Leading performance, poet Dike Chuwkuwmerije recently played host to Abuja residents from diverse backgrounds to a special Valentine edition of the poetry theatre production, “Made In Nigeria”.
The evening’s performance which was supported by the Transcorp Hilton as a show of support for the art and literary scene in Abuja, was a weave of different stories, each independently re-creating a strand in the rich tapestry of Nigeria’s socio-cultural and political life; each done in a sublime manner. Every moment saw the artistes plugging performance poetry into mainstream pop culture; with the infusion of drama and dance in story form that made poetry less abstract and more enjoyable to the audience.
Former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka who was one of the notable attendees at the event that attracted an audience of almost 1,000. He was full of praise for the 120-minute long performance that fused together poetry, dance, drama and humor to tell Nigeria’s history over the last 103 years, beautifully turning an art form into a positive force of change.
“Dike has been able to take what was previously an abstract art form and turned it into a performance that everyone can relate to. It is pure genius. This particular production leads to our own experience of our own contemporary history and enables us to take away something from it,” he said at the end of the evening.
Another notable presence at the event was Charles “Charly Boy” Oputa. “Excited is an understatement. I didn’t know that monologue could be this crazy. This is exciting, it was wonderful,” he enthused when asked to summarize his experience.
Spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina also had very positive words after the event. “I must say that I am very impressed. This is one performance that I will recommend every Nigerian takes time to experience. It highlights our common history and our common problems in ways that will make us all begin to see that we need to come together to face our common enemies. Without this understanding, we will continue to have wrong perceptions of where our problems come from,” he said.
Following initial acts that warmed up the audience, Dike’s 120-minute non-stop performance began with the story of the amalgamation of Nigeria captured in ten great quotes from notable political personalities that played key roles within that period of Nigeria’s history. The audience was held captive as from Professor Eyo, Sir Nnamdi Azikiwe to Sir, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, each quote flowed smoothly within a musical ambience.
The last poem of the night ‘Keep Marching On’ was dedicated to Herbert Macaulay who is known to be the foremost father of Nigeria nationalism