By Laju Iren

Covenant University Theatre Group, CUTG, last weekend performed a stage play for the school environment. The play which marked the seventh in the group’s Drama Night series, begins like a fairytale. Nkem, poor blind girl falls in love with Femi, a rich young man who, despite disapproval from his family and friends goes against all odds to marry her.

When they are wed, he uses his training and connections as an ophthalmologist to ensure that she gains her sight. When she does, it seems like a happily after moment until the gentle Nkem transforms into a vicious woman who constantly berates her husband, cheats on him and is addicted to cocaine.

Femi, constantly forgives her misgivings but is pushed to the wall after a heated argument. He leaves the house in a rage and is involved in a car accident. At the hospital, his now sober wife is told Femi is in a precarious state and has until midnight, after which he will be put off life support. Nkem is repentant and feels tremendously guilty. She keeps apologizing to an unconscious Femi until midnight comes and he is put off life support. The lights are turned off and all hope seems lost.

Years later, a much older Nkem is reading her diary and looking at her wedding photographs. Surprisingly, a much older Femi comes onto the stage to comfort his wife. Contrary to what the audience thought, he had survived the accident. He tells her not to worry about her past failures and mistakes but to focus on his undying love for her.

Olusola Olaleye who directed the play, said that the prayers of the cast and crew was that everyone who watched the play would leave understanding the love of Christ even in man’s unfaithfulness as portrayed in Femi’s love for Nkem. He said: “Hope that everyone who watched the piece today would be able to understand the full expression of God’s love. I hope that they understand that no matter how much they have gone against God, His grace is still available for them to repent and turn to him.”

Michael Akinrogunde, who wrote the plot that formed the basis of the script, said the idea came when he least expected. He said: “The inspiration for the script came from the fact that this is the seventh Drama night in the series. We were inspired to do something on perfection because seven is the number of perfection. We prayed about it for a while and the inspiration came when we least expected it.

I was on a plane from Abuja and wrote the original plot on the food pack given to me on the plane. When we got the school, I told the entire team about it and we improved on it thereafter. There’s no way we could have done it without the cooperation of everyone in the group.”