A showdown between an environmental activist and a local community leader overseeing the felling of a 500 year old tree. Who will have the last word?
Here is our mini Q&A!
Q: Who would you like to listen to your episode?
A: Anyone who finds Nigerians interesting and would love to hear an undiluted Nigerian take on this global issue.
Q: How does climate change affect your community?
A: We don’t agree that it does. As far as we are concerned, it is an oyibo narrative. Denial is our favourite form of intellectual sophistication.
Q: What inspires your writing?
A: Real life drama – more powerful than fiction. I often say, the universe entrusts its stories to the people who share them.
Q: What is your favourite place in nature?
A: The secluded riverbank in the community where I grew up was the closest thing we had to a beach. Untouched by waste or people, the seclusion always soothed me.
Q: If you were a sound effect, what would you sound like?
A: The sound of rain on a roof; elemental, mysterious and yet, melodious.
Thespian Muse Production Company is a production company founded in 2009 in Lagos, Nigeria. We'll let them introduce themselved in their own words:
'We are driven to redefine the landscape of our culture through storytelling. We believe that art is a powerful tool for social change and are committed to positively influencing and empowering the next generation of artists and creating an ecosystem where art can grow and thrive.'
Soulpepper is Canada's leading artist-driven theatre company and is based in Tkatonro/Toronto. We'll let them introduce themselves in their own words:
'We believe that stories can connect us, that they are vital to our understanding, compassion and knowledge, and that they can motivate us toward social change.'
Sunny's inventive and award-winning theatre works have been presented in over 60 cities across the world and translated into 4 languages. His wide range of audiences have spanned international arts festivals goers, queers in underground warehouses, seniors in regional theatres and young people in drop-in centres.
Our Impact Producer, Chaprece Henry, unpacks the climate themes
in this episode in our Discussion Guide
Written by PYEMWA DESHI
Directed by OMOYE UZAMERE
Starring:
TAIWO AJAI-LYCETT as the olive tree
DEYEMI OKANLAWON as Nanpet
OMOYE UZAMERE as Delphine
With additional voices by CHIOMA B.B.B. OKPALA, OSAYI UZAMERE, AITUARI OGIAMIEN, VICTORIA WYA, TONI THOMAS, CHUBB OKOBAH & PYEMWA DESHI
Sound Design, music and recording engineer CHUBB OKOBAH
Episode Produced by THESPIAN MUSE PRODUCTION COMPANY with support from SUNNY DRAKE PRODUCTIONS
Episode Producer OMOYE UZAMERE
Episode Production Manager ADAOHA NJEMANZE
Episode Production Assistant GIFT OKPA FRANCIS
Special thanks to NOVVA MEDIA, NUUGAME ENTERTAINMENT, HOMEGROWN OZONE, OREDO ENTERTAINMENT.
Find the transcript here.
The narrative that people can only thrive from working in poor conditions for the sake of extracting fossil fuels needs to change. It’s time to support the call from local Nigerians for a coal-free Nigeria.
