By Providence Obuh

Art lovers in and around Lagos were treated to a fusion of dance, drama, music and poetry reading last week at the The Muse Season 1 event held at Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos.  The event which was attended by many theatre lovers afforded them another opportunity to reflect on the state of the industry in Nigeria.

Film Director, Abiodun Kassim observed that Theatre and stage plays have become a thing of neglect in the country, compared to the cinemas where people rush to watch movies and music shows.

The Muse is a biannual event of creativity which encompasses poetry, music, dance and drama, put together by Oluseyi Emmanuel, an actor, producer and also a stage director, with fifteen years experience in the entertainment industry.

Some of the stage activities that took place at the event include:  “Open Letter” a dance drama written by Segun Adefila and demonstrated by Crown Troupe fo Africa. It focused on the things that are happening in the society; “Whose House Is This Anyway?” is a drama piece that depicts the attitude of contemporary caretakers and tenants, written by a poet, Olusola Emmanuel and Music done by Young Tomi Odunsi, titled, ‘I Won Blow.”

Meanwhile, Kassim said, “Theatre in terms of stage play and its education in Nigeria have been neglected, if we go back to the root, we will begin to impact people.

“People flood to watch music shows, movies, theatre is not only entertainment in Nigeria, it trains our children from the grass root. Because people do not see the essence of theatre, our national theatre is in jeopardy, we are building cinemas every where but we neglect the theatre which is the backbone of every society,” he said.

Earlier, Emmanuel said, “Over the years I realise theatre has shifted to the Island and so I decided that it is good we bring it back to the mainland.

“Nigeria culture is rich and we need to let people know that these things have not been covered, it is embedded in the inside of us and so we need to bring it out,” he said.

Popular artistes who participated at the event includes; Jude Orhorha, Toyin Oshinaike, Zara Udofia-Ejoh, Olusola Emmanuel, popularly known as Lord of Poetry, among others.