UYO — As Nigeria prepares to mark its 66th Independence Anniversary and Akwa Ibom State its 39th anniversary, playwright and theatre director, Dr Sunday Umanah-Tusi, has turned to the stage to make a strong case for peace, using traditional music, dance and drama to examine the cost of conflict.
Umanah-Tusi, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts and Film Studies at the University of Uyo, is set to premiere IFÛRÈ (Peace Is Here!), a festival drum-drama designed to combine anniversary celebration with deep reflection on the choices individuals and communities make in times of conflict.
The production, according to the playwright, is deliberately different from a conventional congratulatory anniversary performance. Instead, it uses four interwoven stories to explore family disputes, marriage, burial practices and political manipulation, with a common message that peaceful choices are essential to the survival of society.
Explaining the inspiration behind the production, Umanah-Tusi said the coincidence of Nigeria’s 66th anniversary and Akwa Ibom’s 39th anniversary presented an opportunity to create what he described as “a living ritual” capable of celebrating the people while encouraging them to reflect on the values that hold communities together.
“I didn’t want to write another congratulatory play. I wanted a living ritual — something that reminds us that we are still a people of rhythm, resilience and faith that refuses to dim.”
The play draws extensively from indigenous cultural forms, including Ekombi, Abang, Asian Ubo-ikpa, Ebre, Atilogwu and Bata, with the drums serving not merely as musical accompaniment but as an integral part of the dramatic storytelling.
Umanah-Tusi said the production gives prominent voices to women and young people, whom he described as the conscience of the land. Through characters such as Ekaette, Afia, Adiaha and Okwong, the play challenges violence, forced choices and political attempts to manipulate young people into conflict.
One of the central dramatic moments comes when Okwong, a young man targeted for political violence, rejects the proposition, while the final scene brings two maternal figures together to cut unity cakes — a symbolic act intended to represent a collective commitment to coexistence.
“Peace is not the absence of a quarrel. Peace is a decision. You have to choose it again and again because you want to protect what feeds you.”
The production is expected to feature seasoned Nigerian thespians alongside actors from Akwa Ibom and the wider South-South region, while traditional dance troupes will help preserve the cultural texture of the performance. Umanah-Tusi said the visual journey will move from a simple village-square setting to a grand ceremonial finale.
IFÛRÈ (Peace Is Here!) is scheduled to premiere on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at the Auditorium of the Council for Arts and Culture, Obio Offot, Uyo, as part of the dual anniversary celebrations. The full cast and crew are expected to be unveiled in the coming days.
