A Festival Returns With Renewed International Support THE Jos International Festival of Theatre is preparing for another major outing after Jos Repertory Theatre secured renewed support from Spain’s cultural institutions for its 17th edition. Scheduled for 7 to 10 October 2026, the festival will take place at Alliance Française in Jos, Plateau State. It will […]
Odubanwo Reimagines Soyinka’s Classic for Contemporary Audiences PROFESSOR Wole Soyinka’s enduring literary legacy took centre stage in Lagos as Return of Jero, a contemporary adaptation of his celebrated satirical play The Trials of Brother Jero, captivated audiences during a special performance commemorating the Nobel laureate’s 92nd birthday and the 40th anniversary of his Nobel Prize […]
Literature Across Generations A new literary analysis has explored how Black theatre has transformed its response to racism and white supremacy over the last six decades, arguing that modern playwrights are increasingly moving beyond narratives of inclusion toward visions of independent Black empowerment. The comparative assessment focuses on Douglas Turner Ward’s Day of Absence and […]
A Festival Opens with a Powerful Theatrical Statement THE 17th Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE) commenced in London with a compelling theatrical production that underscored this year’s theme, Let Memory Be Our Witness. The opening programme featured Esther’s Revenge, the acclaimed stage play written and directed by Nigerian playwright Kenneth Uphopho, at The Africa […]
Theatre Production Revisits Literary Masterpiece A fresh interpretation of Professor Wole Soyinka’s classic satirical work will headline a major theatrical event in Lagos as Return of Jero, written by playwright Babatunde Odubanwo, prepares for its public performance on 25 July at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan. Inspired by The Trials […]
‘Wedlock of the Gods’ Headlines Zulu Sofola Day as Theatre Community Celebrates Literary Giant Annual Event Honours Pioneer of Nigerian Drama THE 2026 edition of Professor Zulu Sofola Day transformed Issele-Uku, Delta State, into a meeting point for scholars, theatre practitioners and cultural advocates celebrating one of Africa’s most influential playwrights. Organised by the Delta […]
ANA Honours Femi Osofisan at 80 with Landmark Colloquium on African Theatre Literary Icon Celebrated for Lifetime Contributions THE Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has honoured renowned playwright, scholar and former ANA President, Emeritus Professor Femi Osofisan, with a landmark colloquium commemorating his 80th birthday, bringing together leading scholars, writers and theatre practitioners to examine […]
Two Titans, Two Dramatic Visions IN the landscape of modern African theatre, few names command as much intellectual and artistic authority as Professor Femi Osofisan and Professor Wole Soyinka. Both playwrights occupy central positions in the evolution of Nigerian—and indeed African—dramaturgy, yet their theatrical philosophies diverge in significant and revealing ways. While Soyinka’s theatre is […]
(A) Opening Celebration: Theatre as Tribute CELEBRATIONS marking the 80th birthday of renowned playwright, poet, and cultural intellectual Professor Femi Osofisan opened on June 8 at the Wole Soyinka Arts Theatre, University of Ibadan. The event began with a staged presentation of Love’s Unlike Lading, a satirical reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, performed […]
Ozi Okoli Celebrates Milestone With Politically Charged Drama RENOWNED Nigerian broadcaster and playwright Ozi Okoli will commemorate his 50th birthday with a command performance and book launch of his new stage play, Restless Night, a dark satirical work examining insecurity, institutional collapse and social survival in Nigeria. The event will hold on 13th June 2026 […]