Entertainment

Olutayo Irantiola’s Historical Play, The Okeho Exodus set for Release November 2022

Published

2 years ago

October 31, 2022

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

Sponsored by: H&H

The Historical play titled The Òkehò Exodus, written by Olutayo Irantiola, is set for release November 2022.

The play is a unique documentation of the story of Òkehò, the headquarters of Kajola Local Government area of Oyo State, South West, Nigeria.

This is a dramatic documentation of a specific episode in the story of Òkehò, the regicide of Ońjò Olúkìtìbí, in 1916, an incident that changed the Òkehò story drastically.

After the unfortunate incident, the British colonial administration stepped in to restore law and order in its way.

Its ultimate order was for Okeho to relocate from its nature-endowed refuge in the hills of Òkehò-Ahoro to its present site from which it had been forced to flee the Fulani and Dahomey invaders. It is this part of the story of Òkehò that is effectively captured in this drama.

The Òkehò Exodus has been receiving several praises ahead of its release, Professor Segun Gbadegesin, Aṣíwájú of Òkehò who wrote the foreword to the play, noted that, “Ìrántíọ́lá has woven seamlessly the goals of truth-telling and entertainment and has demonstrated fidelity to historical accuracy while also achieving artistic excellence.”

According to him, “through this drama, he has effectively presented, not an unhistorical entertainment, but an entertaining history. It is my fervent hope that this volume will generate the interest of serious cultural enthusiasts and the play will be staged in theatres across the country and the world in no distant future,” he added.

Also, Mr. Dípọ̀ Adéṣidà, the Chief Operating Officer of Verdant Zeal Group stated that “the story began on a romantic note, goes through the unprecedented labyrinth of divide and rule, infighting, intrigue and myopia, the genesis of bloodletting and eventual loss of a kingdom and by extension, an entire nation’s identity. Sadly, this story is still reminiscent of many African communities today who cannot see the bigger picture beyond the immediate economic or political benefits of personal gain in exchange for building a legacy of worthy governance structure for posterity.

Making a comment on the drama, the playwright, Olútáyọ̀ Ìrántíọlá, said, “I am delighted to bring this work of art to life. Writing this play is a dream come true for me and I am excited that Nigerians will read and appreciate some occurrences that happened during the colonial intrusion in Yoruba land.

I hope that this play will form the basis for which we will identify who we are as an ethnic group and revitalize the profound ingenuity in us beyond the identity given to us by the colonialists.”

Ìrántíọlá debut play titled ‘With Our Uniform’, a satirical stage play that showcases societal decadence and the ruthless use of force by uniformed men was staged during the Lagos Fringe Festival in 2022 at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, Nigeria and the SOS Theatre Festival International in the United States of America in 2021. Also, to his credit, he has an anthology of poetry in English and Yoruba languages and a biography.

The book release coincides with the 2002 Lagos Books and Art Festival and the Okeho Day celebration slated for November 14- 20 and 20-26 2022 respectively.

Entertainment

AFRIMA partners stakeholders to actualise AU’s vision on creative economy at PACC6 in Moroni, Comoros

Published

1 week ago

October 12, 2024

august24admin

AFRIMA partners stakeholders to actualise AU’s vision on creative economy at PACC6 in Moroni, Comoros

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

As one of the institutions championing positive change in the global entertainment industry, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to the growth of Africa’s creative economy by partnering with critical stakeholders to align with the African Union’s vision for cultural and creative development, as outlined during the recently concluded 6th Pan-African Cultural Congress (AU/PACC6) in Moroni, Union of Comoros.

Cross section of participants including AFRIMA’s Director of Stakeholders Engagement, Media, and Communications (Global), Sola Dada during the recently concluded 6th Pan-African Cultural Congress (AU/PACC6) with the theme “Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Education: Levers for Buildings Africa We Want” held in Moroni, Union of Comoros

It was a gathering of key stakeholders, including Pan-African cultural institutions, artists, cultural workers, and policymakers in the East African country, at an epoch-making event held between September 25 and 27, 2024. At this event, a framework for action aligning national and continental policies was developed, emphasizing the development of arts and heritage as crucial to achieving the AU’s Agenda 2063 vision.

In a presentation at the event, Sola Dada, AFRIMA’s Director of Stakeholders Engagement, Media, and Communications (Global), took the audience through the organisation’s activities since its inception in 2014, tailored towards promoting music, arts, and culture on the continent and the sustained effort to collaborate with other industry institutions to deepen the entertainment ecosystem in Africa.

“AFRIMA has successfully collaborated with policymakers, governments, African artistes, producers, record labels, promoters, publishing companies, media and the African Union Commission (AUC) to celebrate and promote African music globally,” Dada told the conference. “Through our seven core pillars, namely Music Awards, Music Festivals, Music Business Hub, Talent Discovery and Promotion, AFRIMA Creative Academy, Advisory and Policy Debates, Corporate Social Responsibility and Advocacy, we have positioned African music as a tool for integration, inclusivity, economic prosperity, and world peace.”

He said as the longest-running African music award platform with a global reach, AFRIMA plays a critical role in enhancing the visibility of African music.

AFRIMA’s Director of Stakeholders Engagement, Media, and Communications (Global), Sola Dada(with cap), giving a speech at the recently concluded 6th Pan-African Cultural Congress (AU/PACC6) with the theme “Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Education: Levers for Buildings Africa We Want” held in Moroni, Union of Comoros

Dada added that. ” AFRIMA’s events bring together thousands of music artistes, actors, celebrities, governments, and professionals from around the world to continent’s cultural significance on the global stage.

“Through our partnership with the AU and other stakeholders, AFRIMA is well-positioned to support the implementation of policies that will drive the growth of Africa’s creative economy. With a focus on integration, innovation, and cultural preservation, AFRIMA and the AU are set to make significant strides toward the Africa We Want as envisioned in Agenda 2063.”

The AU/PACC6, held under the theme “Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Education: Levers for Buildings Africa We Want,” served as a platform for Pan-African cultural institutions, cultural workers, and experts to engage in discussions on how to leverage these sectors to build a stronger African identity.

The congress concluded with a framework for action designed to guide cultural and educational development across the continent.

The congress resulted in several key resolutions aimed at strengthening Africa’s cultural sectors, including support for national cultural policies, engagement of youth and women, heritage preservation, promotion of African languages, and cultural exchange programmes that allow African youth to collaborate, showcase their work, and learn from one another.

In her opening remarks, Mrs. Angela Martins, Acting Director for Social Development, Culture, and Sport at the African Union Commission (AUC), highlighted the rapid growth of Africa’s cultural and creative industries, referring to them as the continent’s “new crude oil” due to their increasing global economic influence. Martins called for greater investment in the sector, citing AU Assembly Decision 772, which advocates for allocating at least 1% of national budgets to arts, culture, and heritage.

As part of the AU’s efforts, she announced the development of an arts education policy aimed at integrating arts education into school curriculums across Member States.

“This policy aligns with the AU’s theme of the year for 2024 and aims to nurture young talent from an early age,” she said.

Martins praised the efforts of key institutions in the entertainment, art and cultural space including AFRIMA which she described as “Africa’s global music awards and longest-running music award platform, with a huge global appeal, diaspora audience, and youthful fans.”

The main events of AFRIMA are usually broadcast live to over 84 countries around the world after a continental and global roadshow, with thousands of music artists, actors, celebrities, members of the diplomatic corps, professionals in the creative space, tourists, media and fans from all over the world converging on the host country.