Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim has emerged winner in this year’s Beeta Playwriting Competition with his play, Jagagba. The second edition, it is an annual competition organised by Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF), which is founded by actress and theatre producer, Bikiya Graham-Douglas.
The grand finale of the competition took place at the Muson Centre on Tuesday, January 30, 2019, where the winner was presented with his N1million prize money. The win also comes with a publishing deal with Paper Worth Books Limited and a production of the Play by BUAF as well as a campus tour. the play adjudged the winning entry by the panel of judges chaired by Professor Ahmed Yerima, with Ego Boyo, Ibiso Graham-Douglas, Kenneth Uphopho, Ayo Jaiyesimi and Husseini Shaibu as members.
The competition, which is to create opportunities for emerging Nigerian playwrights both home and in the Diaspora between ages of 18 and 45, received 348 entries from across 30 states of Nigeria. Paul Ugbede won the first edition last year with his riveting play, Our Son, the Minister
“Our goal is to do more by empowering all players to include writers, directors, actors, students and other professionals in the ecosystem,” said Graham-Douglas at the event which had prominent theatre lovers and students.
“Our first edition was very successful with the winning Play Our Son the Minister produced multiple times across the Country. Our winner Paul Ugbede worked with the biggest producers in Nigerian Theatre and has also been shortlisted for the African Playwriting Competition. One of our finalists Soji Cole went on to win the NLNG Prize for literature for 2018. We are excited to unveil the winner of the second Beeta Playwright Competition and look forward to exciting times ahead,” she added.
The 10 finalists mounted the stage when it came time to announce the winner. The shortlist of 10 were ‘Tick Tock More Talk’ (Shehu Zock-Sock), ‘Mr. Macaroni’ (Rukee Ejigbo), ‘Beyond the Wig’ (Joshua Alabi), ‘Echoes of the Drum’ (Ubonla Adenike), ‘Jagagba’ (Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim), ‘A Love like This’ (Kehinde Ademoye), ‘Room 7’ (Ekpeno Ukut), ‘Transparent’ (Kelvinmary Ndukwe), ‘Shark Boy’ (El Osas Iyalekhue) and ‘Queen Akhadze’ (Elias Ozikpu).
Ruhee Ojigbo emerged as the second runner up with his play ‘Mr Macaroni’ while Joshua Alabi was declared the first runner up with his play ‘Beyond the Wig’. Then came the man of the moment, Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim with his play Jagagba emerged as the winning play, earning the him a cash of N1 million, a publishing deal with Paper Worth books Limited and a production of the Play by BUAF at Terra Kulture Arena as well as a campus tour.
An excited Ibrahim who was still too stunned to know how to spend the money when he made his speech at the event.
“I was surprised when they announced my name as the winner. When I didn’t hear my name in the first and second runners up, I concluded that I will not win, but when I heard my name I was so excited,” he said.
Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, Head of Corporate Communications for Union Bank said that Union bank was keen to intervene in youth talent development, and that one area of focus is talent development. “It’s a way we can really empower our youths. We’re glad to be part of this relationship. The country is rich in art and culture, but there is a gap and we need to help tell our own stories. We believe telling our own stories is important. There are many platforms through which we can tell our stories.”
Ugbede commended the finalists and Beeta Universal Arts Foundation, saying that the N1 million is not the issue, but the most important thing is the platform this contest gives you all. My play (Our Son the Minister) was the most performed in Lagos last year. I came to pursue my Lagos dream. This is a platform to grow; this is a family to grow.”
Among those at the event were actress and brand ambassador, Chioma Akpotha; a former editor of The Guardian (Jahman Anikulapo); actress, Ego Boyo, Theo Lawson of the Freedom Park and Head of Corporate Communication of Union Bank, Mrs. Ogochukwu Ekaidem.