BUAF stages award-winning play Jagagba at MUSON Centre

BEETA Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF) will stage its 2018 winning play, Jagagba, at the Agip Recital Hall, Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Centre, Lagos from Friday, July 19, to Sunday, July 21, 2019, founder of BUAF and award-winning actress and producer, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, has said.

Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim writes Jagagba.

Last year, BUAF organised the Beeta Playwrights Competition and received 348 entries from 30 states. A panel of six judges, chaired by the former General Manager, National Theatre, Prof. Ahmed Yerima, selected 10 finalists, who attended a one-day playwriting workshop also led by Yerima. This was followed by the grand finale, which produced Ibrahim’s play, Jagagba, as winner. Ibrahim got N1 million in prize money and a publishing deal. Part of the competition’s deals includes, staging the winning play.

Jagagba captures the conflicts that characterise traditional society with interplays of political metaphors and social contradictions. The play explores the quandary of familial ties, the complexity of policy formulation and the perceived gap between evolving cultures, including relevant social issues such as, the societal value of women, female inclusion, security and co-existence.

Ibrahim hails from Kogi State and has a Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance from the Covenant University. He has a passion and flair for writing and expressed excitement that his play emerged winner.

“I can’t believe this is happening to me,” he said.

Jagagba won the second edition of the innovative playwright contest that seeks to discover young talents in creative writing in drama.

BUAF founder, Graham-Douglas, who is also producing the play, said she created the foundation, because of her love for the performing arts and as an avenue to create opportunities for young people to develop their talent and tell original Nigerian stories. In the first edition, Our Son the Minister, written by Paul Ugbede, won in 2018 and enjoyed massive stage presence.

The play stars Kunle Coker, Mawuyon Ogun, Bamike Olawunmi (Bambam), Ese Lami George, Olarotimi Fakunle, Eden Attai, and Kelvinmary Ndukwe.