Press Release

2015 London Production of The Gods Are Not To Blame by Ola Rotimi

“When the gods commend, we men must obey!” This statement from the play sums up the thrust of Ola Rotimi’s classic play, The Gods Are Not To Blame.

Odewale, the central character is destined from birth to “kill his father and marry his mother…” a taboo in African socio-cultural setting. The play is based on Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and it touches on the nerve of an African society where a man by fate is “condemned” to fail.

Odewale, born to King Adetusa and his wife Queen Ojuola, the King and Queen of Kutuje,as a baby is to be sacrificed to the gods because his birth is considered as bad omen: a child pre-destined to kill his father and marry the same woman who gave him birth. Gbonka, King Adetusa’s special messenger, is asked to carry out this rite, but he allows compassion to take the better part of him and he spares Odewale’s life, giving him instead to the hunter Ogundele, in another village in Ijekun to foster. Soon after, King Adetusa and Queen Ojuola have another son, Aderopo “to fill the nothingness left behind by the first”.

As fate would have it, Odewale grows up strong and temperamental and confronts his biological father (unknown to them both) on a farm in Ede, “a place where three footpath meet”. An argument ensues over the ownership of the farm and King Adetusa makes mockery of Odewale’s mother tongue, calling him a “man from the bush tribe of Ijekun”. Odewale allows raw anger to overshadow his reasoning and strikes King Adetusa dead and then flees; hence the first part of the oracle pronouncement come to pass.

Kutuje is left without a King, the neigbhouring village; Ikolu takes advantage of this and attacks Kutuje. Odewale comes to the rescue of Kutuje and liberates them from the pangs of Ikolu. In gratitude the people of Kutuje make Odewale KING and he marries Queen Ojuola as is the tradition, thus fulfilling the second half of the pronouncement of the gods. The union between Odewale and Queen Ojuola produces four children and calamity begins to plague Kutuje.

But is it enough to blame the gods or any entity for a man’s downfall? Could a man’s flaws: character traits, utterances, temper, determination to avert disaster also be blamed for catastrophe that befalls him? Thespian Family Theatre and Productions in collaboration with Heavy Wind Media Productions UK present Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not To Blame at Lost Theatre, London in the last week of April 2015. Thespian Family Theatre and

Productions headed by Ayo Jaiyesimi is an emerging theatre company in Lagos, Nigeria and within the shortest space of time of existence has successfully staged remarkable productions to the delights of teeming audiences. Heavy Wind Media Productions prides itself in staging classic African plays in the heart of London to reflect and re-enforce the African traditions, culture and nuances in the midst of other multi-cultural plays that fill London stages.

According to the artistic director of the play, Lookman Sanusi, who staged another successful play of Ola Rotimi, Our Husband has gone Mad Again, during the London 2012 Culture Olympiad, “ this production is tagged a ‘Film-Play’, where the audience will be treated to moving images on a cyclorama and actions on stage. This is an inter-media concept where there will be constant flow ofactions from the screen to the stage.” The idea is to expand the world of the play beyond the physical stage by bringing in exotic scenery: the African rustic setting, sounds and euphoria to enrich for the London audience the authentic African cultural experience while entertaining them with a classic African play.

It is essential that the audience not only sympathises with the character of Odewale but also learns from and emulates the good aspects of him; his selfless nature and willingness to take care of his subjects, vows to expose the truth about the killer of King Adetusa and the punishment for the perpetrator of theheinous crime (even though it all points to him, he sees it to the end) and the ultimate self-sacrifice to bring succor to his people by self-exile.

The play stars veteran actor, Dejumo Lewis (The Oloja of Oja of the defunct Nigerian Television Authority’s Village Headmaster drama series). Toyin Oshinaiki and Olarotimi Fakunle are both actors travelling from Nigeria to join the London cast which also includes Moji Bamtefa (Meet The Adebanjo), Segun Ogunfidodo (Our Husband has gone Mad Again), Tolulope Yesufu (Shattered Heart), Ayo Oyedapo (Shameful Deceit), Ahmed Aliu, Prince Tade Olusile, CeciliaSanusi-Olawale, Nike Bammeke, Bidemi Alaran (Our Husband has gone MadAgain) Felix Ologbosere, Yemi Oyeyebi and Frank Oluwole Williams (Of Mice and Men) among others. A German-based Nigerian actor Jubril Sulaimon will also jointhe cast. The creative team includes Kristina Simakova (stage manager), Ibukun Fasuhan (production manager), Omoyemi Oni (Media), Lara Adebari (finance) Abimbola kujore (graphics) and Chermiah Hart is on technical and editing.

The production enjoys support of The Ola Rotimi Foundation, Bubbles FM, Transformation Network, Cross Atlantic FM UK and The Tony Tokunbo Fernandez Brand

Important information:

VENUE: LOST THEATRE (208, Wandsworth Road, London, SW8 2JU, Northern

Line or Victoria Line to Stockwell Station then 7 minutes walk)

DATE: SUNDAY 26TH – THURSDAY 30TH APRIL 2015

TIME: 8:00PM EACH DAY

GATE FEE: £15, CONSC. £12.50 (STUDENT WITH ID) £8 (CHILDREN)

TICKET BOOKING: tickets@losttheatre.co.uk

BOX OFFICE: +44207 720 6897

FURTHER ENQUIRIES: +44753 357 2784

http://www.thegodsarenottoblame.com

OlaRotimi Fakunle as Odewale.

Rehearsal picture: Tolulope Yesufu, Lookman Sanusi and Nike Bammeke

THE MAN, COMRADE SUNNY OGHALE OFEHE.

Comrade Sunny Oghale Ofehe was born to Chief Bernard Aghogho and Mrs. Theresa Ofehe of Iyede, Isoko North Council area of Delta State on the 1st Comrade Ofehe had his early education at Ogelle Primary School Ughelli, finishing in 1983. Helater proceeded to Unity School Agbarho for his Secondary education and graduated in 1988.

Comrade Ofehe’s love for Western Education saw him securing admission in 1991 to study Industrial Chemistry at the Prestigious University of Benin, Benin City from where He graduated in His disdain for injustice and love for fair play saw him playing active role in mobilising fellow students to demonstrate against the annulment of June 12,1993 Presidential election by the then Military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. An election believed to be the freest and fairest election ever, in Nigeria’s political history. The aftermath of this annulment has continued to hunt Nigeria’s Democratic and economic Development, Comrade Ofehe said in a recent interview.

In the wake of Military clampdown on Pro-democracy activists who were protesting the annulment of the election, and the execution of a renowned author, playwright and a Human Rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and others popularly known as the Ogoni Nine(9), Comrade Ofehe fled Nigeria for the Netherlands where he sought political asylum on the 26th

In 2005, Comrade Ofehe founded a non-governmental Organisation, Hope for the Niger Delta Campaigns (HNDC) headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands. HNDC which has played a leading role in bring the plight of the People of the Oil rich Niger Delta to International awareness is aimed at setting a new paradigm for restoration of Hope and the establishment of a peaceful Niger Delta safe for the host communities, Multi-Nationals, the International Community and indeed all Comrade Ofehe through HNDC facilitated the visit to the Creeks in 2005 of Lara Lee, David Smith, Pranay Behari (Americans) and Jan Andre Groenendijk (Dutch) Journalists to dialogue with the Militants. It could be recalled that at this time, the entire Niger Delta Region and indeed the Creeks was a no-go area for foreigners owing to widespread kidnappings of expatriates in the region byEnvironmental Rights activists popularly known as Militants in Nigerian political parlance.

In his bid to enlighten the people of the Niger Delta to embrace dialogue as a means to resolving their agitations, Comrade Ofehe through the HNDC started the publication of a monthly Niger Delta Diaspora magazine called “Inside Niger Delta Magazine”. This is the first of its kind outside Nigeria. He is the Publisher of this new venture.

His non-violent approach to his advocacy has endeared him to many. He has played prominent role in bringing an end to hostage taking in the Niger Delta. His campaign has led to specific release of Dutch kidnapped oil workers in recent times. His uncompromising stance has brought him against people in government and even some of the militants groups.

On October 4th 2007, assailants suspected to be hired assassins invaded his family house in Benin-City and strangled his 60 year old mother to death. He has repeatedly stated that he is holding thegovernment and all arms of the security forces in Nigeria responsible for the barbaric act of February 1972 in Lagos, Nigeria.

In September 2008, Comrade Sunny Ofehe began series of documentary films on the Niger Delta showcasing the untold stories of the region and using it as a means to campaign for peace.

This new initiative has brought him face to face with notable militant leaders such as Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo of the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force (NDPVF) and Boy Loaf (MEND Commander). He visited the camp of the popular Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in December 2008 and called for a truce. The process of peace has since been established by the Nigerian government granting of Amnesty to all Niger Delta Militants.

In 2009 he was invited by the current President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as part of his consultation to finding an enduring solution to the perennial problems of the Niger Delta. In the same period he addressed a joint committee of the Nigeria House of Representative and eventual invited 15 Honourable Members of the House to the Netherlands and the European Union in Brussels.

Comrade Ofehe on February 25 and 26 2010, hosted stakeholders in the Niger Delta Peace process to an international Conference in the Hague, Netherlands which was instrumental in proffering solution to the problems of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region.

In December of 2010 he facilitated the visit of Dutch member of Parliament Sharon Gesthuizen and Dutch embassy officials in Nigeria to visit the slumps and devastated areas of the Niger Delta. The outcome led to a Dutch Parliamentary Hearing on Shell in the Niger Delta in January 2011 at theDutch Parliament in The Hague.

Comrade Sunny Ofehe was one of the main Speakers alongside speakers from Amnesty International, Friends of the Earth, Cordaid while Shell was represented at the very high level during the drilling by the Parliamentarians.

In 2010, he narrowly escaped a bomb blast that rocked his room at the government guest house in Delta State, Nigeria. He has been arrested by the Nigeria State Security Services in Nigeria. He has often received dead threats from Nigeria and in February 2011, he was arrested by the Dutch Police after around 30 officers raided his home in Rotterdam in the early hours of the morning.

They searched his house, office and car for more than five hours. In February of 2011, less than a month after his parliamentarian appearance, the Dutch police numbering almost 30 stormed his house and arrested him on trump up charges which includes terrorism. His arrest was widely reported around the world and attracted international condemnation. It has been considered a political arrest to silence his dogged and virile criticism of oil and government operations in the Niger Delta.

Refusing to be deter by the arrest in which he was detained for 14 days, he was invited to address selected Members of the European Parliament in a conference to address corruption in the Oil and Gas sector in the Niger Delta. This conference took place in April 2011 at the EU Complex in A few months after he invited the Senior Adviser to the Nigerian President on Niger Delta and Head of the Nigerian Amnesty Committee, Hon. Kingsley Kuku to engage senior European politicians in Paris and Brussels.

His activities have received tremendous media attention both nationally and internationally. He has made appearances in major documentaries on Niger Delta. He has also produced many documentaries which can be found in his websites and on YouTube.

He was instrumental in the recent litigation of the four Niger Delta farmers brought against the Royal Dutch Shell in The Hague with a ruling in January 2013 that Shell Nigeria must compensate one of the farmers.

Apart from being an activist, he is a motivational personality who has advised many Diaspora on how they can abstain from criminal activities and use their potential to earn respect and dignity.

As a gifted motivational speaker, he has encouraged many around him with his motivational skills and testament which he freely shares with people. He is a comedian and usually makes people around him laugh. No wonder he also speaks at parties and ceremonies as their Master of

In 2004 Comrade Sunny Ofehe got married to former Ms Dorothy Faluy who has been his partner since 1996. This marriage is blessed with four boys.

More information about him can be found on http://www.ofehe.com, http://www.nigerdeltacampaign.com,

face book and Youtube. He can also be googled for more news on him. He can be reached on

sunnyofehe@yahoo.com.

Is there a disconnect between your sermon and the song service?

Do you feel your worship is not progressing?

How many people have either visited or joined your church recently as a result of your music ministrations?

Are you exhausted week to week because the Levites aren’t setting the table for worship?

I can help. Greetings in the exalted name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. My name is Pastor Samie McDavies Edogun. I hold a Bachelor Of Arts degree in English from the University Of Lagos (1994). I have a certificate in radio production from the Federal Radio Corporation Of Nigeria (FRCN) Training School (2010). And I have a diploma in Film Making from Del York/New York Film Academy (2011).

This is a proposal in respect of the training, handling and management of your choir/worship team. It is common knowledge the role the ministry of music plays in today’s emerging church trends. It therefore behooves the church to never cease to update how this vital department is run for maximum impact.

I have been overwhelmingly interested and actively involved in ensuring the fulfilment of the statutory role of the levite as an important partner in fulfilling the heartbeat of Jesus Christ for the establishment of God’s Kingdom in people’s lives through music and other forms of gospel arts for over three decades.

Below are details of my contributions so far in leadership/management roles in the ministry of music:

*Music Director – Church Of God Mission, Abuja. 1999-2000 *

Music Director – Church Of God Mission Lagos State and the Western zone bishopric. 2000-2002 *

Director, Directorate Of Music And Worship – Calvary Kingdom Church. June 2002-April 2013 (I still play supportive roles till date)

*Music Director (also HOD Media/Sound and HOD Security) – Emmanuel Christian Church (House Of Judah), Pretoria – South Africa. May 2013-January 2015

It is noteworthy that in 2001 God gave me the grace to raise an inter-denominational private choir, “Damaturu Community Mass Choir” in Damaturu – Yobe State, Nigeria. And in 2004, I founded “For Christ Mass Choir”, in Lagos State, Nigeria. These choirs were involved in own organised music events as well as invitationals.

I also have had short-term consultancy/training programmes for some other churches which includes: Dominion Chapel Abuja; Maranatha Churches Jos; and some others in Lagos at different times in-between my church commitments. The training proposal which covers different areas of the music ministry is aimed at adding a great deal of value to the work already being done.

It also aims at taking the ministry to a whole new level of excellence through mentor-leadership approach. Areas of focus shall include the following:

*Vocal training exercises *Indepth training and exposure to the role of music in worship *Role of music & arts in church growth

*Ministerial etiquette and discipline *Song scoring and teaching with a strong emphasis on clarity of enunciation *Preparing songs for praise and worship sessions as well as special ministrations *Grooming of lead worshipers and soloists

*Coordinating the band for new and contemporary arrangement of songs *Planning and execution of music events *Encouraging & providing a fertile environment for the training, development & deployment of individual skills & talents of team members

*Fostering an efficient synergy amongst team members thereby enhancing an improved ministerial productivity

Contact details: +27788702210; +2348185422771; bigsamie@yahoo.com Thank you for your anticipated and favourable response. Yours In The Ministry, Pastor Samie McDavies Edogun Jesus Reigns!

Many artists struggle to establish their musical identity, trying different musical and fashion styles, But there are others that emerge fully formed, in full command of their craft, their identity and their music. NAXIS DE GENEXIS fits squarely in the latter category, In possession of a lyrical incisiveness, captivating, melodic irresistibility, one whose music feels familiar in the best possible way, fresh, distinctive and Grand technique.

Enaruna Edosomwan known by his stage name Naxis DG is a prolific Nigerian recording artist, song writer and performer in Europe. who began his solo career in 2009, with his first single shakara a romantic and melodious afro rnb song. In 2012 he returned to his motherland, Nigeria to join d music industry where he dropped “gbedu” a massive club banger which topped the Nigerian european charts and confirmed the artist’s status as an international performer/artist, afterwards in the year 2013 he launched his debut album “the Genesis” which included further hits like tweh tweh luv, chocomilo & Superstar. In 2014 The Hit Song #Adesuwa is trending & has taken

Musical career to another level.

His work and contribution to the Nigerian music industry in Europe has made him obtain numerous nominations and awards. Naxis DG is presently the best breakthrough artist of the year 2014 @ the NEU AWARDS hosted in ROME, An award which emphasizes his successful and outstanding career. Currently Team Up with Funky4Entertainment a leading entertainment group and CEO of a fast EU record Label “ND Recordz”. Naxis has collaborated with lots of well known artist across Europe and Africa producing hits and acquiring awareness across the continent. Despite numerous accolades, Naxis DG supports a lot of charity organizations, recently collaborating with the charity organization “Amc1d Aiuta Bambini Onlus/Ong” on a project “HOUSE OF THE FORGOTTEN” sustaining children living with disability and homeless children, in Republic of Benin, Cotonou, Mali and other countries been declared of Emergency Aid around the globe especially in Africa.  

His well dedicated and continuous hard work towards music has earned him numerous awards around europe.. Break Through Artist Of the year “ NEU Award 2014” , Nigeria Image Award of Excellence & Ambassador Of Change 2014, Best Performance on stage “ ADMA 2014 &  Best RnB Artist “America Entertainment Recognition Awards”. Emilia Romagna Italy. 

He also recently won an award at The AFRICA4U ONLINE AWARDS FOR AFRICANS IN EUROPE organised by Tony Tokunbo Eteka Fernandez

A LETTER TO DISTANCE – written by Abu Abdulkadir

Dear Mr. Distance,

I have a soul across your seas.
When she shall set out
After eons of sick meals
To taste the burger of my heart
Dished in black wares of homeland,
Do trim the nails of your roads
And shut the gasping mouth of your miles.

PROFILE OF WILLIAMS O’SEUN

WILLIAMS O’SEUN is a rising young poet. An alumnus of the prestigious University of Lagos, O’Seun is a brilliant graduate Historian. Born in the early 90s, O’Seun is one promising poet who is blessed with an awe-inspiring creativity and ingenuity. His poem,

‘Nocturnal Rhythms’ recently won him the bronze prize in Tony Tokunbo Fernandez International Poetry Competition. He is proudly Gun (Ogu) of Lagos origin. O’Seun currently serves as a Corps Member in Kogi State Ministry of Health, Lokoja.

His poetry career began to take shape in the second half of 2005 as a senior secondary school student, after his erstwhile English Language teacher, Mrs. Temitope Funke George spotted his prospect as a potential wordsmith. She nurtured and inspired him to develop his then nascent interests in poetry. By the time he was a school leaver, his initial foray into poetry had began to take roots. Intent on giving a voice to his ink-spills, he ventured into performance poetry late in year 2014. Up till *this record time, he has, on two occasions, performed couple of poems for a group of Corps Members in Lokoja, Kogi State. He hopes to further develop his spoken word Propriety, morality, virtues, optimism, paradisaic utopianism, love, nostalgia, nature and realism are some notable themes in O’Seun’s poems. His poems are inspired by any and every emotion, everyday social experiences and phenomena. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, A. E. Housman, J. W. von Goethe, John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Milton, T. S. Eliot, Pablo Neruda, William Wordsworth, Wole Soyinka, J. P. Clark, William Blake, Walt Whitman, Thomas Moore, W. B. Yeats, Alexander Pope, Geoffrey Chaucer, Robert Frost, and Aram Saroyan are some of his mentor-poets. Poems by ‘Poetique Polymath’, as his pseudonym goes, are ideational, purposive, moralistic and never obscurantist. Plans are underway for the publication of his debut poetry anthology in no distant time. Recently, his “I Found My Twin” was published in Love Poem Anthology edited by Abegunde Sunday Olaoluwa.

Williams believes in being eclectic, learning and imbibing the outstanding qualities of different great poets and poetic traditions. He indites standard form poetry as well as free verses. A good number of his poems are written in impeccable Yoruba language. This word-connoisseur believes poetry is – and should be – more than an avocation, as it could be developed into a full- fledged, life-long career. As well, O’Seun holds that poetry should be more than just be, but As an affable nature-lover, his pastimes include reading, poetizing, birdwatching, nature photography and collecting. He is as well a freelance redactor, essayist, eloquent orator, and a creative computer graphics designer. In all, given the resplendence of his poems, Williams O’Seun is one astounding, outstanding poet to look out for.

Williams O’Seun can be reached on:

Twitter: @WheelhelmsCheun

: callme4hope@gmail.com

Dear Family, Friends and Fans,

Mr Adedayo Agarau (WINNER OF THE TONY TOKUNBO FERNANDEZ INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION) will be live on Metro Radio Station 97.7  FM at 10.45am to talk about his poetry on The Show “Vivid Verses”

Mr Agarau is also one of our Four New African Writers and mentees.

More information about the young man and his poetry can be found below

ABOUT MR AGARAU

Mr Adedayo  Agarau is a student of Nutrition and Dietetics, He is also a
Social entrepreneur whose verses stick thorns in corrupt minds.

Agarau was the 13th Poet who rocked Nigeria in 2014(EGC).

His works center on corruption, politics and social vices. Adedayo has been featured on several anthologies like Epistle of Lies, Gripe Vine II, Eriata Food poetry anthology, Tributes to Nelson Mandela. He also has been featured on Rowspoetry blog, Words Rhymes and Rhythm, WordUp,Larryfreedom, poetivists, and more.

He was the 3rd edition winner of”What can words do” and the Season 2 winner of Pulse student Poetry Prize.

He recently got the Gold award & Poet of the year in the Tony Tokunbo Fernandez International Poetry Awards 2015.

He is very passionate about Change, Empowerment and making a difference

SOME OF HIS POETRY

BUNI YADI:

i.
Ill winds blowing
From the house of imp
Has shared the fire
To castles in your estate.

Landmark of fortresses
May be forgotten before
Souls sanctioned reaches kismet

ii.
buni yadi,

letters from hell
may no be received as quick

you know NIPOST;
species of snail

Surely you’ll receive mine;
dreams were roasted on your playground.

iii.
at your backyard,
dear gentle  homeland
Homes were thrown into the forest of finding

Before you,
Travelers were buried with fierce rights

Beneath your cuddle,
Dreamers died dreadful deaths

iv.
Buni Yadi,

Civilians trek with grim
On a faulty home
Caressing ghouls with  numbed hearts

While,

Officers fly on sacred wings
From the snag they planted on our borders.

v.

Buni Yadi,
Pray

Buni Yadi is a place in Yobe state. It’s being terrorized by Boko haram.

He is the curator of http://qualitypoets.wordpress.com

My Death Has Not Been Birthed

I should have been dead and embrace the end
A James Bonded 140 round a bend
The tyres screech at every gas
Death beckons with a welcome dance
But my death has not been birthed