By Osaigbovo Frank Okundia
There is excitement in the air at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub and Sound Stage in Benin City, as international partners, government functionaries, mystros in the entertainment sector and youths from all over Edo State graced the opening ceremony of the ENINA theatre festival.
The participants gathered to witness the rich cultural heritage of the state and the creative prowess of youths trained in the just concluded 3 weeks bootcamp organised by the Edo State Skills Development Agency, in partnership with GIZ, Skye and SDC. Breathtaking times as the three day event kicked off in grand style with attendees from all over Nigeria and diaspora.
The festival has not only attempted to show how economic growth can be achieved through theatre arts but also brings to the fore the rich heritage of Edo State emphasising the culture of attending theatre performances both to preserve cultural heritage and hand it over to the next generation to build on. ENINA which is an Edo term means “Humanity” and metaphorically, “a good heart”. It is no wonder, Edo State is referred to as the heartbeat of Nigeria.
To the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, creative art has become a tool his administration intends to use in creating jobs, and propelling the youth population of the State to better improve both their socio economic livelihood and also the Edo State creative economy.
“It is our desire to make our creative sector a viable sub-sector of our economy. This festival by its theme not only celebrates the exceptional talents and performances, but also fosters diversity and inclusivity. We understand the imperative of this resolve to make theatre thrive and to enable a vibrant creative economy for Edo State. More importantly, its overarching goal is to enable and promote skills and confidence in our youth that will lead to a lucrative career in the creative industry”.
This maiden festival features stage plays, dramas, musicals and more developed by individuals, youth, and secondary school students trained by Edojobs and its partners in stage making, costume design, lighting, theatre arts as revealed by the MD Edojobs, Mrs Violet Obiokoro in her keynote address. The event also shows the possibility of youth monetising their skills in the realm of art and developing careers out of it.
“The Edo State Skills Development Agency has masterminded this festival to promote creative skills development, particularly in the realm of theatre performances. Our aim is to resurrect this fading culture and to create avenues for the state youth to embark on careers in the creative industry, monetizing their skills through gated performances” Obiokoro added.
Theatre arts is also a means for social change, artistic development, technological innovations and a tool for job creation. This was expressed by the keynote speaker, Professor Isoken Salami-Agunloye, who played the role of Idén in 1969, in her young days, a decision which piqued her interest to study theatre arts and do a deep dive into Bini women history with numerous plays written about them.
She hoped Investors present at the event would take the opportunity to invest in “this very fertile ground” as a dividend that will be of great benefit to the nation, adding that the occasion is timely and geared towards leveraging theatre for job opportunities and showcasing the value chain of the Nigerian creative industry for wealth creation and redistribution.
Mr Tobias Wolfgarten, the Head of Projects, GIZ Skye, visibly impressed with the level of progress achieved by the hub within one year, congratulated Mr Obaseki, Edo jobs and the creative hub for the tremendous progress recorded by “making the hub a vibrant centre of greatness, of art, of culture, of film, of theatre and the opportunities that it offers for youth to find employment and for businesses in Edo state to grow”.
As the festival continues on Saturday, participants are highly expectant of the remaining two days after seeing what day one held for them.
To Iyobosa Aigbe Osifo, an Actor and thespian, the ENINA Festival is an opportunity for him to relive his acting days. “I expect to see something marvellous on stage. That is why I am here, as a wake up call to refresh our minds and with some great hands involved in this project, I know we are going to have top notch experience.”
This is a platform where innovation intertwines with tradition; this is the ENINA Theatre Festival 2023.
Day one of the festival saw performances by
X-Factor Brass Orchestra, TAPI Drum Ensemble,
Let Me Die Alone (VUCHSS), Water Side (PT), and JOROMI: The Musical (VUCHSS).
The panel discussion was tagged:
Building a Sustainable Theatre Ecosystem
Theatre in Nigeria: The Imperative of Non-Governmental Partnerships/Sponsorships, with the MD Edojobs, Head, Productions – VUCH, MD, Tourism – GIZ/SKYE, Chuma Anagbado, and Joshua Alabi as panellists.
