In its efforts to curtail violent crimes in the society, Tegicmedia has said it is deploying performing arts in promoting a non-violent culture in domestic and public life.

The Creative Director of Tegicmedia, Efemena Agadama, in a statement, disclosed that the use of theatre to promote non-violence in Africa would help in pushing back the wave of the cycle of violence on the continent.

According to him, from 1960 to date, the cycle of violence in Africa has been brutal, bloody and placed the development of the continent in a darkened dudgeon of horrors.

He noted that no community or nation could survive without first curtailing violence, declaring that the company would be organising an international forum in October on the use of the arts in solving such challenges.

“This will support our efforts in using the performing arts in promoting a non-violent culture in domestic and public life. This is vital as no community or nation can survive without first curtailing violence. In the pursuit of this philosophy, Tegicmedia has extensively used the performing arts, live poetry, live comedies, choral songs, storytelling and live plays to promote peace across communities and educational institutions in Delta, Anambra, Edo, and Lagos states in Nigeria; and will be going further in instituting seasonal and annual events to commemorate its non-violence projects internationally,” Agadama disclosed.

Continuing, the statement added: “During the Niger Delta militancy, Tegicmedia operating under its previous name Global Theatre, toured communities in Delta State and also partnered with the Movie World Pictures for its actors to present non-violent plays of Tegicmedia across communities.. These presentations were done in open squares and market squares, giving access to thousands of locals to watch its non-violent plays.

“Furthermore, Tegicmedia has also partnered with tertiary institutions in Nigeria for students to perform these plays in the promotion of a non-violent culture in Nigeria. With the present generation of digital and enlightened Africans, the use of theatre to promote non-violence will help push back the wave of the cycle of violence in the African continent.

“Violence is a profitable venture to those who hold the trigger and they always release the trigger at the time the violence will be more profitable to them. Those holding the trigger rarely get killed in the violence they trigger with their own fingers hence the unending cycle of violence in Africa.

“The cycle of violence in Africa from 1960 to 2012 was brutal, bloody and placed the development of Africa in a darkened dudgeon of horrors. This cycle of violence of over 200 conflicts was so terrifying that it devastated communities, plundered destinies and caused the deaths of millions of Africans.

“What caused those conflicts are still alive in the language and politics of communities and political leaders in Africa, and this can only be addressed with better enlightenment of Africans on how to identify conflict triggers. Conflict triggers need to be identified. Conflict triggers need to be curtailed in this generation of Africans.

“One of the channels of enlightenment is the performing arts – the use of poetry, songs and drama, especially when it involves the youths of restive communities. This can quickly enlighten them and help prevent further loss of lives in peaceful communities.

“To achieve a non-violent African continent, all African countries must resist the urge to vote for persons who employ the language of threat, violence, division and discrimination in vying for elective positions, be it community, local, state or national offices. Once this is achieved then the language of non-violence will become prominent.

“On the channel of using poetry, songs and drama, these will engage youths in self-improvement and communication and bring about change by enabling them to internalise the lessons learnt from directly taking part in such community performances of non-violent poetry, songs and drama.”