cora on osofisan

All hands on deck for the cutting of the cake: (L-R) - Writer Promise Okekwe, Biodun Jeyifo, actress Joke Silva, Osofisan's brother, the man himself, Prof Folabi Ajayi & poet Odia Ofeimun.

Professor Biodun Jeyifo (left) pays tribute to Femi Osofisan on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

Ademola Adetunji said...
Ten years ago I played Digbaro in one of Osofisan's plays Twingle Twangle a Twynnig tales… and it was to commemorate his 50th birthday. Suprinsingly, Okinba Launko is 60. How time flies? I can’t say much about him because so much has been said already; his literary ingenuity, his passion for humanity, Femi Osofisan is a combination [of all that every] good human being aspires [to]. My short time of apprenticeship with him has seen a dramatic influence in my life. Thanks Elereko for always giving us your pocket of generosity to steal from. Ase’yi s’amodun o, Emi yin a se pupo odun laye. Ase
--Tribute left on this blog.

.... and CORA Questions Okinba Launko
Osofisan For Questioning: FEMI Osofisan, professor of theatre arts, is to appear before a panel for questioning on June 23. Nigeria’s most performed dramatist will be facing a round table of theatre directors who have performed his plays over the last 20 years. The event, which is the third in the monthly series christened "Artists’ Forum", organised by the Friends of The Arts, Lagos (FOAL), an affiliate of the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), is part of the series of activities to commemorate the 60th birthday party of the prolific poet, playwright, essayist and short story writer. "We thought that the forum this time should take the form of conversation between directors and this peculiarly prolific playwright for one key reason," says CORA spokesman, Chris Ihidero. " Most often, theatre performances are the interpretations of the director, and they don’t always come out as the authors saw them. In this conversation, the public would be seeing the working of the minds of the author and directors and will be able to determine how and why some plays have come outthe way they did". The Artists’ Forum will take place at the National Theatre at 2pm on the said date. Osofisan is author of over 50 plays, many of which are routinely performed on the Nigerian stage. He will be hosted to the usual highlife party at O’Jez in Surulere on Sunday, June 25.
--CORA Press Release

*Photos: Jahman Anikulapo