…What You Missed From The MTN Sponsored Eko Theatre Carnival 2018
The Eko Theatre Carnival, a week-long celebration of arts and culture in Nigeria which held early on in the summer between July & August was a delightful experience for all participants who were in attendance, as hosts Crown Troupe of Africa provided great performances during the carnival.
Here’s what you missed from the MTN sponsored event.
The week-long celebrations began with a visit to the prestigious Nike Art Gallery Lekki, Lagos owned by Nike Davies-Okundaye, which boasts a collection of about 8,000 diverse artworks from various Nigerian artists. Present on the day were members of the Press, Mr Denis Okoro of the MTN Foundation, Miss Nonny Ugboma Secretary of MTN Foundation & Oba Adeen Aderemi Adedapo Alayemore of Ido Osun and of course the Crown Troupe Of Africa to delight the crowd with a short stage act.
As part of the celebrations that surround the week-long carnival, the Crown Troupe also invite guests from far and wide to join in and share in the activities of the week. The invited guests for the 2018 edition were the Africa Israeli Stage led by Artistic Director Dr Yaffa Schuster who delivered Wole Soyinka’s ‘A dance of the Forests’ in Hebrew language to audience who were live at the National Arts Theatre Iganmu and subsequently at Freedom Park Lagos Island during the week.
The week-long celebration of arts and culture took place across several locations in Lagos including the National Theatre Iganmu, Freedom Park Lagos Island, Crown Troupe HQ Ilaje, Bariga. The Crown Troupe also hosted their ever mobile audience at their base/head quarters in the heart of Bariga where the Footprint of David, a group of gifted and truly amazing children gave a treat of a performance.
This would all be a lead-in, to a truly grand finale as the Crown Troupe once again returned to Freedom Park Lagos Island to give the mother of all performances as the audience prepared for what was going to be a modern, 21st century adaptation of the ‘Trials of Brother Jero’
The full to capacity audience watched with apt attention as the talented group of performers kept giving back-to-back reasons why being absent was not an option on the day, with their shaku-shaku steps and contemporary dance moves with everyone pausing with each break and clapping at the end of each scene. Then it was time for Jesse King Buga to give the week-long event a thrilling end as he serenaded the crowd through the night marking a glorious end to the 2018 festivities.
The Eko Theatre Carnival provided a true celebration of arts and culture during the week long festivities, with the delightful theatrical performances that were on show, delivering a great time out thanks to hosts the Crown Troupe of Africa and the support of the MTN Foundation.