EPE News

Students In Epe Reawaken Queen Moremi In Thrilling Stage Performance

Published

2 years ago

Nov 24, 2022.

Students in Epe reawakened Queen Moremi in a thrilling stage performance.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the students of the prestigious Lagos State University of Education (formerly Michael Otedola College of Primary Education), Noforija, Epe, brought back to life the legendary heroism of Yoruba’s courageous, brave and beautiful folk heroine, Queen Moremi Ajasoro.

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The incredible stage performance by the students of the institution’s Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA) Department elicited encomiums from lecturers, parents, and students, who attended the event at the school’s Multipurpose Hall.

This medium gathered that the stage play, which was conducted under the tutelage of Comrade Jamal Apena (Drama), Bayo Adebiyi (Dance Instructor), and Dayo Olukoya (Media Assistant), was a joint production of the final year students and 100-level students who offered CCA 324 (Creative Integrated Arts Project) and CCA 125 (Theatre Practice).

The deployment of media effects to depict the entry of a mermaid in her abode wowed the engaged audience, while the play climaxed at Esinmirin river, where Queen Moremi had to fulfill her pledge by offering her only son, Oluorogbo, for sacrifice.

After the performance, which was written by the distinguished playwright Duro Ladipo, lecturers took turns to appraise the stage play.

In his remarks, the Dean of the School of Arts and Social Sciences and lecturer in the Music unit of the CCA department, Mr Thompson E.O, applauded the aspiring thespians for their remarkable display.

He also admonished the 100-level students to note the grey areas and improve upon them to stage a superb play during their final year.

“This is an incredible stage performance. Apart from very few areas which are pardonable, the mastery of their lines coupled with their fantastic audibility corresponded with their actions and stage movements,” he said.

“I commend the Coordinator, Mr Jamal Apena, for his resilience to groom the students despite his tight schedule.

“It Is quite painful that the CCA department has been moved to the Main Campus, but I will like to challenge the 100-level students to give us their best before they graduate in the next few years so that the college management can compensate us.”

Delivering her remarks during the viva session, a Counsellor in the School of Education, Dr Vivian Adeyemi, applauded the exceptional display of the students, describing their all-around creativity as superb.

According to the academic, it would be soul-pleasing if the students could dedicate the same energy and commitment to their academics.

Some other lecturers who pointed out the grey areas in the play production admitted that there was no perfect performance and therefore encouraged the students, especially those of the 100-level, to improve.

While Mr Bayo Okunlola commended the artistic aesthetics displayed in the production through visual arts, media arts, costume, and make-up, Mr Doyin Ademola commended the efforts of the orchestra crew for the fabulous music and sound effects.

The parents who came to see the performance were included in appraising the play.

One of the parents who spoke on behalf of others hailed lecturers for laying the foundation for the thrilling performance.

While he stressed that the stage play took them back to memory lane of the 60s and 70s, he admonished the students not to relent in their efforts to attain greater heights through the theatre.

After the event, an alumnus of the college who has a teaching career with the Lagos State Government, Mr Onakoya Tobi, spoke with Eko Hot Blog.

He reflected on the enormous impacts of the CCA department on the college and the Epe community.

Tobi suggested that the absence of the department, which has been moved to the main campus under the LASUED arrangement, would affect talent development in young people in nearby schools and communities.

“As a teacher, I feel concerned about the situation, and I think it’s one of the sacrifices for development,” he said.

“In the last decade, the department has attracted notable Nollywood stars to the school. It has, on different occasions, added colour to iconic sociocultural events around the town through cultural performances, but unfortunately, that will have to stop in the next two years when the NCE program is phased out.

“The department has been a launch pad for several creatives who are making the College proud in their various crafts.