FUOYE Reveals Global Opportunities for African Female Playwrights at EkANA May Reading Event
t the EkANA May Reading event hosted by the Ekiti State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (EkANA), Dr. Tosin Kooshima Tume, Acting Head of the Department of Theatre and Media Arts (TMA) at FUOYE, highlighted global opportunities for African female playwrights through the African Women Playwrights Network (AWPN).
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
Dr. Tosin Kooshima Tume, Acting Head of the Department of Theatre and Media Arts (TMA) at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), unveiled exciting prospects for African female playwrights during the May Reading of the Ekiti State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (EkANA). Dr. Tume, who also leads the Steering Committee of the African Women Playwrights Network (AWPN), encouraged talented female writers to join the international association and showcase their work on a global platform.
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The EkANA May Reading event, held on May 1, 2024, featured Mr. Wole Balogun, a lecturer at FUOYE and EkANA member, as the Guest Reader. Dr. Tume, serving as the Special Guest of Honor, emphasized the importance of African women sharing their unique stories through drama to enrich the continent's literary landscape.
Balogun, also the Special Adviser on Media Matters to FUOYE's Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, read excerpts from his drama texts, "Seer's Mandate" and "Looters' Trials," published in EkANA's anthologies. "Seer's Mandate" explores Nigeria's political landscape, critiquing the influence of religious prophecies on electoral outcomes, while "Looters' Trials" questions the legality of punishing citizens who appropriated COVID-19 palliatives hoarded by government officials.
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The readings sparked a thought-provoking discussion on Nigeria's political dynamics and governance challenges. Comrade Rotimi Ojomoyela, the immediate past state Chairman of the Ekiti State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and Barr. Tai Oguntayo Akogun, a former national General Secretary of ANA, contributed to the discourse, alongside Dr. Olugbenga Daramola and Miss. Funke Awodiya, current EkANA officials.
Dignitaries in attendance included Prof. Lara Owoeye of Ekiti State University, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, NUJ Ekiti State chairman, and Provost of the International Institute of Journalism, among others. The event showcased the vibrant literary community in Ekiti State and provided a platform for dialogue on pressing social issues.
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Dr. Tume's call for African women playwrights to seize global opportunities underscores FUOYE's commitment to promoting gender equality and empowering female voices in the arts. As the literary scene in Ekiti State continues to thrive, collaborations between academia and creative industries promise to foster greater cultural exchange and societal transformation.
