BY NANKPAH BWAKAN
The plays
"Mulkin Mata" and "Aikin Mata" were staged by the 200 and
400 level(s) students of the department of the Theatre and Film Arts, University
of Jos. The women apparently tired of the men's continuous dominance of the
political space, failure of leadership manifesting in crises, lack of portable
drinking water, poor health facilities and bad condition of the education
sector among other things prompted women to begin to think-out-of-box. They embark on sex strike which forces men
to step aside and allow women to rule over them, and they quickly get their
husbands lie down their arms in the interest of peace and progress of the
larger society.
The plays were adaptations of a Greek play, Lysistrata which was based
on the Trojan war and written by a renowned playwrights Iyorwuese Hagher (Mulkin
Mata) and Tony Harrison and Simon James, directed by Victor Anaclechi Anyagu
and Ellison Damkap respectively of the Department of Theatre and Film Arts,
University of Jos.
The
playwrights adapt the plays to suit the Nigeria and Africans crises and
unstable economic situation, using sex strike to address security challenges
bedevilling Nigeria and African continent's unstable economic situation. The
plays perfectly painted the picture of the agony of women in any crisis
situation which they often lose their children, husbands and sometimes being
raped as well as x-ray the Africa instability of economic situation
charaterized by constant men who are entrusted with leadership responsibility often
loot the nation's resources and invest same overseas.
The students present the audience with uncertain issues that compelled
the women to embark on sex strike; thus denying their husbands and lovers sex
and even stay away from their respective matrimonial homes strategizing on how
to dethrone the men which they did in the two plays.
Alhaji Usmanu in the "Multin Mata" took over power from men
through barrel of guns thereby imposing herself as the military head of
government and upon her emergence as the head of government, she dashed decrees
prohibiting sexual intercourse thus, anybody found making love to his/her lover
such a person will be sentenced to death by firing squad, ordered for the
reversal of domestic work to men though, child bearing and raring may not be
possible.
The
head of government stressed that the ban on sexual intercourse would only be
lifted when the economy improves and those that looted African money and fled
to other continents and invest there must be brought back to Africa and the monies
are recovered. There will be nothing for men. Alhaji Saleh and a Professor who both
served as Ambassador and other positions represents typical Africans leaders
who loot the Africa resources and invest in the economy of other continents and
once in a while visit the continents and enjoyed themselves with white
ladies.
Interestingly, the plays perfectly captured a situation where those
saddled with leadership positions invest aboard thereby strengthening the
foreign countries economies and destroying the Nigeria economy with result
manifesting in the endemic diseases, especially in rural areas. Hagher utilises the Lysistratan theme of sex
strike for the purpose of social change, economic and political liberation and
equality in African society where women are relegated to background and
discarded, all forms of dictatorship and misrule by few individuals entrusted
with leadership position and advocate for collaborative leadership where all
and sundry irrespective of their religion, ethnic and political affiliation
should be given sense of belonging in government.
However, the "Aikin Mata" directed
by Ellison Damkap, under the leadership of Magajiya dethrone men through civil
means leading to the capturing of the Alkila who represents the head of
government. The women after capturing
the Alkila, took an oath under the watchful eyes of their leader, Magajiya
vowing never to make love with their husbands until the economy improves and men
lay down their arms. But kwaranga who cannot bear the absence of his wife,
Mariya and the persistence urge for sex, storms the women's camp in search of
his wife and on meeting the leader of the women (Magajiya), he without any
pretence begs his wife to come back home for them to continue their night game
of lovers. Mariya insists that she would
not let him make love with her or even return home with him until he initiates
a treaty between the warring North and South to end the lingering crisis between
the duo. The signing of the treaty by
the Northern and Southern Ambassadors led to peaceful resolution of the war and
the women's return to their various matrimonial homes and handed over the
mantle of leadership to their husbands.
The Commander of the Special Task Force on
Jos-Plateau crises, Major General Henry Ayoola who represented the Chief of
Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim watched the theatrical
performances of the "Mulkin Mata" which literarily means
"Women's Reign" and "Aikin Mata" at the Open Air Theatre of
the University of Jos was part of the activities line-up to mark the 26th
convocation ceremony of the institution. The play "Aikin Mata" was
very interesting because the playwright seeks to bring about lasting solution
to the desperate situation of war and disintegration using sex strike, as a
symbol and weapon towards the attainment of lasting peace and unity in Nigeria,
suggesting that if all Nigerians regardless of gender play their parts in the
struggle for justice and peace, Nigeria would be a best place to live.
The University of Jos, "Open Air Theatre" was full to capacity
as dignitaries from the government cycle, academia, students, parents and
guardians, the media, military chiefs both serving and retired; old students of
the Department of Theatre and Film Arts as well as businessmen and women watchd
the play performance.
The dignitaries
who graced the occasion generally expressed joy with the performances and
commended the new Head of the Department of Theatre and Film Arts Associate
Professor Tor Ioropuu for introducing new innovation into annual convocation by
bringing drama and other activities which they noted was an improvement on the
previous convocation pre-activities. However, the Directors of
"Mulkin Mata" and "Aikin Mata" Anyagu and Damkap said the
process leading to the staging of the plays was a difficult as it took them
months of intensive rehearsals with their students but thanked God for the success
recorded at the end.
According to them, the plays exposed corrupt practice in the African
society and abuses of power which prompted the women in the plays text to embark
on sex strike and dethrone men as well as reversing domestic work to men while
the women pilot the affairs of the African continent with Alhaji Usmanu as the
representative of women at helm of affairs.
The Vice
Chancellor of the University, Professor
Hayward Babale Mafuyai after watching the performances remarked that since the
outbreak civil hostility in Plateau State and some parts of the country,
theatrical performance has proven to capable of advocating for peace and good
governance and the military has failed in restoring peace to Nigeria. He
therefore, directed that the Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution of the
university which has been collaborating with Royal Neitherland should begin to
work with the Department of Theatre Arts by visiting the affected communities
staging drama that advocate or preaches the need for peaceful co-existance
amongst Nigerians irrespective of the ethnic, religion and political
affiliation. To
further encourage the Department, Professor Mafuyai announced the commencement
of Bachelor of Arts in Music stressing that "Our Students are excelling in
the performative industry: Film, Theatre, Dance, Music and the Media,"
stressing that the university's senate has approved the commencement of a
Bachelor of Arts programme in Music in the Department of Theatre and Film Arts
in order to complement the Choral group.
The Vice Chancellor equally inaugurated the University Choral Group and
Dance Troupe as part of activities line-up to mark the university's 26th
convention, described theatrical performances as vital tool for conflict
resolution assuring that he would encourage the department to continue to
advocate for peace. However, the Head
of Department of Theatre and Film Arts, University of Jos Professor Tor
Ioropuu, said the plays "Mulkin Mata and Aikin Mata" were clearfully
selected with the purpose of letting the world know that it is possible to
achieve peace in Nigeria and that both men and women have a role to play in the
restoration of peace. Ioropuu said department is a creative and imaginative one
and they exploiting ways of generating funds for the university and department
through the Dance Troupe saying "The thinking is that sooner or later
people will be hiring the troupe and we are ready to compete with the council
of arts favourably." He said the series of activities put in place by the
department preparatory to the 26th Convocation was a platform to showcase
talents in the department and to entertain dignitaries.
