UniAbuja Stages Olu Obafemi’s “Naira has no Gender” to Mark 25th, 26th Convocations

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

In commemoration of the 25th and 26th convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja, the theatre arts students in the third day of the week long event, staged a play titled “Naira has no Gender”. 

The play “Naira Has No Gender” evolves around various situations that depict moral decadence in the society. The playwright, Professor Olu Obafemi, shows how the traditional and modern culture; the old and new generation; as well as the elder and younger members of the society have to combat the various morasses that have eaten up the fabric of the society due to class differences. The universal ideas of the play give full indication of this. 

The play, which has a strong Marxist flavour was first published in 1993 and directed by Dr. Chiagozie Ugwu and Dr. Rosaline Yachin.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah in his speech after the performance, said the message of the time when the book was published was still relevant in present day Nigeria. 

“Literature as mirror unto life is part of the issue that necessitated the writing of this book. What was prevalent in the society then is still happening. Things haven’t changed in terms of tension, crisis and war within certain ideologies haven’t gone away.

“The play being staged today simply means it is apt and still relevant even in today’s Nigerian setting after it’s first publication in 1993”.

The president of the Association of Nigerian Authors’ (ANA), Camillus Ukah, in his remarks, said the play was teaching the students lessons about the Nigerian culture even in its diversity.

He charged them saying that “No matter how things are, and no matter how culture affects education, the youths in particular must take their destiny in their own hands and take the correct decisions and with this, they can achieve greatness for themselves.

” We must always venerate our culture. No matter how difficult things are and no matter how society seems to be changing, our culture must not be thrown down and trampled upon,” he said.