The late Hubert Ogunde in one of his films
On 10 July, 2016, the late dramatist and doyen of African Theatre, Chief Hubert Adedeji Ogunde, would be 100 posthumously. Many activities have been lined up to mark the late playwright’s centennial post-humous birthday celebration. One of these is the presentation of his abridged biography, Hubert Ogunde: The Doyen of African Theatre, being written by young poet and author, Adedara S. Oduguwa.
While the book may not be ready before the late Ogunde’s centennial birthday, the author has released an abridged version of it to whet the appetite of readers and millions of the late dramatist’s admirers.
The author wrote about how Ogunde spoke truth to power without minding the consequences: “Ogunde was an outspoken contemporary political commentator, who was ready to risk the possible destruction of his Theatre in order to fight for the freedom of his people from alien rule. He was jailed and banned on several occasions for fighting and standing against the devious colonial regime with all his brains.”
PROLOGUE
History of African opera, play, drama and theatre would be incomplete without mentioning the name of this great and very industrious dramatist, who, more than any, contributed in no small measure to the commercialisation of drama in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa as a whole. To many, he was the doyen of African theatre, father of Yoruba operatic theatre, a respected pioneer of the Nigerian drama. Very often he was referred to as ‘Father of Nigerian folk opera’.
EARLY LIFE
Olooye Hubert Adedeji Ogunde was a folklorist, Nigerian actor, playwright, musician, dramatist, theatre manager, policeman, teacher, teetotaller, human right activist, seer, prophet and a nationalist of class. Like any mortal, he was born into a modest but reputable family of Mr. Jeremiah Dehinbo Ogunde and Mrs. Eunice Owotunsan Ogunde …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
