As soon as I got the story offer, I was hooked. A stage play on water in Makoko. Definitely a story to tell. Unfortunately rain fell like cats and dogs on that Saturday but fortunately, it was a two-day event so we got to cover the Sunday edition. I was glad because that Saturday, they were forced to hold it in a church.
Women in Nigeria's floating slum Makoko have long had to deal with gender inequality issues in the community. This was the scene played out on a makeshift stage built on water in the popular low income neighborhood known as the Venice of Lagos.
"Hear Word", a collection of monologues that combines artistry, social commentary and true life stories took its new edition to Makoko, a vast settlement of houses built on stilts to address the issue of abuse of women in a male dominated environment.
Eight young women in the floating community were cast alongside popular Nollywood actresses with the hopes to set a motion that will break the silence culture in Nigeria.
For three years since it was established by Ifeoma Fafunwa, Hear Word has delivered an intimate view into the lives of Nigerian women across the country.
For Ifeoma, getting some of the Makoko women to be part of the show is a step towards ensuring that the mentality about women changes, enabling them to take up more decision making roles in the society.
The Hear Word director says that one of the reasons she chose Makoko was because of the threat they have faced in past years. Despite the past challenges, they can forge on and not be held back by societal pressure.
Two weeks of intense demolition of the houses by the Lagos state government in 2012 rendered many homeless.
The play titled Mi Setonu(Hear Word) is a collection of monologues, different stories that touch on the importance of the girl child, education and the need to put an end to pedophiles in the society.
29 year old local actor, Christiana Babapintan who relocated from Otodo Gbame, another community in Lagos that was demolished to Makoko says this is a dream come true for her.
Hundreds of people from the fishing community and other areas watched in excitement; many seated in their canoe as the drama unfolded. I was amazed at the number of people who turned up. The rain almost ruined it. I still marvel at the fact that it would fall heavily for some minutes and stop and then start again. What a day it was! Many residents not unperturbed by it stood their ground all through.
The fishing village was established hundreds of years ago but now climate change and rapid urbanization are threatening its way of life.
"Hear Word", a collection of monologues that combines artistry, social commentary and true life stories took its new edition to Makoko, a vast settlement of houses built on stilts to address the issue of abuse of women in a male dominated environment.
Eight young women in the floating community were cast alongside popular Nollywood actresses with the hopes to set a motion that will break the silence culture in Nigeria.
For three years since it was established by Ifeoma Fafunwa, Hear Word has delivered an intimate view into the lives of Nigerian women across the country.
For Ifeoma, getting some of the Makoko women to be part of the show is a step towards ensuring that the mentality about women changes, enabling them to take up more decision making roles in the society.
The Hear Word director says that one of the reasons she chose Makoko was because of the threat they have faced in past years. Despite the past challenges, they can forge on and not be held back by societal pressure.
Two weeks of intense demolition of the houses by the Lagos state government in 2012 rendered many homeless.
The play titled Mi Setonu(Hear Word) is a collection of monologues, different stories that touch on the importance of the girl child, education and the need to put an end to pedophiles in the society.
29 year old local actor, Christiana Babapintan who relocated from Otodo Gbame, another community in Lagos that was demolished to Makoko says this is a dream come true for her.
Hundreds of people from the fishing community and other areas watched in excitement; many seated in their canoe as the drama unfolded. I was amazed at the number of people who turned up. The rain almost ruined it. I still marvel at the fact that it would fall heavily for some minutes and stop and then start again. What a day it was! Many residents not unperturbed by it stood their ground all through.
The fishing village was established hundreds of years ago but now climate change and rapid urbanization are threatening its way of life.
