Social/Kiddies
Why More Youths Are Taking To Theatre Arts
Young people of this generation in Nigeria want to be popular and admired as stars and celebrities in their own rights, like those in Hollywood and Nollywood.
It is, therefore not surprising that so many youths are currently pursuing careers in Theatre Arts in universities across the country.
Miss Felicia Felix, second year pioneer Theatre Arts student of Rivers State University said in an interview after a session of dance drama practicals at the university Amphitheartre that apart from her likeness of the course, she is motivated by the celebrity status that comes with known artistes.
She added that, she ventured into Theartre Arts because she wants to be admired and popular like the actress, Omotola Jalade, who she described as her role model.
As a youth, Theatre Arts would help give self confidence, create social awareness and help solve societal problems especially through the performance of dance drama.
Miss Felix, who is a group director in her class added that, people know Theatre Arts with University of Port Harcourt but recently Rivers State University Theatre Arts was all over the internet through bloggers, social media and the rest of them because of the induction of our year one students which was a “show stopper” in town, she said “Theatre Arts in a way is creating awareness to societal problems. We are practising a dance drama on COVID-19 preventive measures. You know COVID-19 is still around the corner. We are creating awareness that people should adhere to the preventive measures such as washing of hands, wearing face masks, using of hand sanitizers and avoiding crowded places. Other groups are working on black soot, drug abuse and food scarcity in the society”.
Mr Godsdoing Chinemerem Okor, second year student and President, Theatre and Film Studies Students Association, Rivers State University, said that young minds like them want to be happy and express their emotions through singing and acting. Also, most of the youths want to be talked about and feel important like David Adedeji Adeleke (Davido) that is why more youths are into theatre studies.
For him, Davido is his role model in the area of singing and Zubby Micheal, a Nollywood actor.
Okor also said that though Rivers State University. Theatre department is new, the students are putting in their best to make their name in the society.
Like, the induction recently was unique, and got the attention of most persons in Nigeria, “We used costumes, hair styles and innovations that our contemporary have not used before which stood us out.
“We had performed for the Rivers State Governor at different occasions, at Obi Wali Centre, we performed with University of Port Harcourt theatre students and ours was outstanding to the extent that the governor asked for a repeat performance. We had also performed at Government House, at Ahoada, for the Governor’s wife’s father’s 80th birthday, also at the Senate building for the Vice Chancellor and several performances at the University Amphitheatre” he said.
Miss Destiny Nwala, also a second year student said that theatre is like a moving trend in our society today because people want to relax their nerves after a day’s work so all the other disciplines like medicine, engineering and so forth still end up to theatre.
She added that “most of our youths are undergoing depression mostly because of family pressure. Many young people have calling in singing and acting and Theatre is the way out, also, most of us want to be trending or be famuos in social media and Theatre is one of the money making areas in Nigeria now.
My role model is Destiny Etico because I like her style of acting, that’s the “rugged” part . Also, Mercy Chinwo, the gospel artiste. I hope to come out with a gospel album like hers in the future.
She added that Theatre Arts in Rivers State University is upcoming with a unique standard. We were privileged to attend the Arts Festival at Abia State University at Uturu, last year, 2021 for the first time. We went as observers because we were not licensed to perform because we had not been inducted due to COVID 19 issues in 2020, but before the end of the festival, we were asked to perform for five to seven minutes and the audience was stunned and impressed at our level of performance. We were asked to host this year’s festival but did not accept because of finance. I see a bright future for RSU Theatre and may be stronger than UNIPORT in all aspect of Theatre if those behind us continue with this momentum”.
Theatre Arts in general helps young people to understand how to appraise situations and think outside the box. This would help them to be more confident when faced with unfamiliar situations.
It is also a creative way of learning, allowing youths to view the world around them in new ways.
Theatre is a collaboration of different players and good for combination of creative ideas and abilities of all participants to come out best in their individual roles. This requires all those taking part to engage in discussions, feedback, rehearsing and finally the performance.
Also, the elements of play, humour and laughter to those taking part improves motivation and reduces stress of the mind. This helps to express emotions and encourage these young ones to understand and deal with similar feelings they may be experiencing.
By: Ibinabo Ogolo
It is the idea of God that family should exit. Children form part of the family. God loves family so much that Jesus was born into the family of Joseph.
Everyone’s family is good and important. Children should not look down on their family whether they are rich or poor.
Children should respect and honour their family and foster love among their siblings. They should work together and make peace in the family. They should always stand in the gap. It is good for family members to carry all along since everyone may not be doing well.
The Christianity that children learn is practised in family. Faith-based organisations do a great job in moulding children’s character. Those are the behaviours that children exhibit towards siblings in family.
Every child born in a family is there for a purpose. A baby born into a family is supplying something. It may be joy, wealth and so on. Everyone is important in a family.
Adolescents who have graduated from school but may not be contributing financially can do one or two things at home. You can engage in preparing meals at home while parents are away for a job or business. Contributing in house chores will go a long way to relieve parents of stress after a day’s job.
What do you contribute to your family, especially during holidays both in nuclear and extended family?
The family you were born is constant but friends are temporary. You can decide not to continue in friendship but you cannot cut off your family. No matter how bad you think your family is and you decide to leave home, you must surely return. Your friends can harbour you for a while.
The child’s first identity comes from the family. What the child learns first comes from the family.
Family is the centre of love and care. People have started playing down on marriage because of neglect on basics of family. Marriage starts today and and the next few months, it is threatened. Respect for family plays a crucial role in marriage.
No child grows without parental control and influence. If a child refuses to grow without taking instructions from parents, he may grow up being wild. There are consequences when children do not obey their parents. There are those who want to be rebellious against their parents. They should know that their length of days are tied to their parents.
Your bioligical parents know you more than every other person. There is the wisdom and knowledge your parents have that you do not so it is proper to listen to them before choosing carriers both in academics and job. A young man or woman can choose who to get married to, but a greater role in the choice of who to marry and the marriage proper comes from the parents.
They know what is best for you. No matter how modern trends will influence you and prove it wrong, parent is the key. No one can love you more than your parents because they are your blood.
A lot of parents have been traumatised due to the fact that children they nurtured and trained turned their back on them at older age. Children should not abandon their parents for any reason.
As you grow up, situations may arise in marriage when you decide it is over with your spouse, but no matter the level of provocation with your parents, they will not despise you. Parents will also play a role in that regard. Problem arises in every family but how it is handled matters a lot.
Some children honour their mentors more than their parents. Although there are parents who shy away from their responsibilities. It is important that parents take full responsibility of their children. You cannot bring a child to the planet earth and refuse to perform roles as a parent. But parents may not quantify what they spent from childhood to adolescence. That is a blessing children cannot get from another person.
There are people who have attributed their failure in life to the fact that their parents, especially mothers are witchcraft. It is wrong to feel that your mother is instrumental to your failure in life. The only way to success is hardwork.
Let money not determine the level of love for your parents. Wherever a child goes, family is constant.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Naturally, when a child is born, it is the role of the father and mother to decide a suitable name for the child. The husband and wife normally discuss and suggest the English or vernacular name of the baby.
But sometimes, when a baby comes into a family, grandparents hearts are usually filled with joy to the extent that they want to answer present, by giving their own names not minding the fact that the biological parents have given theirs.
This happens mostly when the marriage is an inter-tribal one. It also happens even in intra-tribal marriage. Grandparents want equal representation as far as naming a child is concerned. They also have special names as a result of circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
This is still happening till date.
A lot of people have viewed this in different ways but there is nothing wrong about it. The most important thing is that the child bears as many names as he or she can. But one thing is certain, the child must bear one name in school.
Should circumstance determine a child’s name?
Women who are more emotional are always eager to name their children considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception and arrival.
The issue of grandparents naming a child comes up mostly when it is the first of the family.
In naming children by some parents in the olden days, they named their children according to the days in the week in which they were born, like Sunday, Monday, Friday and so on.
You may be shocked to hear that whether a child is given 10 names by parents or grandparents, when he or she grows up, will decide to change. There are several cases where some persons decided to change especially when they feel that the names given by their parents and grandparents do not give them joy. If they are not doing well in life, they may claim that their misfortune is caused by the name their parents.
Competition among children in schools be it primary, (kindergarten) and secondary come in different forms. It can be Mathematics , debate, quiz, spelling bee,competition, from organisations like Cowbell, multi-national companies, faith-based organisations among others.
They are organised mostly for selected intelligent ones, the best among their peers to represent a class, school or group. Prizes are normally set aside for the best as well as consolation prizes for runners-up at the end of each session.
The question is, are children willing to accept defeat when they fail? As parents, guardians, can you encourage your children or wards to accept defeat instead of shouting and comparing them with others who may be performing better either in schools or outside.
Some parents may be blaming their children for not doing well in competitions. They will like to tell their children if others who may perform better have ten heads. Those group of parents blame their children for every failure.
For your children to do better in competition, the parents too must have emotional intelligence. When you continue to blame your children for failure, how intelligent are you?
Some parents always want their children to be in the 1st position and unhappy whenever they secure 2nd position. There were instances where children smashed their trophies because they never got the position they wanted to get and their parents supported them.
Children should be able to accept it whether they win or not. They should be encouraged for every performance. Discourage the issue of “shame, shame, shame, shame”.
A parent says she always tells her children to win even if they will fail. Always give them the mentality that they can win. Children should be given the impression that they can win prizes and laurels in every competition.
Parents should not isolate their children from others in the neighbourhood. Allow them to play with others. Don’t threaten your children that you may not pay their schools fees if they fail. Comparing them with others may encourage or discourage them.
Coming first or getting award as a first class student from the university sometimes does not mean that the person is the best. And if the child does not merit any award in the lower classes, does not mean that he can not merit first class also.
It should be noted that coming first in academic competition may not really mean that the competitor will be the best at work place or business.
Accepting defeat is a way to move higher. Even if a child who competed with others did not come first, there are consolation prizes for runners-up. When you advise the child to accept defeat, you are encouraging her to win in next competition.
Remember all children cannot be on the same knowledge level Their learning abilities defer.
Eunice Choko-Kayode