Time: 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Korean Cultural Centre, 2nd Floor, Rivers House, Ralph Shodeinde Street, Central Business Area (opposite ministry of finance)
This edition of the PRP4 will feature Dr. Isiaka Aliagan, 'Olubu' Join us as we engage the playwright on the issues and theatrics of this new play. Copies of the book available at the Korean Centre from Thursday 31st.
Isiaka Aliagan’s new play, ‘Olubu’ is one play that has re-enacted the unending rivalry between man and the elemental forces that seeks to lord above him. Human will and the supernatu...ral, pre-eminent posturing of the gods, as was see in Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not To Blame, for instance was again the case in this new play.
‘Olubu’ is about Obotun, a poor but proud mother and his son Olubu. Upon the dead of Olubu’s father, Oguntade, his Uncle despises him so much so that he calls him bastard, a derogatory name among the people of Oke’gbe. And soon, the entire village, including Jogo, the drunkard soon started calling hima bastard.
That however was the least of Olubu’s problems as he also had to contend the myriad of misfortunes that follows him about. Everything he touches or get involved in will end up in calamity. One of such situation was the belief that it was the small quarrel he had with his Uncle that led in the latter’s death. Also Omokun, the only girl who understands Olubu and had agreed to marry him, is stopped by her mother, who despises Olubu for his nature. Sooner, Omokun becomes a devotee of the Imole group (a traditional group committed to the worship of the goddess of the village). Omokun believes there is something wrong with the birth of Olubu and advises him to consult Ifa. Olubu then decides to seek Ifa’s help and his findings are not pleasant. It opens a can of worms that preceded his conception.
It was revealed that his mother, Obotun, when still a young girl, had been betrothed to a sea prince in the spirit to, which meant that she cannot marry any mortal man except a sacrifice is made. Though Oguntade who seeks her hand in marriage accepts to do the sacrifice but before her marriage, Obotun was raped by a madman.
When Tade finds out what has happened, he decides to conceal the shame, especially upon discovering that he was sterile and cannot impregnate a woman. At the point of his death, Tade confides in his his brother Tobi with the instruction that the shame still be kept a family secret. Tobi fails to keep the secret and that triggers the dramatic conflict. Tobi calling Olubu a bastard leads to bloodshed and further ominous revelations that culminated in the tragedy of both mother and son. In a desperate attempt to conceal the secret, Obotun killed Jaba and eventually Tobi; so she can live a free life. But the more she tries the more the gods upturn her attempts.
‘Olubu’ is an exciting drama whose strength lies in the rich Yoruba traditional setting which complements the theme, language and characterizations in the evolvement of the play to make it a director’s dream, in terms of stageability since plays are meant to be performed and not merely read like other forms of writing.
The playwright however must be commended for the detailed attention paid to the editing and final packaging of this book, as that has been the albatross of most recent publications in Nigeria in recent time. There is no doubting the fact that Olubu will be a huge success whether on the stage, or on the bookshelves.
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