Imoke Calls For The Revival Of Theatre
San Francisco, August 23, (THEWILL) - Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has called for the revival of the theatre as a way of regaining lost culture of the people.
Speaking at the end of a dance drama, ‘A Feast of Return’ written by Odia Ofeimun and presented by Hornbill House at the main bowl, Cultural Centre Complex, Calabar, Imoke said his call was imperative because theatre is not well acknowledged in the modern society as before the advent of the home videos and other entertainment programmes on television.
Imoke noted that University of Calabar used to have a strong Department of Theatre Arts of national repute but this has been surpassed and charged the university to present an excellent drama performance during the Calabar Festival this year as it will be supported by the State Government, adding that the State will encourage theatre through dance drama to bring back the lost drama culture.
The Governor disclosed that while growing up, he had the opportunity to watch African drama which has been lost and craved for a revival of that culture. He further stated that he had to reschedule his official engagement outside Calabar, the state capital, to enable him watch the dance drama, and he invited the theatre group to perform during the Calabar Festival as part of ‘Destination Cross River’ which many people will be invited to watch because the performance was a thrilling dance drama.
He advised the group to sustain its effort because he believes in its vision, as Cross River is a place to perform and pledged the State’s support for its sustenance to protect culture while commending the drama for its contents. He equally lauded the directing, choreography, sound, light and other technical aspects of the presentation.
Odia Ofeimun, the writer of ‘A Feast of Return’ while presenting all the poems written by him to Governor Imoke, noted that there is a symbiotic relationship between governance and drama and that the Governor’s presence was to pay back to drama what government had benefitted from it, saying that the Governor’s presence was an acknowledgement that some great things are happening.
Ofeimun called for the development of theatre for it to be recognized even if the west takes over the world as Africans have to show, stressing that Nigerians should have a story on stage to celebrate the nation’s 50 years of independence.