Theatre as Tool for Development in Nigeria (original) (raw)
Related papers
2021
Among many communication tools available, Theatre for Development (TfD) is a powerful medium for communication because of its performative, festive, communal, realistic and concrete nature. It is a good medium of communicating messages to local communities for the actors are often from the local community and the villagers do not have to travel to see the performances for it is performed in their locality. Many Social and Development issues facing various communities require public investment to address them. This investment will only arise if the general community is supportive and community support is only likely if the issues are widely acknowledged and understood. Some believe that Social and Development issues have to be solved by government alone, they do not seem to understand their share of responsibility in solving the problems. TfD is known to be alive to the social and development realities of its time. It is a kind of performance where the economic, social, religio...
Re-Enacting Theatre for Development
The Journal of development communication, 2020
The concept of development communication is a clear pointer to the interrelationship between communication and development and the fact that the process of communication can be effectively applied to achieve development purposes. In development communication, the major aim of communication is to bring about the process of development. Theatre as a communicative art is a highly dynamic and powerful conscientisation medium, and as such, integral to communication, as it is to development, establishing its importance and unique role as an invaluable development communication instrument. Anchoring on the truism of the above statement, and reinforced by the participatory development communication model, the paper refocuses the Esuk Ewang and Ibaka Communities of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria's Environmental Theatre for Development Project, to highlight the true nature of theatre in the context of development as well as the interrelationship between communicatio...
Journal of Development Communication, 2020
The concept of development communication is a clear pointer to the interrelationship between communication and development and the fact that the process of communication can be effectively applied to achieve development purposes. In development communication, the major aim of communication is to bring about the process of development. Theatre as a communicative art is a highly dynamic and powerful conscientisation medium, and as such, integral to communication, as it is to development, establishing its importance and unique role as an invaluable development communication instrument. Anchoring on the truism of the above statement, and reinforced by the participatory development communication model, the paper refocuses the Esuk Ewang and Ibaka Communities of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria's Environmental Theatre for Development Project, to highlight the true nature of theatre in the context of development as well as the interrelationship between communication and development.
Theatre and Development: Opportunities and Challenges in a Developing World
2010
This paper is an attempt at espousing the pertinence of theatre in national development, especially in a developing African nation-state like Nigeria. In doing this, the paper identifies and discusses the exploitable opportunities that go along with the deployment of theatre in enhancing national development. The paper concludes that theatre, in whatever form, has a vital role to play towards creating a strong, responsive and effective representative institution and in advancing the frontiers of development in any society, particularly in the African context.
Theatre for Development Practice and Development Communication
This paper discusses the place of theatre as a tool for development communication. In this regard, the paper projects the potency of theatre in enhancing development and its role in influencing social change. The paper submits that, development starts with people and not with ‘goods’. It includes their education, empowerment and preservation of people’s cultural identity and all that enhances their well being and makes for a good life. Theatre for Development as a Strategic communication method is a powerful tool that can improve the chances of success of development projects. It strives for behaviour change not just information dissemination, education, or awareness-raising by Interrogating and possibly challenging traditional philosophies and visions of development where the top down model to development is replaced with the bottom up model in a bid to transfer the control of development to the target recipients of the intended development in a situation whereby the recipients become active participants - ‘spec actors’ not ‘spectators’, in the process and they – the people define how and when development happens. Key Words: Theatre for Development, Development Communication, Development
COMMUNITY THEATRE AS A STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT: THE JAURO-ABARE EXAMPLE
Right from the period of the masters of the theatre till now, theatre has been used as abroad public platform to criticise the happenings of the time, most often in a way that is both pedagogic and entertaining. However, theatre over the years has remained a functional communication tool that enhances development action, community organization and also promotes good governance and peace building. This paper explores ways of making theatre a more realistic medium in building confidence and developing a drastic attitudinal/ behavioural change in the perception of a given set of people living in a particular geographical space. This change could be in terms of healthcare, education, economic and Agriculture etc. This is against the backdrop of the heavily reliance of people on government for the provision and fulfilment of its obligations and duties .Therefore, this paper is an x-ray of community theatre exercise carried out in Jauro-Abare, community in Gombe. The paper highlights and records with much emphasize the achievements and disappointments in the role played by the exercise in shaping and adjusting the community's mind-set.
THEATRE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THE DIDACTIC OF SOCIAL CHANGE
Over the years, theatre universally and unequivocally has been accepted to be as old as Man himself and it has come to be appreciated through its immense contributions in all facets of life towards the development of man. A play production can therefore be described as an interactive experience shared by two groups: the actors and the audience. However, this positive dimension of the profession has not been well utilized by many countries most especially third world countries. It was not until when the United Nations and its several organs such as World Health Organization (WHO), IFAD, United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), gave recognition to theatre as a veritable and potent tool of community development, empowerment and information dissemination that some countries like the Federal Republic of Nigeria stirred from its slumber and partly realized the importance of theatre in nation building. Even at that, the Government is yet to enact an enabling law that will guide the profession. This aspect of the profession is being continuously used by developed and developing countries to forge a synergy between the ruler and the ruled, promoting governmental policies to the masses and empowering them not to be indolent is Theatre for Development. (TfD) Several authorities have advocated the use of theatre as a tool of social transformation because it is a veritable means of getting man to reflect on his socioeconomic conditions and, consequently, initiate programmes that would pave the way for meaningful human development. Such authorities include Crow and Etherton Paulo Freire, Hagher. These authorities contend that the literary theatre is inadequate because it is usually the brain child of the individual playwright and that its focus is usually on artistic dexterity. On the other hand, theatre for development which is packaged by the people in a participatory manner based on the pressing problems confronting them usually concerns itself with issues of sustainable development in the community. To this end, members of the target community for whom the production is put together do not relate to the production from a distance but become active participants. TfD productions are usually performed free. This encourages large turn out of the audience. The language used is usually that of the target community. Even the extra verbal and non-verbal art modes of songs, dance, music, chant and mime are those peculiar to the target rural community. This way, the recipient of the artistic venture receives the entire experience as their own. Similarly, post production discussions build confidence in the audience as well a guarantee the participatory approach over the persuasive. Mda states thus: Whereas in persuasive communication, mass media are used to beam messages or directives encouraging people to support development projects, and to highlight benefits that may follow from these projects, in participatory communication the message can emanate from any point, and be added to, questioned, responded to, from any other point. The needs of rural communities are thereby taken into account, since the communities can initiate the process of communication, and do not merely consume and respond to messages from 'above' TfD is not a performance genre but a community approach using theatre as a means to analyze, discuss, and effect a positive social change in their environment. It provides full access to the medium of drama as a tool for community empowerment as it incorporates existing knowledge and cultural forms. It therefore challenges the standard convention of audience /