Richard Mofe-Damijo and other veteran theatre practitioners will reunite in Lagos on November 1 to mark 40 years since AJOFEST ’86, a festival of four plays by late Nigerian playwright Fred Agbeyegbe.
The reunion, themed AJOFEST ’86 – 40 Years Later: Reunion and Reflections, will begin at 4pm at Queen Amina Gardens, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, in partnership with the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP). Admission is free, and the programme will also be streamed online.
Held in 1986, AJOFEST featured four plays written by Agbeyegbe: The King Must Dance Naked, Woe Unto Death, The Last Omen and Budiso. The productions were staged over four consecutive weekends at the National Theatre, attracting large audiences during Nigeria’s military era.
The plays explored issues surrounding tradition, justice, political authority and the abuse of power. Through drama and political satire, the festival examined social practices and the exercise of authority at a time when Nigeria was under military rule.
Agbeyegbe, a lawyer, playwright, publisher and cultural advocate, conceived and financed the festival through Ajo Productions. His work helped demonstrate the potential of independent investment in Nigerian theatre and the ability of professionally staged productions to attract substantial audiences.
The anniversary programme will feature a panel discussion moderated by Dr Lookman Sanusi, with Mofe-Damijo, Ayo Lijadu, Yomi Layinka and Lara Akinsola expected to share their experiences of the original festival.
Veteran journalist Ben Tomoloju, a former arts editor and deputy editor of The Guardian, will deliver the keynote address. Other participants expected to reflect on the festival’s history include Professor Segun Ojewuyi, Dr Tunji Sotimirin, Godwin Onohwosa, Jahman Anikulapo and Adeniran Makinde.
The Crown Troupe of Africa will coordinate dramatic readings from the four plays, while tributes will be paid to members of the original production team, including Jide Ogungbade, Pero Sosan, Sola Awojobi, Victoria Ajomeyimje and Akpor Otebele.
Organisers say the gathering will also address the preservation of Nigerian theatre history, arts funding, access to performance spaces and training opportunities for emerging practitioners.
Coordinator of the organising committee, Dr Lillian Agbeyegbe, said the anniversary would recognise the people behind the festival and preserve their experiences for future generations.
“Ajofest ’86 was a bold act of private investment in Nigerian theatre, and its plays spoke truth at a critical time in our national life,” she said.
She said the organisers hoped to honour the festival’s pioneers, document their firsthand accounts and pass its legacy on to younger generations.
NANTAP National President Adeniran Makinde said the partnership reflected the association’s commitment to recognising the foundations of modern Nigerian performance.
The organising committee is also inviting former cast members, crew, audience members and the general public to contribute photographs, original programmes, newspaper clippings, audio and video recordings, and personal recollections to help build a permanent archive of the festival.
The event is open to members of the arts community and the general public.
Ademide Adebayo
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