PERFORMANCE DIARY
Buoyed up by the tremendous support from the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha, the council has moved from strength to strength since 1999, leaving mountains of achievements in its track. In the area of performances alone, it is on record that the council has presented series of Command Performances to the admiration of the executive governor, top government functionaries, Bayelsans and Nigerians alike.
Below is a list of selected performances of the troupe in the past three years:
- On March 30, 2000, the State Troupe did a command performance of a classical play, Isaac Boro, written by Simon Ambakederemo and directed by Bekewuru Ballard. His Excellency, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha was so impressed with the production that he gave a 32-seater coaster bus to the council.
- Participants and, indeed, people from all over the world who witnessed or viewed the events of Year 2000 Democracy Day Celebrations at Eagle’s Square, Abuja were thrilled by the scintillating display of the Bayelsa State Troupe.
- Governors, Senators, Members of the House of Representative and leaders of thought from the South-South geopolitical zone who were in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State for a crucial meeting were equally treated to a command performance of Isaac Boro on 28th April 2000.
- Due to popular request, the people of Amassoma, hometown of the Executive Governor, were treated to a command performance of Isaac Boro in May 2000 on their Sei Gbein Festival.
A Nite of Entertainment for the public from September 22-24, 2000 featuring Family Affair and Mangrove in the Desert.
A Nite of Entertainment on September 29, 2000 featuring Family Affair and Mangrove in the Desert as part of activities marking the 4th Anniversary of the Creation of Bayelsa State.
Simon Ambakederemo’s Isaac Boro, directed by Ineye Johnny-Dudafa was again staged on the 17th November 2000 on special request as part of activities marking His Excellency, Chief Alamieyeseigha’s 48th Birthday Celebrations.
- Performance at the Ozuruimo Festival for Arts & Culture in Owerri, Imo State, organised by the Imo State Council for Arts & Culture from December 19 - 21, 2000.
- A command performance of Elechi Amadi’s Pepper Soup as directed by Barclays Ayakoroma (the Executive Director of the Council who also played Ichela, the lead role) on January 14, 2001, as part of activities marking the 2001 Armed Forces Remembrance Day was another occasion for the council to experience His Excellency’s love for the arts. He approved automatic employment for two guest artists: Preye Ogbotubo (who played Ineba) and Laiye Romeo (who played Mavis). His Excellency also gave six hundred and sixty thousand Naira only (N 660,000.00) as Xmas Bonus to the sixty-six staff of the council.
- On January 26, 2001, there was a performance of Ineye Johnny-Dudafa’s Mangrove in the Desert as part of the programme marking the facility visit of Officers of the Command and Staff College, Jaji to Bayelsa State.
- On February 2, 2001, Mangrove in the Desert was performed again on special request for visiting Executive Governors of the South-South States to Bayelsa State.
- During the visit of President Olusegun Obasanjo to Bayelsa State, Bayelsan and indeed Nigerians, watched with pride in the comfort of their homes as the Bayelsa State Troupe put, live on stage, a dramatic presentation of Ineye Johnny-Dudafa’s Mangrove in the Desert on March 15, 2001
A Nite of Entertainment on April 2, 2001 on the occasion of the Study Tour of Officers of Senior Executive Course No. 23 of the Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru – Jos to Bayelsa State.
A Nite of Entertainment on April 14, 2001 on the occasion of the Year 2001 Annual Lecture/Dinner of the Izon Ebi Club at Peemos Place, Warri, Delta State.
- Performance of Ineye Johnny-Dudafa’s Mangrove in the Desert again on April 23, 2001 on special request as part of activities marking the 53rd Meeting of Attorneys-General of the Federation held in Bayelsa State.
A Nite of Entertainment on June 6, 2001 on the occasion of the visit to Bayelsa State of Senators of the National Assembly on the Joint Committee on Constitution Review.
Command Performance of Ineye Johnny-Dudafa’'s Mangrove in the Desert again on June 29, 2001 on special request as part of activities marking the visit of 18 Executive Governors of the Federation held in Bayelsa State.
Ola Rotimi’'s Grip Am was the Command Performance on July 3, 2001 in honour of Prof. Jerry Gana, the then Honorable Minister for Information and National Orientation during the National Media Tour. This was after the troupe had earlier presented a drama sketch during the launching of the Campaign for Made in Nigeria Goods, which the honorable minister commended as being the best he had seen in his tour around the country.
A Variety ExtraVaganZa on the Odi Ogori Ba Uge(the Ogori Festival of Odi) on July 29, 2001.
A Nite of Entertainment on August 18, 2001 on the Grand Reception of Bayelsans appointed to political offices and top organizational positions. This was under the auspices of the Association of Bayelsa State Indigenes in Abuja (ABSIA) at the Banquet Hotel of Chelsea Hotel, Abuja.
Ola Rotimi’s Grip Am was again the Command Performance on September 17, 2001 on the Inauguration of the Bayelsa State Branch of the Institute of Personnel Management.
Simon Ambakederemo’s Isaac Boro, directed this time by Barclays Ayakoroma, the Executive Director of the Council, was staged again on September 20, 2001, on the Meeting of Executive Governors and Leaders of Thought of the South-South Zone, which took place in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The State Troupe was to create waves again during the activities marking the 5th Anniversary of the Creation of Bayelsa State in 2001. The production of Dance on his Grave (popularly known as "close your legs kpaam" among Bayelsans) written and directed by Barclays Ayakoroma took the audience off their feet, on September 30, 2001. True to our assertion that His Excellency is our No. 1 audience, he extended an invitation to the Executive Director of the Council and the two lead artists (Kenekpoeye Obudu who played King Olotu, and Preye Ogbotubo who played Queen Alaere). The good news is that Ken Obudu, who had been a guest artist with the Council was given automatic employment and double promotion at the same time, while Preye Ogbotubo was given double promotion. This was in addition to cash gift to the two artists.
Ola Rotimi’s Grip Am was again the Command Performance on October 31, 2001 on the occasion of the 11TH Bi-Annual Conference of Key Functionaries Responsible for Local Government Affairs, which held in Yenagoa.
A Nite of Entertainment on November 10, 2001 on the occasion of the Gala/Dinner Nite to mark Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission Bye-Elections 2001.
Barclays Ayakoroma’s Dance on his Grave featured again on November 15, 2001, on special request as part of activities marking Chief Alamieyeseigha’s 49th Birthday Celebrations.
Performance at the Ozuruimo Festival for Arts & Culture in Owerri, Imo State, organised by the Imo State Council for Arts & Culture from November 19 – 21, 2001.
A Nite of Entertainment on December 14, 2001 on the occasion of the Year 2001 Elf Staff End of Year Party at Elf Premises, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
There was command performance of Ineye Johnny-Dudafa’s
Mangrove in the Desert again on January 7, 2002, on special demand, on the visit of the Presidential Security Advisory Committee on Oil producing Areas of the Niger Delta to Bayelsa State.A Nite of Entertainment on January 14, 2002 on the occasion of the Year 2002 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Programme.
A Nite of Entertainment on March 1, 2002 on the occasion of the Visit of the National Chairman of the People Democratic Party, Chief Audu Ogbeh, to Bayelsa State.
There was a presentation of A Nite of Entertainment again on March 14, 2002 in honour of visiting Justices of the Court of Appeal to Bayelsa State.
A Nite of Entertainment on May 14, 2002, featuring Tari, a dance drama based on the classical play, Pygmalion, during the Conference of Chief executives of Culture of Oil Producing States (CCEACOPS) which held in Bayelsa State.
Comish Ekiye’'s The Family was the presentation on May 29, 2002 to mark Democracy Day 2002. The production opened to the public from May 30 to June 2, 2002. It showed that the State Troupe was really a force to reckon with in professional theatre practice.
A Variety ExtraVaganZa during the Odi Ogori Ba Uge(the Ogori Festival of Odi) on July 29, 2002.
A premiere of Castle in the Air, written and directed by Barclays Ayakoroma was the bill on September 30, 2002, as the Command Performance during the 6th Anniversary of the Creation of Bayelsa State.
A Nite of Entertainment featuring Battle Royale on October 12, 2002 on the occasion of the Bayelsa Week 2002 of the Association of Bayelsa State Indigenes in Abuja (ABSIA) at the Abuja Council for Arts & Culture, Garki – Abuja.
Ola Rotimi’s Grip Am was on stage on November 14, 2002, on special request as part of activities marking Chief Alamieyeseigha’s 50th Birthday Celebrations.
Xmas ExtraVaganZa , a variety package was on stage on January 1, 2003 to give Bayelsans a night of relaxation.
Castle in the Air , written and directed by Barclays Ayakoroma was the presentation of the Bayelsa State Troupe on February 26, 2003, as the Command Performance during the 1st Matriculation Ceremony of the Bayelsa State College of Arts & Science, Agudama-Epie, in Bayelsa State.
Ineye Johnny-Dudafa’s Mangrove in the Desert was staged as part of activities marking the First Pan-Ijaw Conference organized by the Ijaw National Conference (INC) from March 1 – 3, 2003.
There have also been several command performances in honour of visiting executive governors of nineteen (19) states of the Federation, the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief (Mrs.) Stella Obasanjo. Other occasions include visiting Attorneys-General, the Chief Judges of the various states of Nigeria, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais, and a host of other visiting dignitaries.
In addition to performances at various programmes put together by the state government or its ministries and parastatals, the Bayelsa State Council for Arts & Culture has established a resident band, The Glory Beats, to complement the performances of the State Troupe. The Government has spent over two million Naira (N2M) to equip the band because of the impact it has made.
The council, for the first time in the six-year history of the state, participated in the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST 2002) from November 2 – 9, 2002 in Port Harcourt, the Garden City of Nigeria. There was a special request for The Glory Beats to feature on the bandstand in the Main Auditorium of the Integrated Cultural Centre, Port Harcourt to entertain guests every night.
It is important to point out, once more, that this positive development of the Bayelsa State Council for Arts & Culture in the last four years was possible courtesy of the unrivalled support of the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, to whom the management and staff of the Council remain eternally grateful.
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