Theatre scholars have reemphasised the significance of stage performances for cultural preservation and nation building.
This was during the production of Ola Awakan’s “Echoes of the Drums” by students of Lagos State University.
Written in 2005, the play set in the clan of drummers in Yorubaland explores the significance of drums for society development.
This is the production of Echoes of the Drums, written by Ola Awakan as performed by the 200-Level Lagos State University students of the department of theatre arts and music.
The production, directed by Steven Adeshola highlights the cultural and therapeutic power of drumming and the creative arts, putting drummers on the centre stage.
The epic story also has connected plot to the legendary Sango, the God of Thunder, emphasising the drums’ significance in the Yoruba tradition.
Audience engagement was heightened through impressive reenactment, set and costume designs.
The themes of unity in diversity, peace, therapeutic value of drums, environmental sustainability, ecotourism shine their light, particularly through the characterisation of the triplets.
At the end of the play, the playwright commends the 200-Level students for a brilliant attempt.
Head of the Department of Theatre Arts and Music and other theatre scholars emphasised the role of theatre in preserving culture.
The director of the play and some of the actors spoke about the process of rehearsals and their challenges.
Ola Awakan praised the university for being the first tertiary institution to perform the play.
Echoes of the drums premiered in Lagos in 2022 by the National Troupe of Nigeria and in Abuja by the Guild of Theatre arts Drummers in 2024 is beginning to gain relevance in tertiary institutions.
