Sanwo-Olu@56: A splendid gift of spectacles, metaphors from the ‘Footprinters’ of Bariga

DATELINE: Thursday, June 24, 2021. It was the eve of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s birthday. As expected of such a momentous occasion, preparations were in top gear for the D-day. All was set in motion to commemorate the 56th birthday of the man whose antecedents as a wilful, forthright and visionary leader has earned him love by the residents of the city of aquatic splendour. 

Lagos, the Centre of Excellence, lived up to its calling as the epicentre of music and laughter and creative explosions on a special day its illustrious governor adds another year.

In honour of the first citizen of the state, who is a great supporter of the arts and a crusader for noble causes, a command performance was skillfully delivered by Footprints of David Arts Foundation, FODAF, through the command performance of one of the plays in its repertoire, ‘’Obi at’Orogbo.’’

THE musical-dance piece of theatre, Obi at’Orogbo, had its debut at the grand finale of the Lagos @50 year-long event in 2017, which was produced by the grand patron of the FODAF, Professor Wole Soyinka. First, miniature version was staged at the National Theatre, Iganmu, and later at the Lagos Boats Club, where set against the vast portion of the Five Cowries Creek, the songs and rhythms pulsating from the cast of FODAF filled the heart of the night with joy, travelling across spaces and waves to homes in the elite neighbourhood of Lagos Island. 

To say that the performance was worth the wait by the guests seated earlier than the call time for the show would be an obvious statement. The eminent and ordinary folks guests soaked in the thrill and frill of the show as the youthful cast filled the belly of the hall with their creative energies; holding the gathering spellbound!

The venue of this all-important arts affair was the newly refurbished Glover Memorial Hall, located in the midst of corporate headquarters of banks, insurance and related businesses in the heart of  Lagos Island. In times past, the hall had played host to high-powered events including several national cultural projects such as the event of June 24, 2021.

For history-lovers, Glover Memorial Hall is named in honour  of Captain John Glover, one-time Governor of the Lagos Crown Lagos Colony from 1864-1872. Surviving the squalor and splendor of the 1880s and travails of the earliest part of the 20th century, the edifice was re-built by a newly independent Nigeria State in 1962. Art historians have recorded that between the 40s and all through the 70s, the hall played host to memorable art projects by the like of the late Hubert Ogunde, and several other icons of the arts.

Glover Memorial Hall now wearing a new look with state-of-the-art sound and light equipment brings back the old-time memories of exquisite time-out for the elderly, and to the younger Lagosians – a sight to behold. But none of these lovable feelings can be compared to how it feels to be in the prescient midst of a group of young performers who impressively revitalised the age-long aura of the centunarian Glover Memorial Hall with a never-to-be-forgotten performance.

Judging by the heavy-weight presence of the Governor and his adorable wife, top government functionaries, veteran actors and actresses, traditional rulers, leading figures in business, and scores of children and youths who had come from the creeks of Bariga to witness this auspicious event, there was more to the occasion than just an ordinary birthday shindig.  

The award-winning compere, Koffi tha Guru, actor, and entertainer, and celebrated all-rounder thrilled the guests with endless jokes. A young spoken-word artiste, Victory Ashaka, said to be a second prize winner at the ‘Badagry Got Talent’ project of the Badagry Local Government Tourism project, delivered two powerful pieces to the admiration of the guests. Now a student of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ashaka had been discovered in his early teen years and groomed through the Vision of the Child, VoTC, the youth programme of the now-resting yearly Lagos Black Heritage Festival, produced by Ms Foluke Michael, but superintended by the Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka.

SOON, the ‘birthday boy’ dressed in a simple native blue outfit, arrived amid pomp and pageantry, the drummers and dancers of the Lagos Council for Arts and Culture, LSCAC, literally set the lobby of Glover on fire in their colourful costumes and lavish spectacles. 

In a sense the scenery is metaphorical, like the oft-neglected Arts speaking back to Business: Customs Street, where Glover Hall sits regally, ironically overlooking the now-decrepit-looking Central Bank of Nigeria premises, located was on heat. The sassy Nigeria Stock Exchange building next to Glover, took a good dose of the warm display of culture and traditions, just as the imposing Union Bank building, which regrettably hides the good old Glover from the Marina view, was also soaked in excitement.

Back to the show: The rendition of the National Anthem done, a short documentary detailing the Footprints of David Arts Foundation’s prime goals and visions was screened, eliciting, almost simultaneously, deep introspective silence and wild applause from the audience.

Then, the big moment came: Flashes of images appeared on the gigantic screen; an animated narrative of the myth around Aromisa, Orun (Sun), and Osupa (Moon) was played. This was prelude to the play that came in after hefty drumbeats from the musicians positioned on a raised platform in the left side of the auditorium.

AS the curtain rose, a male chanter crooned, rising above the heavy drumming session; then a sudden silence, ushered on stage a fOlohun Iyo (Sandra Ajangbode) who welcomed guests to a burst of folksong, ‘Ago Onile Yi’ (loosely translated, ‘Greetings to the host’). She was charing in her carriage and stage composure, just as her falsetto was enchanting.

The musico-dance piece narrated that a certain hunter named Ajani, (Femi Adebajo), fiancée of the female character had come to visit his wife on occasion of his birthday. A lavish spectacle of singing and dancing followed as he settled to help himself to a bowl of food and drinks brought in by his heartthrob. Interrupted by his singing hunter-comrades, they were in wild celebration of dancing and singing when an intruder meddled in the fanfare with a war message for Ajani.

Unhappy, Ajani took up the challenge, went to war and returned with two captives from the front. The creatures were later identified as ‘Obi ati Orogbo.’ Throughout the performance, the plot rolled on seamlessly even amidst the intense sound and movements with the well-defined characters as key to understanding the rich metaphors that kept the crowd at the edge of their seat from start to finish. It was an intensely-packaged one hour of sheer happiness and splendour.

Even Governor Sanwo-Olu gave a victory shout as the curtain fell on the performance.

REACTING to the outstanding performance, the Governor thanked the Creative Director of Footprints of David Arts Foundation, Seun Awobajo, for a job well done, promising to provide assistance to the troupe to realise its set objectives. 

And after listening to an inspiring speech by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, who a few weeks ago, had spent his 60^th birthday anniversary celebration at the Seaside Theatre Resort of FODAF in Bariga, where he was treated to same play, Governor Sanwo-Olu promised that his administration would do a lot more to better the lot of the creative artists in the state. 

Ighodalo also made a case for the habitants of Bariga and Akoka axis of Lagos, saying that the area, often referred to as a slum with less than salutary living condition, deserve critical government intervention, to create a more conducive environment for the creative resources of the youths to flower.

“What the Footprints are doing in Bariga, the number of children they have brought to light, shows what can happen if the area is made more habitable for the people,” stated Ighodalo, who said he had adopted Seun Awobajo and the Footprinters, and would always hunt out support for them.

Ighodalo also offered special prayer for the birthday boy, assuring him that for as long as he continues to work for the people, God will always bless him.

The cleric’s sermon was boosted by the presence of the Baale of Orile-Bariga, High Chief Waheed Agiri, who led a troop of his chiefs dressed in their ‘and co’ green robes to the heated stage to present a special birthday gift to Sanwo-Olu for his exceptional leadership of the state, and especially his love for the people of Bariga.

Sanwo-Olu’s brief remarks affirmed all that had been said, and praising his Senior Special Assistant on Tourism Arts & Culture, Solomon Bonu, for initiating the event of Thursday, he said he would consult and do the needful for the underserved communities in Bariga, Akoka and other parts of the state, and in particular to assist the creative community there, whose members have been bringing glories to the state. 

Speaking on behalf of the Creative Industry, a veteran actor, Jide Kosoko praised Seun Awobajo’s team for a job well done. He equally praised the Governor for giving wings to the dreams of the young theater practitioners in the state.

Photographs by: MIKE OGAR