OLA ROTIMI AND THE WORLD OF THEATRE

The Nigerian writer, Ola Rotimi achieved global renown thanks to his major contributions to the world of theatre over the years.  

Rotimi wrote, produced and even starred in many fine dramas during his lifetime. 

His acclaimed plays included The gods are not to blame, Our husband has gone mad again, and Kurunmi.       

From the very beginning it was clear that Rotimi  was a formidable talent, despite some early criticism from Dapo Adelugba who referred to the "chafing at the heels of Yoruba grand saws and expressions" by Rotimi; and "uneasy oscillations in his language and style" generally. Adelugba at this stage dubbed Rotimi's work as "interesting apprentice".

Kurunmi the play by Rotimi was appreciated by a great deal of readers and critics though, and had several productions around the world. I remember it was filmed for Nigerian television with Rotimi himself starring as Ogunmola the warrior:  

"That's your own headache!". 

The play, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, also by Rotimi is a very powerful work with many praising the dignity of the king: "Let the land know this: Ovonramwen Nogbaisi is henceforth set to rule as king after the manner of his fathers before him...no matter how stout and long the human neck, on top of it must sit a head. Henceforth a full moon's my glow - dominant and un-open to rivalry throughout the empire".       

On my own part, over the years - perhaps in my naivety - somehow I always juxtaposed Rotimi's Our husband has gone mad again, with Ama Ata Aidoo's The dilemma of a ghost - with the theme of wives "from outside" finding it difficult to fit in. The theatrical effects in both plays remain impressionable.

                                            

Rotimi had to go through the whole drama himself of being a Nigerian with its absurdities - eg when in real life he was brutally flogged by security officials as documented by Wole Soyinka... Rotimi recorded many of the absurdities and outrageousness of society in his plays.     

On the whole, Ola Rotimi's life and work in the theatre shows that he belongs to the pantheon of the all-time great African playwrights - like Athol Fugard, Wole Soyinka, Efua T Sutherland, J.P Clark, and Zulu Sofola.  

- Leke Giwa