Announcing their presence in singing and dancing the arena gradually filled up with members of the community who joined in, videoed or asked questions about the event, all in eagerness to hear what message they had to share.
Some of the points which the piece emphasised were domestic violence and things which would generally discourage women from participating in politics.
Explaining the idea behind the programme, Dennis Onoise, representing V4C, said: “Every year the sixteen days of activism is celebrated in memory of three women killed in Portugal whose rights were violated. For those of us working in the area of gender are conscious of the fact that in a society like Nigeria, surveys have shown that women’s rights are constantly violated, with the most worrisome being gender-based violence with the number reaching over 70 percent in the variety of cases.”
Some justify these acts in their cultures and religions. These sorts of beliefs reinforce and encourage the practice.
Onoise added that: “For us at Voices 4 Change, this is the kind of thing we want to talk about more and change and remind people that they are happening and NGOs are talking about all the time.
“Many men who are the gatekeepers of most communities and households are not even being carried along. This makes it look as if women are saying ‘kill all men in the world and our problems are over’. This is a mistake which we also stress also because the women too are perpetrators of these ills,” he said.
With the essential roles women play in all of this, he said, theatre was a choice of tool to pass the message on: “because as you know the world is changing and the role of community development and theatre cannot be overemphasised. It’s therefore important for community members to participate in discussing these issues.
So that the conversation can start with them and continue in recognition that there has to be an end.” Such theatre he added is more impactful as against watching it on television because there is interaction going on with the audience and feedback received almost on the spot.
Ordinarily not akin to violence, George Senate who played several characters in the drama including one where he vehemently disregarded the participation of women in politics, said his role in the drama further strengthened his resolve to respect and appreciate the roles women play and the fact that women and men needed to be equal partners in decision-making
Depicting everyday issues many of which come up during campaigns, the drama depicted a common scenario where a borehole was to be drilled in a community and there was a tussle between the men and women on where it should be located.
The women insisted it should be in the market which is more accessible as the men refused their proposal wanting it at the residence of an honourable. The fact that one man decided to listen to both suggestions and analyse them, maked all the difference as there is peaceful resolution of the matter with everyone wilfully going along with the women.
The drama attempted to disabuse the norms that the woman’s placed is in the kitchen and other such beliefs.
Adelola Olanrewaju who played the submissive woman, Mama Ladidi, to her husband who always was violent with her, said prior to the character, she imagined the reality of such experience a painful one. “Even playing the role, my character felt rejected and worthless.
“But in that,” she said, “I learnt that we as women should not devalue and underestimate ourselves and stand our ground to stop the abuse from men and make them a part of the change process.”
Abigail Kefas whose character was that of the women leader, office boss and politician said it was dehumanising for her husband to be abusive especially in the light of her accomplishments. “It’s sad that women sometimes don’t help when they encourage other women in such situations to endure because society will frown at her if she leaves her home,” she said.
“Women don’t have to allow themselves to be subjected to such,” she emphasised.
TFDC director, Professor Steve Abah who coordinated the project said the six artistes who performed in the drama are designated Ambassadors for Change identified from amongst students from Ahmadu Bello University based on their character and academic performances to promote them as role models for other students.
“It’s about how their character is useful in relation to the issues that V4C is concerned with. It’s about using them as agents for change.
“The four scenes of the drama were constructed around different situations in the life of women where they were intimidated, harassed, beaten up,” he said.
Ensuring that the theme has been well-captured in the piece, he said the idea is how the drama and the performers can advocate on behalf of women.
Adding that other women who support violence against women was also an issue treated in the work.
On how the group intends to sustain the message preached, Professor Emmy Idegu who helped with the coordination said staging the drama was not the end.
“Samaru is a community we’ve related with over the years and when we do such things our liaison officer between the department and community. We also monitor the effect of such a performance through informal and informal interactions with students as well as meetings with opinion leaders,” he said.
