By Prisca Sam-Duru

And they lived happily ever after’; that would be the best way to describe the beautiful ending of the theatrical performance of ‘The Noble Warrior-Eni Ogun’.

The play was staged last Saturday and Sunday at the Shell Hall of the MUSON Centre, Lagos after it premiered in Abeokuta at the Hubert Ogunde Hall of the June 12 Cultural Centre to celebrate Africa’s first Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka @ 90.

The Noble Warrior-Eni Ogun was put together by Adubiifa Network Company (ANC) – a multi-media literary, theatre, and movie company, and performed in collaboration with Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE). It interrogates several issues at different levels, particularly love, violence, leadership crisis, and education.

The play, written by Aiye-ko-ooto, directed by Segun Oriade Adefila and produced by Cash Onadele, had Toye Arulogun as Executive producer. It follows the story of Oluwole ‘Lowo, (played by Tosin Yormephe), a noble warrior and a prince who desires to lead a private life hunting, teaching and having quality time with the woman of her dreams – Olasope (Remuel Vera) who is a virgin. What many will physically term fate begins to work against the two lovers as the witch and wizard of the land become interested in their affairs. The beings even make a bet concerning Oluwole and Olasope’s relationship.

Perhaps Olasope’s mistake is dreaming openly and fervently of a glorious future with her man – Eni Ogun as this prompted the witch and wizard’s interest.

On Oluwole’s part, his commitment towards ridding his homeland of the British invaders, pitches him against an adversary in the person of Gbadamosi (Seyi Fasuyi). Just to get at him, Gbadamosi plots against Oluwole by tutoring Major Scott (Francis Friday) who also has eyes on the beautiful Olasope, on how to deflower her. Major Scott pulls through the act which is considered a taboo in the land. Everyone including Olasope think it’s over but how wrong they are as Oluwole’s love for her reigns over the pain and they lived happily ever after as queen and king of their land.

The spine of the drama according to the Executive producer Toye Arulogun is, “Only one arrow, the conscience, doubtful or delicate, pierces the crossroad of corruption, colonialism, and the crown.”

And to say the least, in all theatrical sense, the play was masterfully executed. Clad in mostly white apparels, perhaps, depicting the time the story is set, the actors, dancers, singers and drummers were in sync.

The production of the commemorative tribute to Wole Soyinka, Arulogun also hinted is expected to tour selected cities across Nigeria after the initial shows in Abeokuta and Lagos.

Speaking about the play, Nigerian-American playwright Aiye-ko-ooto, said that he wrote the Noble Warrior- Eni Ogun “specifically as a tribute to Prof. Wole Soyinka, a hero in our special world of literature. He is definitely a global icon; well respected, very humane.

He has fought tyranny in every corner of this nation. He has spent time in jail, for our own freedom.”

Aiye-ko-ooto stated further that he was inspired after Soyinka’s 85th birthday disclosing that he was not part of that celebration as he was in the United States. “But I watched a lot of things from the television and I thought if this man could live to be 90, it will be a momentous hallelujah moment. What could we gift a dramatist, a genius? What else can we give him than drama.

We need to find something that is original, and that sent me to work. So since 2021 I started out actually with the title ‘Winks in dark’ because he is one out of a million. With the things he preaches is like one person winking in darkness. And then I thought, maybe let me focus on the step by step of what he does rather than the impact of what he does. That is when I came up with ‘eniogun’. Eniogun literally interprets man of war.”

Aiye-ko-ooto also seized the opportunity to appeal to the government to support and promote our cultural heritage as well as honour indigenous promoters of the nation’s rich cultural heritage with awards.

On the significance of his production, Cash Onadele said it meant “that every soul has a shell, and that shell means first, every soul has a birthplace, which is your identity.

“And every soul is nurtured, which is your culture, and that every soul is loved, which is passion, and that every soul has a noble purpose, which is your tribal citizenship, and that every single soul when troubled, finds the courage of its character. And finally, every soul has a message, and the message is your inheritance.

“We are all souls, and the message to all of us is this: if you don’t find your identity and you do not claim your citizenship and you do not believe in who you are and fight for your courage in troubled times, you’ll leave your children no inheritance.”

He also disclosed how he drew inspiration from one of Soyinka’s plays, “Death and the King’s Horseman”, adding that he wrote the play based on the persona of Wole Soyinka, a brave warrior.