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By Henry Akubuiro
Arojah Royal Theatre, one of Nigeria’s leading independent theatre companies, will represent Nigeria at the Cradle of Creativity Festival 2026, presented by ASSITEJ South Africa at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The festival, which brings together theatre-makers from South Africa, Africa and beyond, runs from August 31 to September 6, 2026, with Arojah Royal Theatre’s LEAH scheduled for performances on September 4, 5 and 6 at the Barney Simon Theatre, The Market Theatre.
The production, written and directed by Jerry Adesewo, is inspired by the true-life story of Leah Sharibu, the Nigerian schoolgirl abducted by Boko Haram alongside more than 100 other girls from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, in February 2018. While most of the abducted girls were subsequently released, Leah remained in captivity, and uncertainty has continued to surround her fate.
In LEAH, Adesewo transforms this unresolved national memory into a theatrical exploration of courage, faith, resilience, education, memory and the enduring consequences of conflict on children and young people.
According to the festival programme, the play traces Leah’s journey from a carefree schoolgirl in Dapchi through her abduction, captivity, forced marriage and motherhood, while foregrounding the resilience and hope that sustain her. The production also gives voice to countless girls and young people affected by conflict and displacement.
The Johannesburg presentation comes at a particularly significant moment for the Cradle of Creativity. The 2026 edition marks the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, when young people took to the streets in protest against apartheid education policies. The festival is consequently placing young people’s courage, activism, creativity and capacity for transformation at the centre of its artistic programme.
For Arojah Royal Theatre, participation in the festival offers an opportunity to place a distinctly Nigerian story within a broader African and international conversation about children, conflict, human rights, memory and the transformative possibilities of theatre.
“LEAH is ultimately about remembering,” said Jerry Adesewo, playwright, director and Artistic Director of Arojah Royal Theatre. “It is about what happens when a young person disappears and the world gradually moves on. Theatre gives us an opportunity to bring Leah back into the public consciousness, not by pretending to know what happened to her, but by refusing to allow her name and story to disappear.”
The production features Folashade Olafisoye as Leah, with Ezra Ibrahim as Commander/Captor, and Music/Assistant Director; Banji Joshua Olayiwola as Shuaib/Idris, drummer and Stage Manager; Felicia Fadeke Jerry-Adesewo handling costume, make-up and administration, in addition to playing as Mama Leah Pope Egbuche serves as Technical Director.
The production has a running time of 60 minutes and is recommended for audiences aged 13 years and above. Its three scheduled performances at the Barney Simon Theatre are Friday, 4 September at 2:30 pm; Saturday, 5 September at 4:30 pm; and Sunday, 6 September at 11:30 am.
The Cradle of Creativity is ASSITEJ South Africa’s international festival of theatre and performing arts for children and young people. The 2026 edition brings together productions from across Africa and the wider international theatre community, alongside workshops, professional development activities and opportunities for intercultural exchange. The festival describes itself as a platform for artistic excellence, international collaboration, audience development and professional exchange.
Arojah Royal Theatre’s participation therefore extends beyond the presentation of a single production. It represents an opportunity for Nigerian theatre to contribute to conversations around Theatre for Young Audiences, inclusive artistic practice, African storytelling and the role of the performing arts in confronting difficult social realities.
With LEAH, Arojah Royal Theatre brings to Johannesburg a Nigerian story that is both deeply local and universally resonant: the story of a young girl whose life was violently interrupted, a family left with unanswered questions, and a nation challenged to remember.
As the lights come up on Leah in Johannesburg, the production will invite audiences to do more than witness her story. It will ask them to consider what happens when societies forget, what theatre can preserve, and why the stories of vulnerable children must remain part of our collective memory.
Arojah Royal Theatre is a Nigerian independent theatre company founded and led by playwright, director and theatre practitioner Jerry Adesewo. Based in Abuja, the company is committed to creating and presenting original Nigerian theatre, developing artists, promoting cultural exchange and using theatre as a platform for social reflection, advocacy and community engagement.
LEAH, which had an exclusive premiere on Saturday August, would, on return from South Africa, stage a public show in Abuja on Sunday, September 27 at the Whisper Art Haus, Maitama, Abuja
Photo: A scene from the performance of LEAH
