BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION
DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS

COURSE TITLE
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIAN DRAMA AND
THEATRE

COURSE CODE
TPA 3208

BY

ESTHER OKECHUKWU IHECHINEMEREM

CMM/18/TFS/00341

Question
Document a relatively undocumented trado-cultural festival/ ceremony that is arguably
Nigerian. Highlight the aspects that qualify the festival as theatre/ drama.
Also, document all sources appropriately.

COURSE FACILITATOR
MR JOE DAMEH ALI

JANUARY, 2023
African traditional theatre is a collection of the artistic performance and dramatic modes of a

traditional society. It consists of music, dance, drumming, mime, costume, dance-drama and also

makeup. This festival are re- enactment of myth and legend often known to be members of the

community. African traditional theatre are indigenous performing arts that have been natured on

African soil. These festivals contain all the pre-requisites of drama and theatre, namely: a

dramatize story, performance, a performing space and audience.

THE IGBA OSO FESTIVAL

Igba Oso is a festival performed in ozu abam, Arochukwu local government of Abia state. The

period of the festival is usually interesting and it is known as the time of retirement and it is

celebrated for seven years. It is done by only men, when a man comes of age which is 70 seventy

years of age, the festival is done every year starting from when the man turs 70 until the man

turns 77 then he can now sit at the council of elders and take part in the decision making of the

community.

It is a festival which is mostly done by men which is done as a symbol of retirement. the festival

is done to celebrate the retirement of a man from the young age to an elderly age, once a man

comes off age and this festival is done there are various things that is expected of him like not

being involved in unnecessary fight or argument in the community and the man is not allowed to

wear trouser but to tie wrapper to certain important occasion.

During this festival, there are three particular age grade who participate in order to ensure the

smooth running of the festival. This age grades are the Umu Uka, Okorokwu Odia and Nkwo

Ikpo.

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The Umu Uka age grade is the middle age group. On the day of the festival, this particular age

grade brings out their drums and plays it in order to symbolizes the beginning of the festival and

that people should get ready.

The second age grade is Okorokwu Odia. this is the youth age grade they are usually hunters. On

the day of the festival, this particular age grade members bring out their gong and swords. they

go round the community to ensure that the community is safe from external aggression because

during this festival back in the days, there is usually external attack from neighboring village. As

they go round the community the sing native songs inorder the gods to guide them and this songs

are used create awareness that the festival has begun.

The third age grade is Nkwo Ikpo.This age grade perform at the end of the festival by which they

beat a particular drum and the leaves of palm tree and the skull of a human head is attached are

attached to the drum, once this particular drum is beat, it totally means the festival is finally over

and the animals gotten from hunt is being used for celebration but before this drum is being

played there's is usually like a wrestling competition by the youths of the land.

This festival is usually done mostly by men and women are not allowed to participate fully in the

process and also strangers in the land are also not allowed to take part in the performance.

ELEMENTS OF THEATRE IN IGBA OSO FESTIVAL

1. PERFORMER OR ACTOR
An actor is a person who protrays certain charater. An actor's job is to fully represent the

character they are playing and to convince their audience that the character is real by engaging

them and drawing them into the story. The actors in Igba oso festival are the men who has come

of age that is the retirement age and also the members of the three age grade which is the Umu

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Uka, okorokwu odia and Nkwo ikpo. These actors are known as drummers, warriors and great

Hunter.

2. DIALOGUE

Dialogue is the communication or discussion between people or groups of people. It is a

conversation between characters in a text or drama. It is also the exchange of idea or opinions. it

could be a verbal and non- verbal conversation. In the Igba Oso festival, the dialogue is the

singing of song in their native dialect, the drumming which signifies the beginning of the festival

to the members of the community.

3. COSTUMES AND MAKEUP

Costume are special kind of clothing worn by actors on stage inorder to aid dramatic action and

interpretation. Costume are Paramount among other visual elements in the theatre used in

relating human experiences to an audience. It is an outfit worn to create the appearance

characteristics of a particular period, person, place or thing. Visual elements such as costume and

makeup do play important role in participatory social and ritual performance, in most war and

hunting dances the participants do not only imitate the movement of the warriors or prey but also

use the weapons, mask, makeup and animal ski. to heighten the realism of the performance. The

main character of the festival are the men who are in the retirement age, on the day of the

festival, the men are to wear a white top and a traditional trapper on their waist, then those

particular age grade which took part in the festival have their own attire for the day, for the Umu

Uka age grade the men don't wear anything to cover their chest, they just tie a small trapper on

their waist. Then for the second age grade Okorokwu odia, they usually dress like warriors and

Hunter with their drums and swords in their hands. Then for the last age grade Nkwo Ikpo which

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beat their drums to signify the end of the festival using dress like the community masquerade

because their is not an ordinary one it have spiritual meaning.

4. AUDIENCE

The audience is an indispensable element in the theatre because the theatre occurs when. the

spectator are present to interact with the performer. The essence of theatre is the interaction

between the performer and audience. In the Igba Oso festival, the dominant audience are mostly

the men in the community and partially women a d children.

5. SPACE

The concept of space is a very important one in the theory of theatre practice and it is used to

identify every different aspects of the performance. There is what is called the theatre space, it is

the area occupied by the audience and the actors during the course of performance and it is

characterized by the theatrical relationship fostered between the two. In Igba Osos festival, it is

usually done in a big space under an ancestral tree as symbol of tradition.

CONCLUSION

The origin of tradition African drama is not different from the origin of Greek or European

drama. In Africa, during the precolonial era, societies celebrated agricultural seasons, rites and

festivals with songs and drama.

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REFERENCES

Chile. T. (2023, January 27). Personal communication

Susan. O.( 2023, January 28). Personal communication
Banham, M. & Wake. C . ( 1976). African theatre today.