From Soyinka’s house, an amphitheatre springs

Students during a rehearsal at the
amphitheatre The former residence of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, at the University of Ibadan now boasts an amphitheatre, reports Akintayo Abodunrin

There is an exciting development at Number 8, Ebrohime Road, University of Ibadan. The house, though not different from others on the campus, was where Nigeria’s only Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, lived while he taught at the university.

Interestingly, an amphitheatre has sprouted at the backyard of the house.

The first indication that something unusual is happening at the house is a signboard which welcomes visitors to the amphitheatre, home to the Distance Learning Troupe of the university.

How did this come to be given the fact that UI already boasts a functional Arts Theatre? Who is, or who are the brains behind the amphitheatre on the grounds of the last house on the road as one exits the university through its main gate? These and more were some of the questions Arts&Reviews sought answers to from the present occupant of the house, Dr. Remi Adedokun, who, also, is a theatre scholar, artiste and long-time Soyinka fan.

Adedokun, initiator of the project and a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts explained how the amphitheatre came to be in Soyinka’s former house thus: “ What gave rise to the development of the amphitheatre is the integration of the two-year diploma programme which had been phased out and the introduction of the three-year diploma in Theatre Arts through Distance Learning. At the commencement in 2004/2005, as a former coordinator of the two-year programme, I was appointed as the coordinator, Distance Learning Theatre Programme.

“In 2004/2005 when it commenced, the university was on strike. When the students resumed, there was nowhere to keep them. And so, as the coordinator, I was faced with accommodation problem. The students were gathering in my house and I didn’t know what to do. Even if the Arts Theatre were open, we discovered it would not be readily available to these students because the number was larger. When eventually the school was opened, we didn’t have access to the lecture theatre, so I was faced with space problem. When the students were gathering here during the strike, it occured to me that the large space by this house could be used to accomodate the students. So, the logs of the felled trees were used as seats in the spacious area where I encouraged them to meet

“ So, they started assembling here, interacting with themselves. And I taught them all alone for about two months before the strike was called off. That’s how it started. We didn’t orginally start as amphitheatre but when we gathered here, I looked at the topography and it looked like a typical theatre of Athens; the classical amphitheatre of Athens, you can see the rock and the slope, and we used the log to form a kind of circle, an orchestra. We started using the place for teaching and for practice.

“I constructed this experimental stage for that class, personally. So, I took the initiative of establishing this place and I was doing it because of my commitment to the programme as coordinator so that students may not have negative ideas about the university and the department. Incidentally, the Director of Distance Learning, Professor Francis Egbokhare, paid a visit here because he is connected to the cyber cafe which the Federal government is building within the premises and which is going to be useful to distance learning. When he saw this place, he was excited about it.

“ I told him the logs we were using were weak and that I intend to get the contractors of the cybercafe to give the discarded woods to us to use for benches. But Professor Egbokhare said no, it was not my business. He said I had committed much energy to developing the programme, that I should write a proposal on what we need in benches and chairs and that Distance Learning will provide. That’s how these benches were provided. Later, he asked me to set up a Distance Learning Troupe and this became the home of the troupe”.

The troupe, which was formally inaugurated around July 2007 has since been using the small experimental stage Adedokun built in 2006 for productions. In fact, the troupe has been staging productions at the amphitheatre since 2005 when it was commissioned by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Oyo State chapter to stagea play. Wole Soyinka’s Lion and the Jewel was then staged there as a ‘libation’. And the reason for this, according to Adedokun is “because this was the house formerly occupied by the first Acting Head of the Department of Theatre Arts, and I thought libation should be poured for students to derive inspiration and for it to go into them so that they can develop ambition to become great like Soyinka in literature and theatre development”.

Luckily for Adedokun, the authorities at UI, convinced that he was engaged in a noble cause, have taken over the amphitheatre and have thus eased the burden off his shoulders. He explains how this came to be and the steps taken so far by the UI management to upgrade the amphitheatre.

“Towards the end of last year, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufemi Bamiro, came down here and inquired about our activities. And he was so much impressed that he asked me to make a proposal of what we need to upgrade this place. The amphitheatre was not as wide as this, we just moved the stage there because the university has taken it over completely. The Department of Theatre Arts is in control now because Dr. Lanrele Bamidele, the present Acting Head of Department had to come here and re-arranged the benches the way he wanted it because the Vice-Chancellor has approved the proposal which I sent to him. He has also approved money which the Director of Distance Learning has provided to the department. The VC has provided money to roof an aspect of this place and now that the university has taken over, we hope very soon, the university will provide a bigger stage

“The Head of Department, Dr. Bamidele has put all hands on deck in the department to the nourishment and development of this amphitheatre. He has brought the technical people here to design the lighting of this place since we have requested for lighting equipments and a lot of other things for which the university has provided funds. Dr. Bamidele has also brought carpenters to design the cover.”

Adedokun also disclosed that the “university has even approved N700,000.00 to make a film by the Distance Learning Troupe to commemorate the University’s 60th anniversary celebration next year. Also, we have been encouraged by the Vice-Chancellor and the Director of the Distance Learning Centre who want us presenting small productions here weekends for people. Similarly, the Faculty of Arts is involved in the project. In fact, the dean, Professor Oyeleye, has promised that he would give fullest support”.

Also on a positive note for the place, Mrs Laide Soyinka and her daughter, Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, visited their former home last Saturday and were surprised to see an amphitheatre in the backyard. According to Adedokun, they were pleased with the development and they expressed hope that they would be able to come watch productions at the amphitheatre soon.

Making extra millions from marketing

Cover of the book A review of Taiwo Owoade’s Golden Keys to Your Millions in Marketing by Adegoke Olutayo.

It is a known fact that managing a business for profit and survival in the present global economic situation is not easy at all. It involves a lot of strategies and commitment. The banking industry and other allied service oriented companies are not exempted from this rat race.

However, the trick to surviving is to avoid common pitfalls that all business operators face most of the time. Consequently, the practical survival tips in this book, Golden Keys to Your Extra Millions in Marketing, will show you how you can successfully be on top of your competitors always and assist your business to grow to your desired level. These tips, no doubt, will be of immense benefit to banks, insurance and discount houses, business consultant/analysts, students and other financial service providers.

The 143-page book is divided into 11 chapters. The first chapter entitled “Marketing-The General Overview” contains 22 sub-topics and gives clear definition of marketing, the need for marketing of financial services, the marketing concept, the marketing plan, market research and the criteria for measuring service quality among others.

Chapter two entitled “Market Segmentation” has seven sub- topics. Topics considered here include different approaches to market segmentation, bases for segmenting consumer markets and factors to be considered when evaluating and selecting the market segments.

The third chapter, “Marketing Management Techniques” discusses topics like categories of firms in the market and their techniques, while chapter four explains the stages in the new product process, the product life cycle, the reasons for new product failure and success. Packaging and labelling as marketing tools and the barriers to E-banking operation in Nigeria are also examined.

“Marketing Mix”, the fifth chapter explains the concept as the combination of detailed strategies, tactics, operational policies, programmes, techniques and activities to which resources may be allocated such that the company’s marketing objectives are achieved. It explains motives behind fixing prices, pricing policies and reactions of different groups to price changes.

The next chapter explains the process, procedures, channels and other ways of transporting either goods or services to the consumers called “Delivery System” or “Distribution Channels” However, in financial service companies, the approach differs because of the intangible nature of the services that are characterized with trust and promise.

Chapter seven discusses different types of advertising, procedures for choosing advertising campaign, the contribution of advertisement towards achieving marketing tools. Other issues examined include key to successful sales management and methods of sales promotion.

The eighth chapter examines role of public relations in marketing as it affects the overall objectives of an organization, while the ninth chapter discusses necessary initiatives for both the employee and employer inorder to achieve greatness for the organization.

Chapter 10 examines how to evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s marketing efforts, pursuing appropriate objectives and investigating marketing structure system, procedures and people put in place to achieve the corporate objectives.
The last chapter, “Marketing Ethics” reflects on moral principles which determine the correctness or otherwise of particular acts or activities.