Jagagba, the winning play in last year’s Beeta Playwrights Competition organised by BEETA Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF) will be staged at Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre from Friday, July 19 to Sunday, July 21, 2019. Founder of BUAF and award-winning actress and producer, Bikiya Graham-Douglas, made the announcement in a statement. Jagagba is written by Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim.
For the 2018 edition of the innovative playwright contest that seeks to discover young talents in creative writing in drama, BUAF received 348 entries from 30 states. A panel of six judges, led by the former General Manager, National Theatre, Prof. Ahmed Yerima, selected 10 finalists, who attended a one-day playwriting workshop also led by Prof. Yerima. This was followed by the grand finale where Jagagba emerged the winner. Ibrahim’s win fetched N1 million in prize money and a publishing deal. Part of the competition’s deal includes staging the winning play that will see Jagagba coming alive on stage.
The play captures the conflicts that characterise traditional society with interplays of political metaphors and social contradictions, while exploring the quandary of familial ties, the complexity of policy iteration and the perceived gap between evolving cultures, including relevant social issues such as the societal value of women, female inclusion, security, and co-existence.
Ibrahim hails from Kogi State and has a Bachelor’s degree in banking and finance from Covenant University. He has a passion and flair for writing and expressed excitement that his play emerged winner, saying he found it hard to believe he won.
Graham-Douglas, who is also producing the play, said she created the foundation because of her love for the performing arts and as an avenue to create opportunities for young people to develop their talent and tell original Nigerian stories. In the first edition, Our Son the Minister written by Paul Ugbede emerged and enjoyed massive stage presence.
The play stars Kunle Coker, Mawuyon Ogun, Bamike Olawunmi (Bam Bam), Ese Lami George, Olarotimi Fakunle, Eden Attai and Kelvinmary Ndukwe. Showtime in the three-day theatre fiesta is on Friday, July 19 @7 pm, Saturday, July 20 @3 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday, July 21 @3 pm and 7 pm.