused on a traditional community’s system of fiercely preserving the sanctity of its identity and the bloodline of its members.

The protagonist’s attempt to live a normal life is constantly challenged by members of the community who question his paternity. They frustrate him and challenge him to prove that he is the son of the man he claims to be his father.

He and his mother were banished after it was revealed that he was conceived out of wedlock, when his mother was raped by a madman. Mother and child then commit suicide in order to bring their humiliation to an end.

The actors read, the audience listened and formed an opinion and waited for an opportunity to query the writer.

When Denja Abdullahi, erstwhile Secretary General of the Association of Nigerian Authors, introduced the person and works of the playwright, the audience was presented with the portrait of quite a gentleman.

Perhaps to ward off bellicose critics or soften their stance, the playwright, on coming on stage for the interactive session, explained that his work is a work of fiction and has nothing to do with his personal beliefs.

When the moderator, Jerry Adesowo asked him what inspired the story, Aliagan explained that the story was inspired by real people and places, recounting how he had come across some of the characters while growing up. However, he said, the story itself is fiction.

“The literary people are the conscience of the society,” he said, explaining that he merely chose to write on a tradition that had actually existed where he grew up.

However, the author graciously declined to answer questions from the audience as to why he created a society that was unforgiving and heartless as to persecute a man because of the circumstances of his birth.

He nevertheless explained why the work had to end in tragedy, saying he considered advice from the first cast that staged the play while he was still writing it. He actually said he agreed to the dual tragedy not to leave any loose ends in the story.

The event came to an end with the special guest of honour, Dr Paul Ohi, Director General of the National Administration for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) represented by Alhaji Jimoh Abubakar saying he was impressed by the event and pledged the agency’s support for the programme.