FOUR years on, the Open Door Series Project Wole Soyinka continues to gather momentum. An initiative of theatre designer and chief executive officer of Zmirage Multimedia Limited, Teju Kareem, the project was inspired by the essence and ideals of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
The project has, since 2010 when it started, been held on July 13, the birthday of the globally acclaimed cultural, civil rights and political activist.
The debut edition in 2010 was a big affair that featured a red carpet event for major players in Nigerian drama and the staging of two plays, ‘Preemptive’ and ‘Seven’. US-based Professor Niyi Coker wrote ‘Preemptive’ which toured the US, UK and Barbados as part of a cultural exchange before it berthed in Nigeria while Professor Segun Ojewuyi, also resident in the US, directed it. African-American, Rachel Hastings wrote ‘Seven’ and was part of the international cast that featured in both plays.
The 2011 edition was no less interesting. Themed ‘I Love My Country’, it hosted 77 senior secondary school students from across Nigeria and the Diaspora. They competed in an essay competition and also participated in the cultural exchange programme. Most importantly, the students had the opportunity of interacting with the hoary haired genius at a mentoring session at his home in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Last year’s edition was themed ‘The Mind of a Patriot’ and featured activities held in Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states before climaxing in London. Professor of English and Africana Studies at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, US, Robert Fox delivered a lecture titled ‘From Tigritude to Transcendence: The Conscience and Conscientiousness of Wole Soyinka at Freedom Park, Lagos. The integral parts of the celebration; essay and cultural competitions, staging of a play titled ‘Home’, a tour to the Olumo Rock, visit to the palace of the Deji of Akure and Soyinka’s home in Abeokuta also happened.
The grand finale of WS78 held in London spanned three days (July 27 to 29). It kicked off with a performance by Highlife maestro, Tunji Oyelana at his Emukay Bar and Restaurant located at Camberwell Road, London while Fox repeated his lecture on July 28 at Africa Centre, King Street, Covent Garden. A dance workshop coordinated by Peter ‘Dance’ Badejo, OBE and a dance affair tagged ‘Big City Blues’ wrapped up proceedings.
“The 2013 edition is premised on the theme ‘Memoirs for our Future’ and it would hold on the traditional July 13 - being the 79th birthday anniversary of Prof. Soyinka,” began producer, Lilian Amah-Aluko, on preparations for this year’s event.
But seeing that Kongi, as the Nobel Laureate is also known, will be 80 in 2014, this year’s event is a precursor to that big celebration.
Amah-Aluko disclosed that the usual offerings - senior secondary schools essay competition, play productions and cultural presentations will be served but that they are all designed to herald the grand 2014 edition.
She also disclosed the identities of the three people that will judge this year’s essay competition for students. They are Razinatu T. Mohammed, novelist and lecturer at the Department of English, University of Maiduguri; Marcel Mbamalu, head, Business and News desks, Sunday Guardian and Ropo Ewenla, culture, art and media advocate.
On why the activities are starting with the youths, Amah-Aluko said, “we believe that they can still be positively influenced and molded into the leaders of tomorrow that we desire them to be.”
She added that “Our main goal in the Open Door Series is to combat fear, violence and its contingent reactions through the use of education, arts and culture.”
Commenting, executive producer of the project, Kareem said that WS79 is a precursor to WS80, and that the event will be marked in significant ways.
He explained that they were not just marking the day because it’s Kongi’s birthday but because “the day symbolizes for us all a continuation of the life of an inspirational man who has fought and is still fighting for the dignity of man, the rights of the individual and the unity and security of his country; our country.”
He disclosed that apart from the essay competition, children’s cultural presentation and tours, the WS80 essay competition would be flagged off while a publication titled ‘Memoirs For our Future’ would be presented.
The book which foreword is written by Kongi himself is a compilation of the winning essays from WS76 to WS78 as well as other selected essays from submissions for all the years.
It will be presented on July 20 in London at an event where the Nobel Laureate will also flag off the WS80 essay competition to students in the Diaspora.
Kareem, who also touched on the issue of sponsorship, acknowledged the previous support of the Ogun and Ondo state governments who are also backing WS79 but called for more partners to come on board.
“Sponsorship has always been a big challenge for the project,” he said while urging corporate Nigeria to assist this year and with the grand event planned for 2014.
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