Literature
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 showcased.
Earlier, the Consultant and Artistic Director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival, Alhaji Yahaya S. Dangana, who was also responsible for the success of the cultural side of the 8th All Africa Games in Abuja, 2003, had in a press interview promised a wonderful cultural performance during the event. And so it came to pass. Every day of the games was a festival of cultural displays involving both famous and emerging talents.
The opening ceremony, which flagged off the 10-day event at the ultra-modern Ahmadu Bello Stadium, was particularly thrilling. Themed ?People, Leadership and Glory?, the ceremony featured cultural and contemporary musical performances and colourful calisthenics.
The activities marking the ceremony commenced at about 3 pm as dignitaries arrived the venue. The dignitaries included the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Arch. Namadi Sambo, and a host of other government functionaries. Among the
first artistes to perform were Angela Twani, who presented the festival?s theme song, titled ?Uniting As One?, and Ochanya Jessica Ebute, who rendered the festival?s poem, written by Alkasim Abdulkadir, National Publicity Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors. Others included Sani Musa Denja, an award-winning Hausa actor and musician, Diana Onyeka, a ballet dancer, and the internationally acclaimed Auta Yakubu, popularly known as Maman Gwari.
In all, 300 contemporary performers and 200 cultural performers were billed to perform at the opening, closing and other ceremonies throughout the period of the festival. They included cultural troupes from the state contingents and from Local Governments in Kaduna State.
The performances reached a climax as the Vice President, on behalf of President Umaru Musa Yar?Adua, declared the festival open. The declaration was marked with an epic stadium theatre, ?Invocation from the Roots?, featuring an elaborate theatre piece, full of dance, music and colourful calisthenics. Executed in systematic movements that lasted for about an hour, the show portrayed in a most artistic manner the historical, social, cultural and political significance of Kaduna State. The main highlights were the celebration of the Nok Culture dating back to 500BC, the famous Queen Amina of Zaria, the coming of Europeans and the emergence of Kaduna as a melting pot of diverse cultures and a metropolitan city that continues to grow in leaps and bounds.
The spectacular calisthenics was performed by about 1000 agile youths. Their acts, which were woven around the theme, ?Aspire and Celebrate?, were executed with captivating images, movements and spectacles that emphasized the strength of the Nigerian youth, a harmonious nationhood and unity in diversity.
Of course, the show did not end with the opening ceremony; throughout the ten days of the event, about seven artistes or groups performed at the Games Village located at the Trade Fair Complex along Zaria Road, where most of the athletes were lodged. Every evening, from 8 pm to 11 pm, the conference centre or the amphitheatre at the village becomes agog with musical and other forms of entertainment.
The second day of the event featured the presentation of the official play of the festival at the conference centre. Titled The Royal Chamber, the award-winning play was written by Yahaya S. Dangana and directed by Mr. Patrick Oteh, Artistic Director of Jos Repertory Theatre.
The play, which also served as the official play for the 8th All Africa Games in Abuja, and staged at the 2004 National Festival of Plays, National Theatre, Lagos, has as its main focus leadership and corruption in traditional institutions.
It was quite a memorable occasion as the audience was treated to royal dances and breathtaking conflicts between the king and his subjects.
Subsequent nights were as well characterized by excitements at the games village, with upcoming artistes like Veronica Joseph, Dan Hausawa and others performing to the delight of the audience made up of mainly athletes.
It was indeed a week of nonstop entertainment.
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Literature
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 showcased.Earlier, the Consultant and Artistic Director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival, Alhaji Yahaya S. Dangana, who was also responsible for the success of the cultural side of the 8th All Africa Games in Abuja, 2003, had in a press interview promised a wonderful cultural performance during the event. And so it came to pass. Every day of the games was a festival of cultural displays involving both famous and emerging talents.The opening ceremony, which flagged off the 10-day event at the ultra-modern Ahmadu Bello Stadium, was particularly thrilling. Themed ?People, Leadership and Glory?, the ceremony featured cultural and contemporary musical performances and colourful calisthenics.
The activities marking the ceremony commenced at about 3 pm as dignitaries arrived the venue. The dignitaries included the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Arch. Namadi Sambo, and a host of other government functionaries. Among the
first artistes to perform were Angela Twani, who presented the festival?s theme song, titled ?Uniting As One?, and Ochanya Jessica Ebute, who rendered the festival?s poem, written by Alkasim Abdulkadir, National Publicity Secretary of Association of Nigerian Authors. Others included Sani Musa Denja, an award-winning Hausa actor and musician, Diana Onyeka, a ballet dancer, and the internationally acclaimed Auta Yakubu, popularly known as Maman Gwari.In all, 300 contemporary performers and 200 cultural performers were billed to perform at the opening, closing and other ceremonies throughout the period of the festival. They included cultural troupes from the state contingents and from Local Governments in Kaduna State.
The performances reached a climax as the Vice President, on behalf of President Umaru Musa Yar?Adua, declared the festival open. The declaration was marked with an epic stadium theatre, ?Invocation from the Roots?, featuring an elaborate theatre piece, full of dance, music and colourful calisthenics. Executed in systematic movements that lasted for about an hour, the show portrayed in a most artistic manner the historical, social, cultural and political significance of Kaduna State. The main highlights were the celebration of the Nok Culture dating back to 500BC, the famous Queen Amina of Zaria, the coming of Europeans and the emergence of Kaduna as a melting pot of diverse cultures and a metropolitan city that continues to grow in leaps and bounds.The spectacular calisthenics was performed by about 1000 agile youths. Their acts, which were woven around the theme, ?Aspire and Celebrate?, were executed with captivating images, movements and spectacles that emphasized the strength of the Nigerian youth, a harmonious nationhood and unity in diversity.Of course, the show did not end with the opening ceremony; throughout the ten days of the event, about seven artistes or groups performed at the Games Village located at the Trade Fair Complex along Zaria Road, where most of the athletes were lodged. Every evening, from 8 pm to 11 pm, the conference centre or the amphitheatre at the village becomes agog with musical and other forms of entertainment.
The second day of the event featured the presentation of the official play of the festival at the conference centre. Titled The Royal Chamber, the award-winning play was written by Yahaya S. Dangana and directed by Mr. Patrick Oteh, Artistic Director of Jos Repertory Theatre.
The play, which also served as the official play for the 8th All Africa Games in Abuja, and staged at the 2004 National Festival of Plays, National Theatre, Lagos, has as its main focus leadership and corruption in traditional institutions.
It was quite a memorable occasion as the audience was treated to royal dances and breathtaking conflicts between the king and his subjects.
Subsequent nights were as well characterized by excitements at the games village, with upcoming artistes like Veronica Joseph, Dan Hausawa and others performing to the delight of the audience made up of mainly athletes.
It was indeed a week of nonstop entertainment.
PICTURES from the event:
1. Angela Twani (presenter of the festival's theme song) twisting the night away!
2. Ochanya Jessica Ebute, reciting the festival's poem
3, 4 & 5. Scenes from Yahaya Dangana's play, The Royal Chamber.
6. Sani Musa Denja doing the Hausa Hip-hop
7. Horse men at the opening ceremony
(c) By Sumaila Umaisha, published in the 2/12/09 of New Nigerian newspaper.
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