Guild Of Theatre Arts Drummers To Stage “Echoes Of The Drums”

Published

2 years ago

March 24, 2024

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Guild Of Theatre Arts Drummers To Stage “Echoes Of The Drums”—-The Guild of Threatre Arts Drummers (GOTHAD) is set to stage the “Echoes of the Drums”, a play written by Ola Awakan, in commemoration of the World Drummers’ Day, on April 4, in Abuja.

The play is centred around the need to embrace love, unity and explore the nation’s cultural diversities.

Awakan disclosed this on Saturday in Lagos during the presentation of a preview for the stage production of the play.

He said that Nigerians must realise the importance of drumming to nation-building.

According to him, drumming allows for tourism development, cultural renewal, drum education, development of unity, harmony and peace as well as encouraging communal living.

He said that First Lady Oluremi Tinubu would be the special guest of honour at the World Drummers Day commemoration.

According to him, the ceremony will also feature the launch of the book which has been finally published.

“The play will be exhibited at the National Universities Commission and the book will be reviewed by Dr Shaibu Husseini, Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).

“The book is an attempt to make people realise that drums are beyond what people feel they are, drums have inherent spirit in them.

“The book was written in 2005, it won a prize in 2015 and in 2021 an excerpt of it was performed by GOTHAD, which was the first time the play went on stage. In 2022, the National Troupe of Nigeria produced the play in commemoration of the 62nd independence of Nigeria.

“After the play is staged, I will embark on what I call “global drumication”, which I coined to educate Nigerians on how drums can be veritable means of communication. So, we will be taking the play to Nigerian universities.

“I intend to use the book for drum education because I observed that the power, potency and significance of drums have not been explored.

“I will also have the book in movies and later in animation form,” he said.

L-R: Seun Awobajo, Creative Director, Foot Print of David, Tairu Ajibola, one of the casts; Isioma Williams, Director of the play and Ola Awakan, Playwright and Producer of the play

Isioma Williams, Director of the play, who is also the National Coordinator of GOTHAD, assured Nigerians of an exciting presentation as the crew would be delivering above people’s expectation.

“The history of World Drummer’s Day can be traced back to more than a decade ago, in 2013, when it was founded by Christian Schages.

“Schages is a personal friend, a professional drum teacher with his own drumming school located in Germany.

“We will have over 20 drummers moved from Lagos to Abuja to stage the play,” he said.

One of the cast in the play, Seun Awobajo, Creative Director of Footprints of David, said that the crew had been on the play for over three years.

He said it was fascinating for him to see a single play touch on all aspects of nation building.

He noted that in line with the theme for the World Drummers Day for the year, “Let Music And Rhythm Rule The World”, GOTHAD considers it neccesary to stage the play to expose Nigerians to the rhythm of drums and its essence.

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JUST IN: Nollywood Thrown Into Mourning As Actor Alexx Ekubo Dies At 40

Published

2 weeks ago

May 12, 2026

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JUST IN: Nollywood Thrown Into Mourning As Actor Alexx Ekubo Dies At 40—-Popular Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo has reportedly passed away at the age of 40 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Reports which emerged on Tuesday evening stated that the award-winning movie star had been privately battling the illness for some time before his death, throwing the Nigerian entertainment industry into deep mourning.

News of his passing has since triggered an outpouring of grief across social media, with fans, colleagues, and celebrities paying tribute to the actor known for his charisma, elegance, and versatility on screen.

For months, concerns had grown among fans over Ekubo’s absence from public appearances and social media activity. His last major online post dated back to late 2024, fueling speculation about his health and wellbeing.

Born Alex Ekubo-Okwaraeke, the actor studied Law at the University of Calabar and also earned a diploma in Mass Communication. He first gained national attention after emerging as the first runner-up in the 2010 Mr Nigeria competition — a breakthrough that opened the doors to a successful acting career in Nollywood.

Ekubo quickly became one of the industry’s most recognisable faces, admired for his ability to interpret a wide range of roles. His performance in the 2012 movie In the Cupboard earned him the Best Actor in a Supporting Role award at the Best of Nollywood Awards.

Beyond acting, his personal life often attracted public interest, especially his relationship with American-based model Fancy Acholonu. The pair became one of Nollywood’s most talked-about celebrity couples after announcing their engagement in 2021.

However, their planned wedding — famously tagged #FalexxForever — was abruptly cancelled just months before the ceremony, sparking widespread reactions online. In the years that followed, both parties made headlines over comments regarding their relationship and eventual separation.

As tributes continue to pour in, colleagues in the movie industry have described Ekubo as a warm-hearted individual whose talent and energy left a lasting impact on African cinema.

His death marks a painful loss for Nollywood and the many fans who admired him throughout his career.

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BREAKING: From Words to Ring: Lizzy Anjorin Accepts Iyabo Ojo Boxing Challenge

Published

3 weeks ago

May 4, 2026

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BREAKING: From Words to Ring: Lizzy Anjorin Accepts Iyabo Ojo Boxing Challenge—–Nollywood stars Iyabo Ojo and Lizzy anjorin set for potential showdown as rivalry takes new turn

Actress Lizzy Anjorin has accepted the boxing ring challenge issued by her colleague Iyabo Ojo, adding a new turn to their long running public dispute.

The development began after Iyabo Ojo shared a video of herself training and challenged Lizzy Anjorin to a boxing match. She also called on businessman Emeka Okonkwo, known as E-Money and music executive Soso Soberekon to sponsor the proposed fight.

Lizzy Anjorin responded by accepting the challenge and criticised Iyabo Ojo in her post, questioning public support and describing her as a certified failed actress with zero achievements.

She also asked Iyabo to set a date for the fight and insisted she was ready.

“ABEG MK WE START BETTING NOW
TEAM LAWAL OR TEAM SISI MAMA ???

“PAULO SIS MAMA AMBASSADOR BABY OIL I CHALLENGE YOU AND IYABO OJO SEPETERI THE CERTIFIED FAILED ACTRESS WITH ZERO ACHIEVEMENTS TO PICK A DATE FOR THE FIGHT
NA THAT RING FIGHT FIT GIVE ME THE REAL JUSTICE WEY I DEY LOOK FOR
NA WHY I NO DRAG U GO COURT THAT TIME
BUT I’M READY ANYWAY NOW
DOCTOR KAN
AMBULANCE KAN
POSI MEJI,” she said.

In another post, Lizzy Anjorin also reacted to Iyabo Ojo’s partner Paulo Okoye, over his suggestion that their disagreement should be settled in a boxing ring. She challenged him to a 10 round fight with her husband before any match involving her and Iyabo Ojo.

The latest exchange adds to a long running dispute between both actresses, which has played out publicly on social media over the years, with repeated back and forth comments and accusations.

At different points in the conflict, Iyabo Ojo had shared a video mocking Lizzy Anjorin, which escalated tensions between both sides. Lizzy later made allegations against Iyabo, leading to further public exchanges and legal threats.

Iyabo Ojo had demanded a public apology and threatened legal action over alleged defamatory statements, including a compensation claim.

In 2024, a Lagos court dismissed a 1 billion naira defamation suit filed by Iyabo Ojo against Lizzy Anjorin, marking a legal setback in one of their cases. The public disagreement between both actresses has however continued to resurface through online exchanges.

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