Literature
PATRICK-JUDE OTEH, the founder and Artistic Director of Jos Repertory Theatre, JRT, who holds Diploma, Bachelor degree (upper class) and Masters in Theatre Arts from the University of Ibadan and a Masters degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos, has a mission of making his theatre organisation the most successful in Nigeria. To achieve this mission he has, among other things, instituted the Jos Festival of Theatre, which takes place annually. This year?s edition, which is the 5th in the series, was very successful despite the challenges posed by the curfew imposed on the city of Jos following the recent sectarian crisis. He speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the event.
It has really affected our programme in the sense that we have to start the performance at 5 pm to 6 pm instead of our usual 7 pm. The turnout hasn?t been as much as it should be because rather than going home from office and having a rest before coming for the show, people have to come to the show directly after closing from office. And not many people could do that. But this is just a passing phase and the turnout hasn?t been as bad as we projected. The fact that we have this level of turnout is a pointer to the fact that a lot of people here still have a lot of resilience. The people?s spirit for this year?s festival has been extremely commendable.
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Literature
Jos Repertory Theatre is growing - Oteh (interview)
PATRICK-JUDE OTEH, the founder and Artistic Director of Jos Repertory Theatre, JRT, who holds Diploma, Bachelor degree (upper class) and Masters in Theatre Arts from the University of Ibadan and a Masters degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos, has a mission of making his theatre organisation the most successful in Nigeria. To achieve this mission he has, among other things, instituted the Jos Festival of Theatre, which takes place annually. This year?s edition, which is the 5th in the series, was very successful despite the challenges posed by the curfew imposed on the city of Jos following the recent sectarian crisis. He speaks to SUMAILA UMAISHA on the event.NNW: What informed the change of venue for this year?s edition of the Jos Festival of Theatre?
Patrick-Jude Oteh: The change in venue has its root in the November 2008 Jos crisis. So after consulting with all concerned, we decided to shift the venue from Crest Hotel, Old Airport Road, which had been the venue for the event for the past years, to Alliance Francaise, opposite Standard Building, which is more central. This will enable people to easily get to the venue and get back home, after the show, before the 9 pm curfew deadline.
In what ways has the curfew affected this year?s festival?
It has really affected our programme in the sense that we have to start the performance at 5 pm to 6 pm instead of our usual 7 pm. The turnout hasn?t been as much as it should be because rather than going home from office and having a rest before coming for the show, people have to come to the show directly after closing from office. And not many people could do that. But this is just a passing phase and the turnout hasn?t been as bad as we projected. The fact that we have this level of turnout is a pointer to the fact that a lot of people here still have a lot of resilience. The people?s spirit for this year?s festival has been extremely commendable.
What other challenges have you faced in this year?s festival, apart from those arising from the curfew?
The curfew has been our greatest challenge as we have to, despite our conscious effort to beat the curfew, keep reminding the anxious audience not to worry, the play would soon be over for them to leave.
What is new in the organization of this year?s festival?
In this year?s festival there has been more local participation as against previous festivals. For instance, during the festival, we had free drinks at the gate going with every ticket. And they were from our local collaborators. We even had an organization that decided to subsidize the ticket for students to attend. So that?s why we sold students? tickets at two hundred naira. I think we are gradually overcoming the challenge of funding. If we have fifteen organizations in Jos doing what organizations like Grand Cereals and Oil Mills Limited, Nigerian Film Corporation, SWAN Water, etc. are doing, I think the festival will be able to run as a full entity on its own. I believe we are getting there fast because the level of participation this year has been far more that what we?ve been expecting, and it is good.
What informed the choice of the play you presented this year?
It is informed by the recent Jos crisis. We chose plays that would promote dialogue, the basic human need for living together, tolerance, love for one another, etc. The plays, from Woza Albert to The Trials of Brother Jero were selected bearing in mind that all human beings have basic needs that are communal rather than individualistic. Some of the plays also reflect the angle of youths, which are being used as canon fodders by some politicians and religious leaders. They are in their millions and most are jobless. How could they be made useful? These are some of the questions raised by some of the plays. The basic tenet of making sure that we live together as a community is beginning to erode very fast. So these plays are our own contribution to the on-going debate and dialogue that is occurring within the country as a whole and Jos in particular.
What would you say are the cumulative effects of the Jos Annual Festival so far?
First and foremost, we have created awareness that relaxation is not only about going to sit down somewhere and drink beer and not going home till about 11 pm. People are becoming aware that with theatre you can have a good quality of life. Through our activities, your mind is stimulated, enabling you to contribute in discussions that are taken place on how to make the society better. Organizations like the Nigerian Film Corporation have seen the need that the theatre and film play roles that are complementary to each other. Jos Repertory Theatre is growing, so we are looking forward to a time when the festival will be self-sustaining and people will be more appreciative of whatever it is that we are trying to do. Right now there are some of us who have been part of the festival for the past four years who have moved on to other fields of endeavour but are still in the mainstream of theatre. So, soon we will have people who will say I passed through the training ground of Jos Repertory Theatre or the Jos Festival of Theatre. That, for us, will be very satisfying and we are already getting to that stage.
Finally, what would you like to say to your sponsors?
To the Ford Foundation, especially, we say a huge thank you. Three quarters of the festival would not have been possible without them. Also the French Cultural Centre has played a big role in this festival. They sponsored one of their own plays. Other sponsors, to whom we are grateful, are the Grand Cereal, Nigerian Film Corporation, Jos International Breweries, Coca Cola, 7Up, SWAN Water, etc. All of them have joined hands together to make sure that we are bringing hope back to this society. Again, we thank the Ford Foundation for having supported the festival to its fifth edition.
(c) Interviewed by SUMAILA UMAISHA and published in the 4/4/09 edition of the New Nigerian newspaper.
- Jrt And Theatre Promotion In Nigeria
Of the three main genres of literature, drama is the most practicable. Unlike poetry and prose that are mainly read and hardly performed, plays are meant to be performed. That is why the playwright goes the extra mile to ensure that whatever he has...
- National Sports Festival As Cultural Showcase (report & Photos)
The National Sports Festival holding in Kaduna (15th ? 25th February, 2009) is a proof of the fact that the biennial event is not just about sports but also about arts and culture, as various activities portraying Nigeria?s rich cultural heritage were...
- Sports And Culture As Tools For National Development
As Kaduna hosts the 16th National Sports Festival taking place from 15th to 25th February, 2009, SUMAILA UMAISHA examines the synergy between sports and cultre in relation to their roles in the development of Nigeria. Many people regard sporting activities...
- Promoting The Nigerian Pidgin English
The Nigerian Pidgin English has an ironic stigma that even language experts find difficult to understand. It is the most widely spoken language, the only unbiased lingua franca with interjections of many indigenous languages across the country, and it...
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