A chat with Ahmed Yerima

Cultivating a Reading Culture Helps Individuals
--Yerima

Oyelola Ogunrinde

What is your greatest achievement as a playwright at 52?
I wouldn’t call this my greatest challenge but the lessons that I have learnt is patience and maturity. I take my time to look at each dialogue and the conflict in my plays.

You are in charge of two parastatals: the National theatre and National Troupe, how do you manage them?

It is one paratastal, the government joined them together and the first is a building, while the other is a group of artistes. The National Troupe was first performing at the Muson Centre till they had their own building in 2006. Their next performance will be at Algiers.

Do you have a link with the Nigerian Film Industry and if yes, what are you doing to help them?

The Nigerian Film Industry was first under the Ministry of Culture but now under the Ministry of Information. There are some theatre practitioners who are now in the film industry. I tell my students in the creative arts department in the University of Lagos that there are lots of jobs out there waiting for them. It’s going to be like the banking industry when the rightful practitioners came in and those that don’t have anything to do with the banking industry were flushed out. That would soon happen to the film industry.

Do you have any workshop for young people or students to encourage them into theatre so that the core professionalism which the theatre is known for could continue?

For now we are working with different groups and we are trying to organise children theatre. By next year we will have all that in place.

There is no drama institute in Nigeria, what are you doing about it?

There is, even though the National Troupe/National Theatre doesn’t have any but we support those that have. Joke Silva just established a theatre school which we support. This is the practical aspect of theatre. After studying theatre in the university, there should be a theatre school you should go for training.

How far have you gone with the renovation of the National Theatre?

The only thing we have not yet done is the main bowl. Every other thing is in place. Four of our halls are functional, the conference hall, main exhibition and the cinema hall 1and 2. If we can renovate the main bowl, the National theatre will be back fully. We also have new toilets which we have renovated.

How do you manage the National Theatre?

The government pays us and we generate revenue which we give back to the government. When it comes to NGO’s and universities, they come in here freely because it is our own contribution to encourage theatre arts in Nigeria.

What do you count has challenges to Nigerian Literature?

The greatest thing that kills a writer is when his book is not read. I didn’t know how important and relevant my book was until when people started calling me. I have a boy from University of Benin who has challenged me that I can’t produce any other play than my play ‘Hard Ground’ which won me the NLNG award.
I am writing another one to prove him wrong. That is what the audience does to you. Here in the National Theatre, to encourage writers, we always have a reading session where a group of critics look at your play and if it is good, the national troupe would stage it and if not, we advice you on what to do to make it better. Cultivating a reading culture also help individual writers.
You just launch your new book ‘Discourse on Tragedy’ on Monday 24th May for your 52nd birthday, tell us about it.
I think it’s the fact that I have being teaching tragedy for a long time. We all have the theories of what Aristotle and Shakespeare said about Tragedy. To many, Soyinka’s definition is difficult to grasp. So I thought of giving them a simpler explanation because I was lucky to have learnt under Soyinka.
I also said to myself that on my 52nd birthday, I will give myself a gift and this is the gift. I wanted to explore the question which many ask: Do Africans really have tragedies? So when Gbemisola Adeoti reviewed the book, I felt this is it.

Who are those you look up to?
They are many. Prof wole Soyinka, Prof femi Osofisan, Prof Obafemi and many of my friends who are writers. I am also grateful to my wife who has not given me trouble or a lack of the opportunity to write.

What do you want to be remembered for after leaving this office?

I just want to be grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to serve. I will also thank my wife for giving me peace for without that, I wouldn’t be able to do all that I have done.

What advice do you have for those wanting to write?

All I tell them is that they should just write. They should also read a lot. It will help them. ‘Swamp Dwellers’ which Soyinka wrote was about issues of the Niger Delta. He said it a long time ago and now, it is now happening. Study your society as a writer and I wish you Good luck because you will need it.

My Interview with wole Oguntokun

Wole Oguntpkun have started season with wole soyinka at Tera-Kulture.He tells Oyelola Ogunrinde all about it.

Wole Oguntokun talks about life at terra Kulture

Who is Wole Oguntokun?
Wole studied law at the Obafemi Awolwo University and holds two masters Degrees ,one in law and the other in Humanitarian and Refugee studies from the University of Lagos.
What is has being your experience at Theatre@Terra kulture?
Theatre@terra has being on for two years now which happens every weekend.We were formally at the Muson Center before we moved to Tera culture
What is “Season of Wole Soyinka” all about?
Season with wole Soyinka started 2007 when the owners of Tera Kulture decided to celebrate the birthday of the literary icon and since then we have being celebrating him every year.
Do you have your personal troupe at Tera culture?
Yes,it is called Renegade which is the resident theatre company of Tera culture.When we started this theatre company,there was no infrastructure ,we met nothing on ground to follow up,Those who came before us like JP clark,Ogunde did their thing and are no more.We have to built from the scratch and we are here now.

Why did you involve yourself in ACP(Ajegunle Community Project)?
I made a documentary for them on the abuse on the girl child called Sounds of Silence.

You are also a TV producer?
Yes,I have produce some TV programmes,one is Cutting Edge which was on MBI another was Crossworld Blues on DBN TV and living free.I am also the produder of the season four of Moments with MO.I have another coming up which is Theatre plannet.
Have you written any novel and if you have when are you going to publish it?
I have written several plays you know but for novels I have a blog called Laspapi which I express my thought but am hoping to write a novel from it later in life.

What difference do you want your plays to make?
To make the most Renegade is to be regonised internationally and turning theatre to the most profitable in Africa.Our mission is to artistically enhance every life we come in contact with.
Any plans staging plans abroad?
I was a consultant to British council and National theatre London April 2009.We also intend to staging Shakesspare here.We are talking to people and we intend staging abroad.To me we are making history happen.
What are your challenges?
Our greatest is finance .
What do you think the government should do about it?
Let me say something, Royal Oprah house in London gets 90million pounds every year 30million from revenue,30 million from art council which is their government and the other 30 million from sponsors and benefactors. I hope we can have that in Nigeria.
Who is Wole Soyinka to you?
My hero from childhood,someone I look up to him.

9 writers end their book tour

The weather seem calm, it was about 2pm Saturday June 6th.The sun seem not to disappointment as it was shinning up to sky which could be easily noticed.
Many far and near gathered at African Artists’ Foundation in Lagos to see the 9 writers who had toured 4 cities read from the books to round up the book tour.
The writers first took turns telling us their experience when they went to this cities most especially the Niger Delta which Odia Ofeimu says they are being courageous to visit the place as at this time.Jumoke Verisomo author of I am memory told the audience about her experience about the tour saying it is something money can’t buy you but you get it by merit.Tade Ipadeola author of The Rain Fardel, said behind every idea is a 100 years of literature. The authors express their plight towards developing literature in the country and most especially Odia Ofeimun who says if every library in Nigeria can stock literature will look like
Many questions was also thrown at the authors. A. Igoni Barrett was asked when literary work is to a satisfaction and he replied when he knows he cant add anything or remove about it anymore while Odia Ofeimun added that he thinks the best literary fiction is never finished.
Joy Isi Bewaji says her greatest fear is that she get bored easily but always wanting a challenging task
Toni kan was asked how he rate himself among contempory Nigerian writer.He said I want to be known as a writer as I aspire to be at the top in everything I do.Odia Ofeimu thanked those who came for the book reading and encourage bodies to sponsor such programme.They acknowledge they enjoyed themselves during the book tour