Two nights ago, I suddenly woke up at 2am.
It was unusual cos I usually try to get 8 hours of sleep.
However, at my best, I do 6 except I get ‘valium’ which knocks me out
So as I sat up, something hit me and Bola Ige the late Cicero of Esa-Oke came to my mind
Just as that was marinating, Tunde Idiagbon hit me and then it all fell into place
One Play, two stories, two directors and I screamed eureka
This has never happened before where two famed Directors will work on two stories on one play moving audiences in overlapping scenes through two different stories told from two different outlooks and tendencies on one undulating set
It was magic and by this time, I had started panting with excitement
I called William Benson the hot-tempered but massively gifted theatre director and he didn’t pick up
I called Professor Adedina who was supposed to work with me on Awujale and he didn’t pick up, he was asleep
I sent a message to Muyiwa Ige, Chief Bola Ige’s son and custodian of the legacy, it was delivered, but he didn’t read it.
These ones are not people of vision. How can they be sleeping at this time when inspiration has come
I called Yemi Shodimu and he picked up. Alas a man of vision but my joy was short-lived
Edgar, Im sleeping. Oga wake up I screamed at him and I gave him the gist and he said – Edgar let me sleep, it’s past 2am, I’ll let you know what I think about it in the morning
What is wrong with these people?
I ran downstairs and bounded into Duchess’ room and shook her up, we are doing Tunde and Bola
She woke up, cleared her eyes and said What is that?
I told her about the play and how the scenes will follow each other with the two different characters
She said – Look this is why I lock my room, Please let me sleep
I left immediately but by this time, I had gotten the payoff line, the poster and had started seeing the first scenes very vividly
Tunde & Bola -siddon look.
Heroes of my time was the pay off line and then the overriding hook would be – stories my country told me
By morning, Yemi called and was ready to speak. I say, see you, Play wey don set.
I don get two directors, story don set, i don reach Muyiwa Ige, I get two days for muson na him u just dey wake
William called and I told him, I wanted a very stern Idiagbon.
An Idiagbon that will shake the audience into reverence
I called back Prof Adedina and told him I wanted a subtle, philosophical Ige that would contrast very sweetly with the stern and brash but silently strong Idiagbon.
I want the play to have the audiences hold tight to their seats as Idiagbon slaps his son for hugging him instead of saluting him as a soldier he was and at the very next scene an Ige discussing life issues with Muyiwa and showing him the depth of life and soul as he serenades him with pious and didactic teachings and the next scene we see Idiagbon inspecting a guard of honour on a parade ground and the next scene we see Ige discussing ideologies with Wole Soyinka.
Muyiwa sends a message, lets talk at night and at night we talk snd he likes it but is concerned cos – they arrested him in 1983 how will that now pan out on stage with both of them coming together to send an exhortaion to Nigeria
I said that is the essence of the Play, the contrasting personalities with differing back grounds but unknowingly tied by a strong passion for Nigeria
A friend who read my status put it very succintly-
So your audience gets to view the two leadership styles, comparing one to the other. Each leader believing that the end justifies the means, one though gentle persuasion and the other through brutal force but ultimately both leaders having the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians at heart.
I think it’s a fantastic production idea. Respect!
Gbam!!! As they say on the streets
Then Muyiwa says, I should speak with Tunde Awosanmi that he is a brilliant expert on Bola Ige
I speak with him and we agree to talk tomorrow
This play will be my best ever, it will shift the narrative in theatre productions as it will push the contrasting theme to its Zenith, giving the audiences a powerful revue
Make we dey siddon look abeg
Duke of Shomolu