It is almost becoming history to talk about folklore amongst the Yoruba in the South-Western part of Nigeria.  This is a core of informal education amongst African generally. Folklore is often used to teach moral lessons to children. Rejuvenating this tradition, Parable Productions organised a show at the National Theatre in Lagos, Nigeria, to mark International Children’s Day. The show was staged three times to allow people to choose their preferred time to attend.

Ajapa has been on the front lines of history since the days of old. Many people had learnt so much from Ajapa’s tricks and craftiness, especially greediness. Ajapa has come to live amongst us in the renaissance by coming on stage.

The synopsis of the play is this: Ajapa is a beloved friend to Ayekoto, a bird, and he told the bird to tell other birds to embark on a trip to heaven. They agreed and donated wings for Ajapa’s flight, and the journey was successful. He outsmarted all of the birds, saying his name is “All of you”, and that was the name given by the divine being to entertain all of those who embarked on the trip, thereby eating all the meal. The bird stripped him of the feather, and he still begged Ayekoto to inform his wife to put all soft items in the house outside so that he could have a soft landing, but Ayekoto did the opposite.  He broke his shell as he dropped from heaven. The moral is, do not be greedy and forgive all those who offend you, the birds forgave Ajapa in no time.

The cast is so interesting. There is a narrator, an old sage, who gives us insight into Ajapa’s personality; he knows what Ajapa is up to at all times. He informs us and we see all these things happen in no time, the clue from the old sage still gives a warning that experience and wisdom could walk hand-in-hand. Ajapa, a young man; Yarinbo, his wife; Ayekoto, Ostrich; and many other birds, angels, the divine voice, and other characters made up the cast.

The exciting part of this performance is the songs that accompanied the drama; there were traditional songs, and there were songs of today: the soundtrack of James Bond, Obimo and a gospel track to show what heaven is like. The drums and the dance steps made the guests feel the joy of the stage performance.

Further into the stage performance, the role of costumes and make-up added aesthetic appeal to the drama. It was almost unnoticed when the smooth shell of Ajapa transformed to the broken shell, which shows that the makeup artist did a very great job ensuring a perfect transition from one scene to another.

Also, the technical director achieved a good lighting effect as the play progressed from one stage to another. The stage design amazed the audience; the hut of Ajapa, the cloud that made heaven so close and the tree where the birds sang. All the people behind the scenes did a quality job that was worth a lot of accolades.

With efforts like this, our traditional folklore will be showcased to the world. We can teach, through this medium, the moral lesson needed for this age, regardless of the audience’s age. We can bring good memories to those who grew up in the days when praise singers used traditional drums, and we can show today’s children who live in glass houses how traditional music feels. We can deviate a little from the television and the cinema and see a performance on stage. We must all welcome Ajapa of this season and give it a bear hug, blending modernity and tradition to make this age historic, putting the old in the new and projecting into the future.

Akin Braithwaite must be commended for taking the lead and encouraging us all to borrow a leaf from this seed of cultural and historical tilt. The creative management of his schedule makes it evident that we can all make the best of every minute. Ajapa: the smart and wise animal for tales.

Peter Olutayo IRANTIOLA

28^th May, 2010.