The trios of Paul Ugbede, James Henshaw and Olusegun Ajayi were on Wednesday in Lagos, presented with a mouthwatering cheques of Two Million, One Million, and Five Hundred naira, respectfully for emerging victorious at the recent 2022 Akete Playwriting Competition held in Lagos.
The cheques were handed down to the young playwrites by the National Association of Nigerian Theater Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), during a media briefing held Wednesday in Lagos on Akete, the theatrical festival organizes by the association.
Akete is a Lagos-centric theater festival that will birth new stars of great and creative young minds that will be ushered into new vistas of global theater festival.
Akete is designed as an art/theater festival that aims to train and help the young practitioners to understand the value in process rather than exhibition.
It is positioned to evolve as a global event owing a definite date and presence on the international arts and culture calendar.
At the media briefing, some of the NANTAP top personalities were present including the association’s National President, Israel Ebong, the General-Secretary, Makinde Adeniran, Mamood Ali-Balogun, Biodun Abe, Tade Adekunle, Gregory Odutayo and Dame Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, representative of the General Manager of the National Theatre Arts, Steve Ogundele as well as the representative of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism.
Address the journalists, Israel Ebong, the briefing was to close the first phase of the Akete festival which begin in the middle of the year.
Ebong stressed that the idea of Akete is borne out of the need to raise new talents among young people in the Nigerian theatre industry, as well as celebrate the Lagos State sons and daughters who have excelled in the business of theatre.
On the competition, Ebong said, 69 playwrites entries were collected and only three made it to the top. He noted the competition went through a process as the judges selection of the winners was based purely on set standards to determine merit.
He disclosed that the first five play writes winners will undergo mentorship by the Playwrite, Prof. Woke Soyinka and other established playwrites for a period of time to enable the young people tap knowledge from their wealth of experiences.
Akete which comes up in March next year will hold at Freedom Park and National Theatre, Lagos, respectfully. The festival would soon be integrated into the Nigerian theatre for people who wish to operate in the industry.
On support to sustain the project, Ebong said, Akete Festival is collaborating with a marketing company to brand the festival. He added that NANTAP has constituted directors and production managers to sustainably drive the vision of Akete.
Also speaking at the forum, a veteran thespian, Dame Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett who is the brand ambassador of Akete, expressed the pride for being chosen as the brand of Akete.
“I’m proud, honoured and privileged to be chosen as the face of Akete. I will give the festival all the necessary supports it needs to become a global brand in tourism.” She said.
The 82 years old Ajayi-Lycett, noted age is not a barrier for those who excelled in their chosen fields to become a brand ambassador of a product.
She explained that the idea of Akete is to galvanize the youths into creative ability in theatrical performance. Youths who are interested in theatre business should take advantage of Akete to actualize their dream.
On structures put in place to grow Akete to a global brand, the brand ambassador stressed that NANTAP has made intellectual provision to get young people to imagine and conceptualize the ideal of Lagos, as there are interested applicants to be part of the competition.
She expressed confidence that the Lagos State Government has demonstrated support for Akete, while corporate organizations are showing interests to fund the project.
“The government of Lagos State is very supportive of Akete by providing financial and logistic support. And with the corporate supports coming up for sponsorship , Akete is good to go higher.”
Meanwhile, winners of the competition said they were happy that their participation in the contest had paid off due to their hard work and promised to use the prized rewards judiciously.
Damilola Williams, Brand Manager, B&D, a Lagos-based brand communication compan, remarked that her organization is in partnership Akete because it is an extra-ordinary project packed with creativity to discover young talents in theatrical business.
Highlight of the occasion was the theatre arts performance by the Guild of Theatre Arts Drama.
