81 Cheers For Soyinka As International Cultural Exchange Project Begins

The 2015 edition of the yearly Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE) project has been scheduled to hold from July 12 through the 14th. The annual programme was initiated in 2010 and made its debut on the 76th birthday anniversary of the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka as the “quintessential artist and symbol of our humanity”, according to the promoters of the project, Nigeria-based ZMirage Multimedia Company and U.S.-based GlobalNewHaven.

A statement from the Producer Haneefat Ikharo said, “Unlike previous editions in which activities were held in Lagos, Ogun and Osun State, events for this year’s edition will hold exclusively in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where the Nobel laureate resides. Remarkably, too, the organisers plan to concentrate the activities in the neighbourhood of the Ijegba Forest Residence of Soyinka, and at the Ogun State Cultural Centre, Kuto.

The theme for the year is ‘Justice and Freedom: Essential Conditions For Humanity’. According to the organisers, “These are the two fundamental concerns of the Nobel laureate in his career of promoting better humanity not only in his literary writings but also in his intervention in local and global socio-cultural and political discourses.”

Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange programme is the core project of the The Open Door Series promoted by Alhaji Teju-Kareem-led Zmirage and Professor Segun Ojewuyi-led GlobalNewHaven. Last year witnessed the grand fifth edition, which marked the 80th birthday anniversary of the professor of Comparative Literature.

While the 2014 fifth anniversary edition was a grand parade of drama, poetry, music, painting exhibition and variety youth programmes in honour of Soyinka’s 80th birthday, this year’s, the sixth edition marking his 81st, has been redesigned in terms of performance features. The 2015 project will focus on ‘Storytelling’, “as a resourceful art form that is an integral part of the socialisation process of an average African personality”, stated the Executive Producer, Teju Kareem. “Our theme is Storytelling and Youth Development and this is designed to address our observations that in an era when society continues to drastically lose its moral values due to vagary of factors including improper and inadequate child upbringing and chaotic educational system, we believe that a full exploration and exploitation of the power of Storytelling in parental upbringing and as well as school activities could help to inculcate moral values in our young ones.

“We also reckon that Wole Soyinka is essentially a Storyteller, as will be seen in his poetry, drama, songs and even public commentary through which he has deeply affected our lives and those of other peoples around the world in the past six decades and more.

“To realise the objective of the core International Cultural Exchange dimension of the project, we have identified two internationally reputable experts who engage storytelling to teach and mentor young ones, and who have made tremendous impacts on the socialisation process in their respective stations. From the Diaspora is the Caribbean leading storytelling performer, Theodora Ulerie (aka Anty Thea – Trinidad and Tobago) and from Nigeria, Mrs. Noma Sodipo, founder and anchor of the popular children TV programme, StoryTime with Auntie Noma. These two tested and core professionals will help us realise the objectives; they will run workshops and mentorship sessions with junior secondary schools drawn from Ogun State, and 81 senior secondary school students from across the country. The 81 students from across the country represent the finalists in the annual essay competition, which will focus on the theme of the celebration ‘Justice & Freedom: Essential Conditions for Humanity’”.

A core aspect of the yearly project is the Student mentorship programme during which the First Lady of Ogun State Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun counsels the gathering of hundreds of students drawn from Ogun State and the rest of the country on the importance of education and imbibing moral lessons of patriotism and discipline. In the past three editions she had mentored over 10000 students in Nigeria and also in London, where she was a Guest of Honour in 2013. Two editions ago the First lady of Osun State Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola and the Deputy Governor of the State, Otunba Grace Titi-Laoye also mentored over 1000 students drawn from Osun, and the 79 finalists in the year’s essay competition.

While stressing on the objective of the ICE, Kareem stated, “We in ZMirage and GlobalNewHaven believing firmly in the educative as well as entertaining functions of theatre and literary arts. We have resolved to consistently commit time, energy and huge financial resources to this project so that the arts, especially theatre, can once again take pride of place in Nigeria and the world. The primary focus for us is the cultural exchange value of the project, which enables us reach out to the world, giving and receiving artistic contents that can change and enrich lives”.

The Executive Producer aalso noted that much of the activities will be held in the 850-seater site-specific Amphitheatre installed last year to host the presentation of Soyinka’s epic Dance of the Forests, as directed by Head of Department of Theatre Arts, University of Ibadan, Dr. Tunde Awosanmi. The idea of staging much of the events in the forest theatre, noted Kareem, is to stress the educational and touristic virtues of the project.

He noted, “We want the children to start identifying with the importance of such touristic facilities, and as well to have a feel of the grand model that Soyinka is by paying visit to his residential enclave”.

This year’s WSICE is being produced by Ms Haneefat Ikharo, a Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Benin. She took over from the pioneer producer, writer, actress and film producer, Mrs. Lillian Amah-Aluko.

The programme lineup includes the following: Aunty Thea Story telling Workshop, a 3-day workshop for Junior Secondary Schools: July 10-12, 2015 (Friday to Sunday); Arrival of 81 students and key officials, accreditation of students, arrival of Judges: July 12, 2015. (Sunday); live essay writing at the Cultural Centre (8am – 10am); Storytelling Workshop for the 81 Finalists with Auntie Thea and Auntie Noma, 81 Students Party at the Lodge (Evening/Night): July 13, 2015 (Monday) and visit to the Governor of Ogun State, announcement of Winner and Presentation of trophy, Youth Mentorship (81 Finalists) with Prof. Wole Soyinka at Ijegba, Do Your Own Thing (includes students talent show, spelling bee, poetry etc and the mentoring session by the First Lady, Her Excellency, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun) at Ijegba / Cultural Centre: July 14, 2015 (Tuesday).

It also include International Cultural Exchange: Storytelling and Youth Development – Conversation between Home and the Diaspora, with Theodora Ulerie (Aunty Thea) and Noma Shodipo (Aunty Noma) to hold at the Amphitheatre in the Ijegba Forest; performances by Ogun State Cultural Troupe, Jimi Solanke, and Yinka Ola-Williams at the AmphiTheatre in the Ijegba Forest: July 15, 2015 (Wednesday).